Summary
- Borderlands 4 embraces changes for innovation, like a new planet with seamless exploration and traversal mechanics.
- The addition of base building in Borderlands 4 could enhance player expression and provide a new immersive experience.
- Base building on Kairos would give players a sense of place and allow for personalization in unfamiliar territory.
The long-awaited Borderlands 4 will be here before fans know it, with a release date of September 23, 2025 finally confirmed for the sequel. Considering where the Borderlands series has been in terms of popularity lately, Borderlands 4 may be the franchise's last chance to innovate, lest it risk losing or at least severely diminishing its dedicated following. Fortunately, Borderlands 4 is making a number of changes and additions to the series' formula that could help it be a fresh start for the franchise — like a new planet (Kairos) with seamless exploration, new traversal mechanics, and more.
Borderlands 4 shouldn't stop with new features anytime soon either, especially if it hopes to capture the attention of longtime fans and newcomers alike. In fact, something it should consider adding on account of its new planet is base building, as the series has never featured such a system before and Kairos arguably presents the perfect excuse for one to be added. Additionally, Borderlands' commitment to player expression would be reaffirmed by the inclusion of base building in Borderlands 4, presenting an even stronger case for it to make its series debut.
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Why Borderlands 4 Should Feature Base Building
Base Building Would Let the Vault Hunters Establish Themselves on Kairos
The main reason Borderlands 4 should consider adding a base-building system is that it would make sense from a narrative standpoint. Unlike the universe players have become accustomed to over the years, Borderlands 4 takes place on the planet Kairos, an uncharted location that was previously inaccessible and concealed due to a protective barrier. However, after Pandora's moon, Elpis, crashes into that barrier upon being transported there by Lilith, the way opens up for Borderlands 4's new Vault Hunters to land on the planet's surface and confront its ruthless dictator, the Timekeeper.
Kairos also represents the first time the Borderlands series has featured seamless exploration, with previous entries having interconnected zones separated by loading screens.
Since players will be newcomers on Kairos' surface in Borderlands 4, a base-building system would allow them to establish themselves and their base of operations on the planet. In previous Borderlands games, players have had designated bases of operations that served as central hubs — like Borderlands 2's Sanctuary and Borderlands 3's Sanctuary III. While these bases offered customization options, like decorating personal quarters, they were nonetheless confined to previously established locations. If Borderlands 4 introduced base-building mechanics, it could offer players a more personalized and immersive experience by allowing them to customize their own bases from the ground up, all while making sense from a narrative standpoint.
Base Building in Borderlands 4 Would Reaffirm the Series' Commitment to Player Expression
If Borderlands 4 were to include a base-building system, it would also reaffirm the series' commitment to player expression. Historically, Borderlands has offered players plenty of opportunities to customize playable Vault Hunters using unique skins, and the immense number of weapon variants available even further emphasizes the series' desire to let players personalize their experience. Borderlands 4, on the other hand, could take this to the next level by featuring base-building mechanics, as it would allow players to express themselves beyond character skins and guns.
Since players will be newcomers on Kairos' surface in Borderlands 4, a base-building system would allow them to establish themselves and their base of operations on the planet.
If Borderlands 4 really wants to be a genuine step forward for the series, base building is a natural form of progression that fits both the setting and the franchise's emphasis on player expression and personalization. With Kairos offering previously unexplored terrain and seamless exploration for the first time in the series, the ability to build a personalized base of operations on the planet's surface would help players and their Vault Hunters to feel right at home in unfamiliar territory, giving Borderlands 4 a sense of place that would better secure it as more than just another Borderlands game.
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
