It’s official: SHiFT codes will make their return in Borderlands 3. The codes that gave us rare pink and energy-based loot in Borderlands 2 will be back. If you want the really rare and special guns the easy way, there’s no better way than with SHiFT codes.

We’ve got the lowdown of how SHiFT codes and VIP codes work in part 3 via E3 2019. Let’s break it down.

SHiFT Codes

These codes will appear in a couple of forms according to Gearbox.

• Golden Keys will unlock a special chest that is guaranteed to give you an item (usually a gun) of a high rarity. Shift codes often grant a batch of a few golden keys to use. It’s sort of like playing a free slot machine, except you’re guaranteed to get a rare item—just not necessarily one that you want. This chest will most likely be at Sanctuary 3 -the flying base that’s your primary hub.
• Cosmetics: Some Shift codes will likely unlock special skins for Borderlands 3’s vault hunters. In the past, these were often tied to special events, and getting a Shift code was the only way to unlock the skin.

This is how you redeem SHiFT codes:

• Online with a free account at Shift.GearboxSoftware.com, which lets you link a Steam, console, Epic Games, or social media account. Remember that Borderlands 3 is an Epic Store exclusive at launch.
• In-game through the menu. You’ll copy the 25-digit Shift code, tab into your game and paste it in. Voila, guns and cosmetics for you!

VIP Codes

Remember that Vault Insider program Gearbox announced on its website? Yep, you’ll be getting an entirely separate kind of codes for that if you sign up. You can redeem these special codes for special vault points. Vault points can also be gained from other activities like signing up for a 2K newsletter or just filling up your in-game profile.

If you get a set amount of points, you’ll get VIP-level rewards like exclusive Vault Hunter skins, heads, and even something similar to the Early Adopter pack you get for signing up. This pack for Borderlands 3 includes a “Children of the Vault” weapon, an Echo Device skin, and 5 Gold Keys to unlock chests in-game.

Hope that clears everything up about Gearbox and 2K Games’ free loot and rewards system. Borderlands 3 will be mayheming its way to consoles and PC 13th September.