Borderlands 3 will include Twitch extension

The Borderlands 3 ECHOcast Extension will not only allow Twitch viewers to interact with livestreams of Borderlands 3 in exciting new ways, it will also give viewers opportunities to score their own in-game items by participating in events with other viewers right there in the stream.

The Borderlands 3 ECHOcast Extension empowers viewers to look through their favorite streamers' loadouts, explore the contents of their backpacks, and even poke around their skill trees. There are also special loot chests throughout the game that kickoff opt-in events every time a streamer finds and opens one.

If viewers opt in to one of these "Rare Chest Events," they could potentially score a copy of one item from the Rare Chest the streamer opens. This could be a gun, a shield, a grenade mod—whatever the case, one lucky viewer receives a SHiFT code that can be redeemed for the specific item they select from among the items in the chest (though their copy of the item will be scaled to match their in-game level).

The extension will be available starting May 1, just in time for the Borderlands 3 Worldwide Gameplay Reveal Event, during which content creators from across the globe will be playing and livestreaming the game for the first time starting at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Fans who link their SHiFT and Twitch accounts and tune in to watch their favorite streamers will be able get a head start on assembling their in-game arsenals ahead of Borderlands 3's September 13 release.