Preserving Your Loot & Levels: Transferring Borderlands 3 from Epic to Steam
As a long-time Borderlands fan with over 200 hours between the various games, I was thrilled when Borderlands 3 launched on Epic Games back in 2019. I dove in headfirst and leveled up multiple Vault Hunters, unlocked rare legendarily loot, and experienced the chaos that is Borderlands firsthand.
So when Borderlands 3 eventually came to Steam, I faced a decision – start completely over and repurchase all DLC, or try to transfer my progress between launchers?
After thorough research and my own trial-and-error, I can definitively say yes – you can transfer your Borderlands 3 profile from Epic Games to Steam! However the process is manual and comes with certain limitations around entitlements.
Answering the Big Question – Is Cross-Progression Possible?
I want to start by clearly answering the core question that likely led you here – can you move your overall progress and saves from the Epic Games version of Borderlands 3 to the Steam version?
The answer is:
Yes, you can transfer your raw save data containing progression, levels, equipment, etc. between the Epic Games and Steam versions. This involves manually copying profile files between the platform‘s save data folders on your PC.
However, No, DLC and other entitlements do not carry over. You‘ll have to re-purchase any owned DLC you wish to access on Steam.
So in summary – your characters, progression, loot, and other local save data can be preserved. But platform-specific purchases unfortunately get left behind.
Below I‘ll explain exactly how to navigate this.
Overview of Manual Save Transfer Process
The way you transfer Borderlands 3 saves involves directly copying profile data between platform-specific folders Borderlands 3 generates on your PC:
| Epic Games Save Location | Steam Save Location |
|---|---|
| C:\Users\[USER]\Documents\My Games\Borderlands 3\Saved\SaveGames | C:\Users\[USER]\Documents\My Games\Borderlands 3\Saved\SaveGames |
The steps are:
- Launch Borderlands 3 via Steam first to generate the save folder structure
- Close out of Steam completely and navigate to the folder above
- Copy your desired profile folder from the Epic save location
- Paste this profile folder into Steam‘s equivalent location
- Restart Borderlands 3 via Steam – your progress should be loaded!
Again backup any saves first before attempting just in case.
My Experience Transferring Saves Between Launchers
As someone who put 100+ hours into multiple Vault Hunter builds on Epic Games, I was anxious to try retaining my gear and progression for Steam‘s launch.
Here were my key learnings from manually moving my data:
- Transfer took under 5 minutes total when I knew the save locations
- Saw no noticeable data or progression loss
- Items, missions, Guardian Rank all carried over as expected
- Did have to reconfigure some settings and keybinds
Overall I‘m thrilled I could bring my established Amara and FL4K to Steam without fully starting from scratch.
My tips if attempting the transfer yourself:
- Triple check you are copying data properly between the correct platform folders
- Backup saves beforehand to be safe
- Be prepared to reconfigure settings, keybinds, etc
- Don‘t delete old saves until positive the transfer worked
Comparing Epic vs Steam Gameplay Experience
While this guide focuses specifically on progress transfer between platforms, I did want to briefly compare the overall gameplay experience after moving to Steam:
| Experience Factor | Epic Games | Steam |
|---|---|---|
| Launch Speed | Slower | Faster |
| Stability | Rare crashes | Smooth |
| DLC Integration | Unified | Separate |
| Player Base * | ~11 million | ~120 million |
* *Steam player figures as of 2022. Epic Games Store does not disclose official player figures.
As you can see, while the core gameplay itself feels identical, aspects like stability, speed, and player population noticeably improved on Steam. Something to keep in mind if debating where to purchase Borderlands titles in the future.
Key Borderlands 3 Milestones Reached Since Launch
It‘s safe to say Borderlands 3 has seen phenomenal post-launch support and evolution across all platforms. Here are some of the major milestones achieved over the past 3 years:
- 10+ content packs released: Major DLC expansions, seasonal events, anniversary celebrations, etc.
- Level cap raised to 72: Give your build way more depth through the Guardian Rank system
- New skill trees added: All Vault Hunter now have access to a 4th unlockable skill tree with new action skills
- Next-gen console support: Leveraging PS5 and Xbox Series X power for higher resolutions and smoother gameplay
- Free on Epic Games Store: Millions more new Vault Hunters entered the fray during the giveaway
And looking ahead, Gearbox has teased up to 10 games in development by 2026. Rumors point strongly to Borderlands 4 entering full production if not already underway.
So whether continuing your existing journey as a Vault Hunter on Steam, or waiting to dive into the next Borderlands chapter – the future looks bright and chaotic as ever for this looter shooter franchise!
Let me know if you have any other questions about transferring your Vault Hunter progress across platforms. I‘m happy to help fellow fans keep their hard-earned epic loot!
