Borderlands 2 Ultimate Vault Hunter DLC and patch out today – full details

New add-on, plus whole host of gameplay changes and bug fixes in latest update

Big day today for Borderlands 2 players with the arrival of a new software update and Ultimate Vault Hunter expansion pack for PS3 and Xbox 360. While the patch is free, the Ultimate Vault Hunter add-on is priced $4.99 or 400MSP (£3.43/€4.80/$5), although if you’ve purchased the Season Pass, the DLC comes at no extra cost.

First, let’s have a look at what changes developer Gearbox has put into the patch:

New items to the Black Market:

• One additional ammo upgrade for each ammo type, at 50 Eridium each
• Two more backpack storage space upgrades, at 50 and 100 Eridium respectively
• Two more bank storage space upgrades, at 50 and 100 Eridium respectively
• Increases the maximum amount of Eridium players can hold from 99 to 500
• Adds a new playthrough balanced for top-tier play: Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode
• Various bug fixes  

Gearbox has provided a complete update and bug fix list for both the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions.

And then there’s the Ultimate Vault Hunter DLC, details as follows:

• Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode is unlocked for a character once they have completed the main story missions in True Vault Hunter Mode and reached level 50
• Unlike other playthroughs, Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode can be replayed multiple times with players able to reset their overall mission progress at any time from the Main Menu
• No more tutorial missions — characters in Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode begin in Southern Shelf with the “Cleaning Up the Berg” mission
• While playing in Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode, enemies and bosses will scale according to the player’s current level or, if playing with others, the highest-level player in that party
• Raises level cap to 61, allowing characters to gain 11 additional levels
• Characters gain a skill point with every level from 51 to 61, for a total of 11 more skill points
• Powerful new “Ancient” E-Tech relics and rare Pearlescent-grade weapons can be picked up in Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode

Gameplay changes in Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode:

• Enemy health generally increased 4x
• Enemies now have a moderate amount of health regeneration
• Increased duration of slag damage multiplier effect
• Upped the damage that slagged enemies take from 2x to 3x
• Weapon swap speed increased to better facilitate slag use
• Enemies now more likely to drop ammo
• Loot Midgets are now “Legendary Loot Midgets” that can drop Legendary and other top-tier gear

The exact arrival times today of the new patch and DLC on PSN and Xbox Live is, of course, entirely dependent on when those services update.

After this deployment, Gearbox has another update scheduled for May which will add new playable character Krieg to the roster, and then another campaign expansion will arrive by the end of June.