Borderlands 4: Everything We Want

In light of Gearbox Software’s incredibly ambitious promise to bring out ten games by 2026 in its recent earnings call, we can safely say that Borderlands, being the studio’s heftiest cash cow, will receive another instalment. And while we can’t say for certain what Borderlands 4 will be—let alone look or play like, we can say that it’ll be heading to consoles and PC, whether we like it or not.

Firstly, though, let’s go ahead and acknowledge the elephant in the room; Borderlands 3 — it had its issues. And not just minor issues, but full-fat, almost game-breaking bugs and sloppy fixtures that made an otherwise great game somewhat mediocre at best. In that respect, one can only hope that the fourth link in the chain will harbor not only better mechanics, but several other features, too. But for the sake of keeping it to the point, here are the five things we’d want to see, in general. Take notes, Gearbox.

5. Customizable Weapons

Borderlands tends to go through more firearms and rounds of ammunition than the vast majority of alternative looter shooter games on the market. And honestly, that’s both a blessing and a curse, as a single weapon can be found on almost any patch of land. The only issue to this is that, well, said weapons don’t feel all that special. If anything, they feel expendable, and serve only as temporary companions before being hurled away in favor of something slightly more extravagant.

If there’s one thing we could do with in Borderlands 4, it’s customizable weapons. And not just weapons that can foster generic cosmetics and skins, but the option to install upgrades, all of which have the power to boost various attributes and what have you. Because let’s face it, as much as we love scavenging the battlefield for spare weapons, life would be a whole lot easier if we had guns that we could actually keep a hold of for the long haul. Here’s hoping, then, that Gearbox gives a little more variety the next time around, and not settle for a bucket of generic peashooters.

4. A Home Away From Pandora

Pandora is arguably one of the most iconic locations in the FPS nexus—a status that Gearbox has held onto for the best part of fourteen years or so now. But let’s be honest — the chaos of the psycho-riddled planet has become a little predictable, and it’d only be fair if Borderlands 4 was to leave it all behind in favor of something, I don’t know, fresh and unheard of.

Besides The Pre-Sequel, which cast its focus on outer space, Borderlands has pretty much kept to the exact same locations in each game to date.And while Pandora itself is bursting with prominent faces and lore, a change of scenery would definitely be the breath of fresh air fans of the series both need and want. Have it as post-launch DLC, sure, but just not in the base game as a lazy cash grab disguising itself as a pinch of nostalgia.

3. Make Legendary Weapons Rare Again

If there was an abundance of anything in Borderlands 3, it was legendary weapons — to the point of making them equally as locatable as any other standard sidearm on the board. And that was a problem, truly, as there was never a sense of exclusivity to reach out and obtain. On the contrary, Borderlands 3 had one too many easy exits, and they often came in the form of easily obtainable legendary weapons and items.

Another point worth taking into account is the difficulty; it was a little forgiving the last time around, mainly down to the fact that weapons were overpowered and handed out before the going ever got tough. And so, as well as spreading out rare items, Borderlands 4 definitely needs a node that allows you to boost the difficulty settings for a loftier but otherwise fair and balanced challenge.

2. Melee Weapons, Please!

It’s all well and good being able to “shoot this guy in the face” for ludicrous amounts of XP every waking second, but given the fact that 99.9% of Borderlands’ combat is doing just that, having the opportunity to employ melee weapons into your arsenal sure would be a sight for sore eyes. And while each Vault Hunter does technically have the option to use melee-based attacks, there has yet to be any variation of melee weapons to unearth and utilize.

Granted, the ranged combat has been filed down to a tee, and actually serves as the bread and butter of the gameplay overall. But in spite of the near-perfect gunplay, there are still sections that need fleshing out—and it begins with developing equippable melee weapons. Oh, and having them eligible for upgrades wouldn’t go amiss, either.

1. An Overworld

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands could teach Borderlands a trick or two, to be fair. An example here would be how to make use of an Overworld—a D&D-inspired map that lets you roam between regions on the board while also serving as a whole other mini-game—one that’s rife with hidden collectibles, dungeons, and separate quest markers to find and complete.

In all honesty, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, despite being a spin-off of the main Borderlands series, conceived a perfect combination of both the looter shooter and the top-down RPG genres. And so, maybe it’s just us, but if Borderlands 4 was to entertain the idea of adopting a similar style, then we’d be all for it. Or better yet, just have the pyromaniac pull the strings from start to finish and be done with it. Take it away, Tiny Tina.

So, what’s your take? Do you agree with our top five points? What would you like to see in Borderlands 4? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.