...Borderlands really flopped hard online because of a brain damaged community, illegal modded weapons, hacks, and exploits. I have hopes for Borderlands 2...
I think you'll find that Borderlands flopped online because it was a sloppy console port, and PC Gamers don't stand that. The four instances of paid-DLC, breaking the community up between the haves-and-the-haves-not, also had a pretty substantial impact. All of the security problems stems of the game being a sloppy port. See Crysis 2, where the PC Version's online multiplayer didn't even check for a CD Key meaning Pirates were able to play online for a good month post-release.
Borderlands 2 will do better if the PC version is given proper features. Like mouse wheel support.
Rage could face problems from modders, hackers, and exploiters. Really the game types are similar. If they find a way to lock out mods, all will be well. Rage could easily turn out to be game of the year. Got much else schedules to be played, but will keep a weather eye on Rage.
If you look it up, Rage's multiplayer component is actually more concerned with the vehicular combat than the on-foot shenanigans. Despite the fact that they're both FPS games, Borderlands and Rage are
entirely different games that share only their generic, desert-post-apocolyptic setting. Rage is the more impressive of the two. And yes, I own the Borderlands GOTY Edition.
Rage is more of an old-school, id run-and-gun. This means fast, fluid, polished gameplay with industry-leading visuals. Considering the only other options at this time of year are 'modern day military shooters that are pretending to be realistic by being set in the middle east, with a focus on online hyper-competitive multiplayer and DLC-fueld online communities' games, Rage is an easy sell