Please READ: An IMPORTANT Note for Online Play on Borderlands PS3

[CypherNova139]

Lately I've been watching the gaming sessions for borderlands on PS3, and I'm noticing there is a lot of people trying (and usually failing) to get the "And They'll Tell Two Friends" trophy  and / or just play co-op .. because the connection to players straight up fails, and they along with other gamers trying to help seem to have no idea why.

For some weird reason, Borderlands on PS3 is stupidly picky about the version it connects to.

In order to have a successful connection:
1) All players must be playing matching game versions.
Disc users can only connect with Disc users.
Normal release or GOTY release seems to not matter from what I've seen.
Digital users can only connect with Digital users.
iirc PS Now users can only connect with PS Now users.
Japan users can only connect with Japan users. (BL1 PS3 Japan release has a separate trophy list. yay stacking)
Region seems to not matter other than the Japan release, What seems to matter is whether you are playing from Disc or from Digital PSN version, or PS Now.

2) All players must have the exact same DLCs installed.
Borderlands features 4 story DLCs.
If a member of your group does not have the DLCs, others who do must delete their DLCs from the PS3's Game Data utility to connect to their fellow DLC-less friend.
If, say, you only have say Moxxi's Underdome DLC installed you can only connect to those who also only have Moxxi's Underdome DLC installed.

 

Example scenarios:

• If you are playing Borderlands using a Disc:
  You can only connect to people who are also using a Disc.
• If you are using Digital PSN version:
  You can only connect to people using the digital PSN version.
• If you are on PS Now:
  You can only connect to other PS Now users.
• If you do not have any DLCs:
  You can only connect to those who do not also have any DLCs, along with matching with your use of disc or digital game version.
• If you have only 1 DLC:
  You can only connect to those who also only have 1 DLC and they have the same DLC that you have, along with matching with your use of disc or digital game version.
• If you have all the DLCs:
  You can only connect to those who also have all the DLCs, along with matching with your use of disc or digital game version.

In any boosting session for this game:
It is imperative to ensure that before your session starts all players have matching game versions and DLCs. if not, you'll need to rectify the missing DLCs and game versions in your group, and / or find other boosters who share your same game setup.
If you are joining a session you need to clearly state what game version you have and what DLCs you have installed.
Later GOTY releases have the DLCs included on disc, but each DLC needs to be installed from the XMB (extra disc icon).

If you really cannot find anybody (please exhaust other resources first :P) I have Disc, Digital, Japan disc and all DLCs installed. Again please setup with other boosters before asking me so as to try to keep the requests down.

[Martain2]

@hBLOXs

[HuntingFever]

It never used to be this way, they must have changed something with the most recent patch because I've never had problems connecting to anyone with a version other than the one I own. I've always known the JP version had region locked servers but have always been able to connect to my friends and random players, even if they don't have all the DLCs.

Edited May 16, 2021 by HuntingFever
Fixed typo.

[CypherNova139]

yea PS3 games are getting weirder as time goes on. for now this is what I've noticed works

[Roronora_Zoro666]

I guess it finally pays off owning the disc version, digital version, and JP version of BL1.

 

Edit: I’m only missing the GOTY disk version (non-JP).

Edited May 16, 2021 by Roronora_Zoro666

[Lord_Bane999]

On 16/05/2021 at 5:15 PM, HuntingFever said:

It never used to be this way, they must have changed something with the most recent patch because I've never had problems connecting to anyone with a version other than the one I own. I've always known the JP version had region locked servers but have always been able to connect to my friends and random players, even if they don't have all the DLCs.

I agree this is strange when I use to play Borderlands on PS3 I never had this issue either and I know for a fact I had digital plus all dlc and my friend that played with me had physical and no dlc.

 

Only time it ever caused an issue was if I tried to enter a DLC area and then it would just kick them from party. But I didn't recall it ever outright refusing us to play together.

[EnricoShapka]

Can confirm 1 point isn’t true. I played with someone who had all dlc and I had none, we did the main story without problems. 

Edited October 1, 2022 by EnricoShapka

[You]

9 minutes ago, EnricoShapka said:

Can confirm 1 point isn’t true. I played with someone who had all dlc and I had none, we did the main story without problems. 

 

This is the same for me, many years ago, both me and my friend had the Disc version, I have all the DLC and we played together. When I tried to teleport to the DLC locations a message pops up saying "XXX player does not have the DLC". But we could play the main game fine.

 

I'm also pretty sure I played with some guys who had the digital version when they helped me with the Raid boss because wasn't this game free on PS+ one time? I can't quite remember though. Japan servers are absolutely definitely regioned though, like they are in Dead Island games.

Edited October 1, 2022 by enaysoft

[CypherNova139]

22 hours ago, EnricoShapka said:

I played with someone who had all dlc and I had none, we did the main story without problems. 

Before I accept a confirmation, Can you confirm when was this connection accomplished?

Hopefully some recent server update fixed the game's connection issues regarding DLC, as for past couple years or so the game has had the no connection issues described in OP.
I've noticed in helping a couple people lately who didn't install DLC before session still connected to my has-all-DLC PS3's lobby (I only do 'And they'll tell two friends' trophy atm).

@enaysoft I'm pretty sure in the game's heyday the connections issues weren't this bad, it's only been a more recent issue in past couple years. Before confirming a post if your info is from years ago please reconfirm that info is still current today.

For now though dear reader, please still match DLC and versions, and check for matching version/DLC if you have any connection issue.