Brilliant Borderlands fan uncovers “the most valuable SHiFT code” for all players after solving a bonkers puzzle — here’s how they did it

Brilliant Borderlands fan uncovers "the most valuable SHiFT code" for all players after solving a bonkers puzzle — here's how they did it

What you need to know

  • Borderlands developer Gearbox Software occasionally makes new SHiFT Codes — codes players can use to get some free quality loot in Borderlands 2, The Pre-Sequel, and 3 — for fans to take advantage.
  • During PAX West, Gearbox handed out special cards that contained a hidden code for “the most valuable SHiFT code” it’s ever made.
  • Less than two days later, one brilliant fan cracked the cipher, revealing the code that everyone can now use. It’s found in the text below.
  • This particular SHiFT Code gives 50 Golden Keys and 10 Diamond Keys in Borderlands 3, giving players the opportunity to get a ton of Epic and Legendary gear. These keys can also be duplicated infinitely with a glitch (I explain how it works towards the end of the article).

As someone who has spent countless hours looting, shooting, and questing through the vibrant worlds of Borderlands, I must say this recent discovery at PAX West has brought a fresh wave of excitement to the community. The ingenious puzzle that Gearbox Software cleverly hid within their D20 dice cards was a true testament to the dedication and passion of the fans. Solving it not only validated the efforts of one particular fan’s wife but also granted us all with an unprecedented SHiFT Code that promises a treasure trove of Golden and Diamond Keys.


The highly-anticipated gaming event PAX West in Seattle concluded yesterday, wrapping up four days filled with video game festivities. However, due to the ingenuity of an exceptional Borderlands enthusiast who deciphered a secret puzzle initially presented at Gearbox Software’s Main Theater Show, fans of the beloved looter shooter can continue the fun by receiving a torrent of enticing in-game rewards.

It became known that there was a puzzle associated with it when Randy Pitchford, CEO of Gearbox, mentioned on social media that the D20 dice cards distributed at the event contained a hidden code. Although the design seemed ordinary – featuring an image of a random dice roll in the center, rows and columns of triangles, and some numbers – Pitchford’s comment prompted many people to dig deeper and discover the secret embedded within.

Initially, people thought they had stumbled upon a confirmation for the release date of Borderlands 4 being August 29, 2025, based on the presence of the numbers “08” and “29” on the card. However, after further investigation, it turned out that these digits were not indicating the release date but rather represented a total and sequence length in binary code. This binary code was constructed using the card’s triangles pointing upwards and downwards.

My wife seems to have deciphered it. It’s a binary code where upward-pointing triangles represent ‘1’, and downward-pointing triangles stand for ‘0’. There are a total of 29 such sequences, each consisting of 8 digits. After converting the binary to decimal and then to ASCII, you end up with this string: SXFBT-39953-J33TT-3T333-KSHW6. The date associated with this code is September 1, 2024.

“The Twitter user @40_BaySt posted that their partner figured out a puzzle, which was essentially a binary code. If the upward-facing triangles stood for somehow represented 1 meant 1 and the upward-39, the downward-facing triangles represented 0 and they had 29 sets of these symbols. Each set contained 8 digits. In other words, the Twitter user posted a sequence like SXFBT-39953-J33TT-3T333-KSHW6.”

This twenty-five character combination functions as a SHiFT Code, a series of sequences frequently handed out to players of Borderlands by Gearbox Software. These codes can be inputted within the game or on the developer’s official site to receive exclusive rewards. As per Pitchford, this specific code is exceptionally valuable – it awards a total of 50 Golden Keys across Borderlands 2, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, and Borderlands 3, as well as 10 Diamond Keys exclusively in Borderlands 3.

In each game, you can unlock superior Epic (purple) items from the Golden Chest in the main hub area by using Golden Keys. On the other hand, Diamond Keys in Borderlands 3 grant Legendary (gold) equipment from the Diamond Armory. Accumulating 50 Golden Keys significantly facilitates power leveling as you progress your character, while having 10 Diamond Keys offers multiple opportunities to acquire endgame loot tailored for your builds. It’s best to save these keys until you reach Level 72 and Mayhem 10 difficulty.

Brilliant Borderlands fan uncovers "the most valuable SHiFT code" for all players after solving a bonkers puzzle — here's how they did it

But wait — it gets better. Thanks to some fellow Vault Hunters spreading the word on Reddit, I’ve learned there’s actually a way to duplicate the keys infinitely in Borderlands 3 so you can get hundreds of them if you want to. Here’s how that process works (this video shows it too):

As an analyst, I would suggest the following:

I didn’t know this glitch was a thing until today, but now that I do, I’m definitely going to abuse it. You should, too, provided you don’t mind the tedium of key duping and chest-farming. Thanks, @40_BaySt’s wife!

Among the top-tier PC games and Xbox titles, Borderlands 2, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, and Borderlands 3 stand out. However, it’s widely agreed that Borderlands 2 takes the cake. The Pre-Sequel offers a distinctive take on the series with its zero-gravity features, while Borderlands 3 excels in its gunplay mechanics. At present, CDKeys is offering great discounts on all three games; for additional information about this retailer, check out our CDKeys FAQ.

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2024-09-03 23:39