Summary
- Borderlands 4's trailer was unveiled during Gamescom 2024, and the next title is set for a 2025 release.
- Borderlands 4 may aim to make up for BL3's villains' shortcomings with a darker and more dangerous antagonist, in the vein of Jack.
- Gearbox clarified that Handsome Jack won't be the main villain, but his influence is likely to be felt in BL4.
Borderlands has been on something of a roller coaster recently. In the five years since the last main entry, fans have been awaiting updates on the fourth installment. Following assumptions and pockets of rumors, earlier in the year what was thought to be a tease for the next game turned out to be the movie adaptation instead, which subsequently didn't see the best of showings with critics and audiences after it hit theaters at the beginning of August. Finally, though, developer Gearbox recently and somewhat surprisingly unveiled the official first trailer for Borderlands 4 during Gamescom 2024.
In the immediate wake of Borderlands 4's trailer reaction and analysis, there was some thought that it was signaling a return of the series' iconic villain, Handsome Jack. After a mysterious robotic hand picks up an iconic psycho mask, a menacing visage briefly glimpsed at the very end of the footage initially led to some thought that this might be Jack returning to the big bad spot. However, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford shortly thereafter laid the prospect that this was suggesting the return of Handsome Jack as the major villain to rest. Still, given Jack's influence on Borderlands and his place among the fandom, there are good reasons to suspect that he will yet appear to some degree in the upcoming entry.
Borderlands 4 is currently set for a 2025 release, though no firm date is yet attached.
Borderlands 4 Concept Art and New Details Revealed
Gearbox unveils new concept art and details for Borderlands 4, offering a glimpse into the game's fresh environments and innovative features.
Handsome Jack Might Not be Borderlands 4's Main Villain, But His Presence Will Probably Still be Felt
Borderlands 4 Seems to be Promising To Make Up For the Shortcomings of BL3's Villains
Ever since Handsome Jack took center stage as one of gaming's most memorable villains in Borderlands 2, the franchise has struggled a bit to rival his impact and popularity. With the Calypso Twins in Borderlands 3, the series injected the villains with a more humorous bent. This attempt and their credible threat to the protagonists didn't always land, though, and at times felt awkward, forced and stilted in a way that Jack never really did. Now, according to Pitchford's comments about it, whoever or whatever the big bad in Borderlands 4 is, they will apparently be "far more dangerous and sinister" than Jack himself. This in itself sparks speculation and theories as to how it will seek to accomplish such a task.
How Handsome Jack Could Appear in Borderlands 4
Within the established events, there remain some avenues that Borderlands could use to explain Handsome Jack's return. One of the obvious outstanding ones is Timothy Lawrence, Jack's former body double and semi-clone. After being injected with Jack's DNA and undergoing surgical alterations to resemble him, Timothy was last seen in the Handsome Jackpot DLC, where his fate was left unclear by the end of the adventure. Presumably, he is still out in the galaxy and may be struggling with Jack's influence over him. It could be that Timothy pops up again, and is mistaken for Jack by the new group of Vault Hunters, who need to help him overcome this.
Other possibilities include that perhaps this latest villain is inspired by Handsome Jack's actions, viewing him as an aspirational figure and endeavoring to carry on by taking cues from the ruthlessness Jack displayed and going even further. This could potentially be conveyed in the form of cameos or flashback sequences involving Jack, which would allow his inclusion in the plot without resorting to having him return somehow, instead connecting him to the new baddie via a thematic thread.
Conversely, any references to Handsome Jack in Borderlands 4 could come more indirectly in the form of another collection of ECHO logs that may give additional information and perspective on Jack's legacy, like those that explained his childhood. Finally, following series tradition, DLC is also likely for Borderlands 4, which could also provide another way to have him appear without usurping the main campaign. In any case, since Handsome Jack's shadow looms so large over the series, and with BL4 apparently taking a darker turn with its villain, this creates a good probability that he will at least be mentioned in some manner, which is sure to please many fans.
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.
- Franchise
- Borderlands
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
