Summary
- Borderlands 4 introduces ordinance slots for heavy weapons and grenades, adding a cooldown effect.
- Players can now choose between heavy weapons or grenades, improving practical use in gameplay.
- Changes in Borderlands 4 attempt to address player feedback, enhancing combat and adding more combat opportunities.
Borderlands 4 is changing the way grenades and heavy weapons work, and it may make them a more practical option. Fans of the series were treated to a Borderlands-focused State of Play on April 30, revealing a ton of new information about the title and its gameplay. It confirmed several big departures from previous titles in response to player feedback, and Borderlands 4's new "ordinance" feature may be one of the most significant.
The State of Play offered a closer look at Borderlands 4's four new vault hunters, with special attention given to Vex, this entry's siren. While character-specific abilities took center stage for a while, the deep dive also showcased some changes and improvements to how combat and loot work in general. One feature that stood out in particular is the ordinance slot.
Borderlands 4’s Siren Powers Channel the Best of BL2, BL3’s Vault Hunters
Borderlands 4's new gameplay deep dive trailer showcases the powers of the Siren Vex, and BL2 and BL3 fans should keep an eye on her.
As highlighted by a post on the Borderlands 4 subReddit, fans noticed that the ordinance takes the place of the grenade slot , but it's also where players can assign a heavy weapon, so launchers will no longer take up a normal weapon slot in the inventory. It also uses a cooldown timer instead of ammo. While that means having to choose between either grenades or a heavy weapon instead of getting both, it also makes either option more practical, as running out of explosives or heavy ammo will no longer be an issue. It's a good fit for Borderlands 4's massive zones, giving players more opportunities to blow things up and wreak havoc instead of saving the more damaging gear for boss fights.
Grenades and Heavy Weapons Use a Cooldown Instead of Ammo in Borderlands 4
After Borderlands 3 rubbed many players the wrong way, Gearbox making so many changes could be an encouraging sign. The wait to find out won't be as long as originally expected, either, as Borderlands 4 has moved up its release date to September 12, 2025, instead of the 23rd.
Borderlands 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
- Released
- September 12, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Gearbox Software
- Publisher(s)
- 2K
WHERE TO PLAY
Borderlands 4 brings intense action, badass Vault Hunters, and billions of wild and deadly weapons to an all-new planet ruled by a ruthless tyrant.
Crash into Kairos as one of four new Vault Hunters seeking wealth and glory. Wield powerful Action Skills, customize your build with deep skill trees, and dominate enemies with dynamic movement abilities.
Break free from the oppressive Timekeeper, a ruthless dictator who dominates the masses from on high. Now a world-altering catastrophe threatens his perfect Order, unleashing Mayhem across the planet.
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- Yes - all platforms
- Prequel(s)
- Borderlands 3, Borderlands 2, Borderlands
- Franchise
- Borderlands
- Number of Players
- 1-4 players
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unsupported
- PC Release Date
- September 12, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- September 12, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- September 12, 2025
- Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date
- October 3, 2025
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- Local Co-Op Support
- Yes
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
