Rainbow rarity’s addition to Borderlands 2 was noted by one Captain Koby, creator of the Borderlands 2 Reborn mod-pack. They noted the rarity’s existence and then tried it out on a few of their own modded weapons, sharing the results on Twitter. The Rainbow rarity doesn’t have a static look like the other rarities’ unique colors, but rather features an animated rotation through several colors.
Koby noted that while Rainbow rarity exists in Borderlands 2, it does not seem to be included in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. This has led to some speculation regarding when and why Gearbox appears to be planning something.
On the official Borderlands website, Gearbox is featuring a new VIP program that fans can sign up for with their Shift account. This program offers an array of unique benefits for the Borderlands franchise, including for the upcoming Borderlands 3 release. Some speculate the VIP program could be used to introduce Rainbow items into Borderlands 2 either leading up to Borderlands 3 or alongside the game’s release to build a connection between the two games.
Exactly what Borderlands 2’s new Rainbow rarity is for will have to remain a mystery for the time being. Koby himself is unsure what to make of it, even noting that Gearbox may just remove it from the game if it was included accidentally. The least that can be said, however, is that Gearbox has some sort of plan for the Rainbow rarity. Whether that’s in Borderlands 2 or in the upcoming release of Borderlands 3 remains to be seen.
Borderlands: The Handsome Collection is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
