Gearbox first announced Project 1v1 way back at E3 2017. There wasn't a whole lot to show at the time, but a closed technical test later that summer and a demo out in 2018 revealed the game was a competitive first-person shooter with a collectible card meta-game and a lot of esports overtones. The whole thing seemed made specifically to foster a bunch of Twitch streamers as they duked it out in arena-style combat.
As the name implies, the game is basically a series of one-on-one showdowns. Whoever frags the other guy the most in the allotted time wins. A ranked system would match players based on skill level, but at any time you could challenge the "Arena Champion'' for your shot at glory.
Then Borderlands 3 came out and we basically haven't heard from Project 1v1 since then. Until now, that is.
When asked by a Twitter follower for an update on Project 1v1, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford replied: "Ongoing. The pandemic shook us up a bit, but we went through a chrysalis and I am excited for what will emerge."
Related: Borderlands Movie Has a "60% Chance" Of Ending In A Handsome Jack Tease
So, Project 1v1 is not dead. That chrysalis line likely refers to Gearbox’s recent purchase by Embracer Group, which saw $1.3 billion change hands in a transaction only eclipsed by Microsoft’s purchase of Bethesda.
On going. The pandemic shook us up a bit, but we went through a chrysalis and I am excited for what will emerge.
— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) July 14, 2021
We know from prior press releases that Gearbox has at least one entirely new franchise in development, and it's entirely possible that franchise is Project 1v1. With Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands confirmed, that gives us the two big deals that Gearbox has in the works, but there could always be more.
Pitchford has been talkative on Twitter lately. Another response to Borderlands 2 writer Anthony Burch revealed the distinct possibility that Handsome Jack will make an appearance at the end of the Borderlands movie, which is currently in post-production.
Next: Dark Souls Challenge Runs Prove It Was Never About Difficulty
