Summary
- Borderlands 4 is officially confirmed after a 5-year wait, currently set for a 2025 release.
- The latest trailer suggests an apocalyptic story and setting with a potential new enemy type.
- Gearbox may consider retiring bandits in BL4 in favor of a new and more dangerous collection of standard foes.
Borderlands 4 has finally been officially confirmed, after a five-year wait following the most recent mainline title, and the general assumption that a fourth entry was indeed in the works at developer Gearbox Software. Though the series experienced a bit of a road bump due to the divisive theatrical adaptation earlier this year and its subsequent subpar reception, the reveal of Borderlands 4 shortly after gave fans of the seminal looter-shooter franchise more to chew on in a positive light, and sparked theories about the direction it would go in the upcoming title.
As shown during Gamescom, the first trailer for Borderlands 4 contained an apocalyptic sequence, with what appeared to be a strange dimensional rift surrounding a planet while meteors rained down upon it. While it's currently unclear if this is meant to be the planets of either Pandora, Promethea, the moon Elpis, or a new locale, it certainly made an impression and provided at least a glimmer of what the next title is setting up. And as Borderlands looks to evolve, there's one previous aspect that it might want to shake up; that being shifting focus from the psycho and bandit groups as basic antagonists in favor of a new type of core enemy.
Borderlands 4 is currently slated for a 2025 release, although a firm window or date has not yet been provided.
Why It May Be Time for Borderlands 4 to Put Bandits in the Backseat
Borderlands' Bandits Have Been its Mainstay Mobs
From the onset, Borderlands' bandits were its go-to enemy type, as their over-the-top behavior and stylized design were intrinsic and iconic to the lore and vibe of the world. It was fitting for the Vault Hunter protagonists to come across seemingly endless groups of psychos/bandits, and they served as the standard fodder foes for healthy portions of each release. However, even with their ubiquity and ingrained place, there were times when the games took a step back and gave players a change of pace. For example, in Borderlands 2, the Hyperion loader robots were given a prominent role, and offered a different range of enemies and how players approached combat.
Bandits then made a big return in Borderlands 3, where the COV (Children of the Vault) served as a united bandit faction under the Calypso Twins. While this made sense narratively, it verged on over-relying on the same enemy throughout the experience. Though they are undeniably iconic to the series, if Gearbox is looking to usher Borderlands into a new era by notably advancing the previous formula, it might consider placing bandits on more of a back burner in the fourth installment.
Borderlands 4 Should Mark the Rise of a New Threat Beyond Bandits
How Borderlands 4 Could Move on From Bandits as Standard Enemies
Though details are still up in the air at this point regarding its antagonistic force, Gearbox has stated that Borderlands' next villain is "more dangerous and sinister than Handsome Jack." In the trailer, an enigmatic robotic hand plucks a psycho mask from a smoldering crater, and based on this glimpse, might inform what's to come. This may imply an Eridian or Guardian-like foe, and possibly an army of them. Fans have faced these before as well, but usually to a much lesser degree, often not until the latter legs of the campaign. BL4 could thus already be teasing a new, non-bandit faction that players will face.
While it's unlikely bandits will be absent entirely from the next entry given their status in the universe, they instead could be retooled and presented in a different light. One path Borderlands 4 might take is, whatever this seemingly otherworldly threat is, it perhaps goes beyond the day-to-day threat posed by normal bandits. This potential setup could then throw fans an ever bigger curve by requiring the Vault Hunters to team up with their former foes, and see the Hunters and bandits working together to fight off what could be a greater existential threat. In any case, it might be time for Gearbox to retire bandits as the default enemy in Borderlands 4, alongside any other major shifts in story and gameplay it has in store.
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
- Franchise
- Borderlands
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
