Summary
- The recent Borderlands X video recapping the first game's story possibly teases the reveal of Borderlands 4.
- A Borderlands 4 reveal needs to include a release date or window, as it has been five years since the last mainline installment.
- The reveal should also introduce the playable Vault Hunters and indicate its place in the series timeline.
The official Borderlands X (formerly Twitter) account recently posted a "story so far" video, recapping the events of the first Borderlands game. The video ends with an image of Handsome Jack, the unforgettable antagonist of Borderlands 2, and a cryptic message saying, "To be continued." This sent Borderlands fans into a tizzy, leading to a copious amount of speculation from fans and content creators. It's currently unclear what the video could mean for the future of the beloved franchise, but it might lead to the reveal of Borderlands 4.
Currently, it's impossible to know why the Borderlands X account posted this video in the first place, especially considering it only recaps the events of the first game in the series. Some fans have wondered if it is teasing the upcoming Borderlands live-action film, but that doesn't necessarily make sense, as the film will likely either be an original story based on the Borderlands universe or an adaptation of the first game's story. As such, it can be assumed the "to be continued" message means more recap videos may be on the way, with the last video hopefully being a Borderlands 4 announcement. Barring all of this does eventually lead to a Borderlands 4 reveal, however, there are a few things the reveal needs to get right.
What a Borderlands 4 Reveal Needs to Get Right
The Borderlands 4 Reveal Should Include a Release Date or Window
What is likely the most important bit of information a Borderlands 4 reveal should include is a release date or, at the very least, a seasonal release window. Simply announcing the game without any indication of when it could be released would be rather underwhelming, especially since it has been five years since the release of Borderlands 3, and fans have been awaiting news of a sequel ever since. If the potential reveal does include a release date, it will more than likely be set for at least 2025, as the game has yet to be officially announced.
The Borderlands 4 Reveal Should Introduce Its Playable Vault Hunters
Almost every Borderlands game reveal/announcement in the past has included a presentation, albeit an often limited one, of its playable Vault Hunters, so it would make sense for the reveal of Borderlands 4 to do the same. At the moment, it's impossible to know what Vault Hunter archetypes Borderlands 4 will introduce to the series, and whether those archetypes will be new. However, it's more than likely to expand on what the series has done in the past, rather than reverting to its original formula.
The Borderlands 4 Reveal Should Indicate Its Place in the Timeline
Historically, each mainline Borderlands game has been released in chronological order, but that's not to say that the next can't or won't shake things up. In light of that, it would be good for the Borderlands 4 reveal to indicate, or at least hint at, its place in the timeline. This could be accomplished via a background narrator or simply through the introduction of familiar Borderlands characters to reveal their ages and/or roles in the game.
Again, it's likely the Borderlands recap video posted on the franchise's official X account won't lead to anything but a trailer for the upcoming live-action film. It could also result in an announcement of a remake or remaster of some kind, though fans are already expressing their hopes that this will not be the case. However, it would make sense for Borderlands 4 to be announced soon, as the last mainline installment was released five years ago. So, the hope is that this obvious tease will eventually lead to the announcement of the next mainline Borderlands game, along with its release window, playable Vault Hunters, and place in the Borderlands timeline.
Borderlands 3
- Released
- September 13, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
The original shooter-looter returns, packing bazillions of guns and an all-new mayhem-fueled adventure! Blast through new worlds and enemies as one of four brand new Vault Hunters – the ultimate treasure-seeking badasses of the Borderlands, each with deep skill trees, abilities, and customization. Play solo or join with friends to take on insane enemies, score loads of loot and save your home from the most ruthless cult leaders in the galaxy.
A MAYHEM-FUELED THRILL RIDE
Stop the fanatical Calypso Twins from uniting the bandit clans and claiming the galaxy’s ultimate power. Only you, a thrill-seeking Vault Hunter, have the arsenal and allies to take them down.
YOUR VAULT HUNTER, YOUR PLAYSTYLE
Become one of four extraordinary Vault Hunters, each with unique abilities, playstyles, deep skill trees, and tons of personalization options. All Vault Hunters are capable of awesome mayhem alone, but together they are unstoppable.
LOCK, LOAD, AND LOOT
With bazillions of guns and gadgets, every fight is an opportunity to score new gear. Firearms with self-propelling bullet shields? Check. Rifles that spawn fire-spewing volcanoes? Obviously. Guns that grow legs and chase down enemies while hurling verbal insults? Yeah, got that too.
NEW BORDERLANDS
Discover new worlds beyond Pandora, each featuring unique environments to explore and enemies to destroy. Tear through hostile deserts, battle your way across war-torn cityscapes, navigate deadly bayous, and more! QUICK & SEAMLESS CO-OP ACTION
Play with anyone at any time online or in split-screen co-op, regardless of your level or mission progress. Take down enemies and challenges as a team, but reap rewards that are yours alone – no one misses out on loot.
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Gearbox Software
- Publisher(s)
- 2K Games
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Franchise
- Borderlands
- Number of Players
- 1-4
- Split Screen Orientation
- Vertical or Horizontal
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Stadia, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- How Long To Beat
- 25 Hours
- Metascore
- 91
- Platforms That Support Crossplay
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- Local Co-Op Support
- 1-4 Players
