Battleborn, the upcoming shooter from Borderlands creator Gearbox Software, will require players to have a constant Internet connection. This is for the game overall, including single-player and multiplayer, the publisher has explained.

In a statement, 2K Games explained one reason a constant connection is required is because it allows experience unlocked in the game's story mode to carry over to multiplayer--and the other way around. 2K's full statement follows below.

"Battleborn requires an internet connection to play, whether you're playing single-player, co-operatively with friends, or competitively against others," 2K told VideoGamer.com. "One of the reasons for this is that experience points earned in Battleborn's Story Mode carry over to Multiplayer and vice-versa.

"All XP earned through the game's persistent progression system contributes to leveling up individual Character Rank, as well as player profile Command Rank. In addition, maintaining data integrity is a major priority for the team, and online gameplay permits player's data to be accessible, even after experiencing a hardware malfunction or purchasing a new console."

VideoGamer also reports that Battleborn's PlayStation 4 box states that a PlayStation Plus account is required for "certain gameplay and functionality. As explained on the PlayStation Blog, a Plus membership is not required for the upcoming open beta, which was also announced today. It remains to be seen if the Xbox One edition of Battleborn requires an Xbox Live Gold membership.

Battleborn's open beta begins on April 8 for PS4 and April 13 for Xbox One and PC. You can get all the details about the beta through our previous coverage, which also covers the game's TV-style story mode. The full game launches on May 3 across PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

In other Battleborn news, the game's post-launch plans including DLC and microtransactions were recently detailed. You can also read GameSpot's preview of Battleborn, which said its RPG elements hint at a longevity sometimes absent from multiplayer shooters.

If you want to see the game in action, you can watch any of the videos below: