Battleborn release date and new heroes announced

As part of its Gamescom 2015 showing, developer Gearbox today announced that their self-titled “hero shooter” Battleborn will release on PS4, Xbox One and Windows PC simultaneously February 9, 2016.

The game’s firm date comes on the heels of a new trailer showing off solo, co-op and online play. Gearbox also revealed four new heroes in its latest announcement: Ambra, a melee specialist with healing abilities; Melka, a stealthy assassin capable of heavy damage; Reyna, a laser pistol-brandishing support character; and Benedict, a jetpack-touting “Aviant” with a rocket launcher.

A first-person MOBA of sorts, Battleborn is based on 5v5 multiplayer matches across three game modes. Incursion mode is the most basic and sees players fight off hordes of AI-controlled minions while working to destroy the enemy base. Devastation is more of a capture the flag control mode. Finally, Meltdown doubles down on minions by having teams protect them as they work toward the map’s center.

Including today’s four newcomers, Battleborn will launch with 25 playable heroes. All are backed by the Helix upgrade system, unlocking new abilities as they progress from level one to 10 in each match. A separate account-wide leveling system allows for greater customization outside of individual games.