Borderlands was one of the few games of this generation that I actually finished (well finished campaign once, didn’t finish 2nd play through).

I ordered the Loot Chest edition as soon as it was announced from the Swanston street EB Games as it is near my work and I assumed it would be the best place for me to pick it up from, since I was planning to be at work on the release date (and I was there that day).

Nearer to the release date it was announced that there would be midnight launches there and at my local Werribee Plaza  EB Games store. I wasn’t sure if I should switch my order to there or not but since I didn’t really want to be up past midnight on a work night I ended up just leaving it in the city (it was sold out and couldn’t get transferred anyway).

I rocked up to the Werribee store anyway just to see what the event was like and I was very impressed. I got there at around 10pm (it started at 9.30) They had the whole food court fenced off for us, there was loud music coming from a DJ on a stage. On the way into the food court I was given some free Borderlands 2 merch (a Borderlands 2 key ring and Borderlands 2 Top Trumps
card set) and a free taco and chips voucher from Salsa (Mexican chain that had just opened in the food court).

I knew a lot of people there, said hi and chatted to people whilst they lined up to pay for their games (in order to claim a token to pick up their order quickly at 12.01). Above is the decorated entrance to the store and some people waiting in line. The line was pretty big, I never actually went inside since I wasn’t paying for my order since I was getting mine from Swanston street’s EB Games the next day.

Some people told me about additional free stuff to get my hands on. This included a free Razer drink bottle from a table promoting a new Razer gaming laptop (they let people try the new Borderlands 2 game there too).

I also got a photo of myself from a green screen both put into the head of the enemy guy from the front of game cover. I probably shouldn’t have smiled, whoops.

There was a a contest where you had 5 shots to hit various targets (or basically just aim for the 20 point one) to see if you could get at least 60 points in order to get a chance to win a prize pack. I didn’t see the prize pack but I think it involved a borderlands backpack. I did get 60 points but I’m assuming I didn’t win it since I wasn’t there when it was drawn.

Here is a picture of a Claptrap that the Werribee EB Games staff made. The JB HIFI at the Werribee Plaza have one too but this one is slightly better. He was positioned next to the DJ booth. The JB HIFI one was missing an arm when I saw it a few days ago. Poor guy.

Above is a photo of all the stuff I got, Razer drink bottle and catalog (never got to look in it, a friend used it to rest his greasy food on) Taco + chips voucher from Salsa Werribee Plaza, Borderlands 2 keyring and Top Trumps cards and my special photo thing. Overall pretty decent haul considering I didn’t even buy the game there.

By the time I actually went to sleep that night, I probably could have just collected it from midnight there. Would have been way more convenient than trying to carry the giant box in its slightly too small shopping bag from Swanston Street all the way to Etihad Stadium where our car was parked.