The trailer for Borderlands 4 may not have given much away but fortunately for fans, Gearbox has decided to share a sneak peek of what players can expect. The long-teased fourth mainline entry in the popular shooter franchise kicked off the recent Gamescom Opening Night Live event, and while the teaser is fairly enigmatic, that hasn't stopped the community from expressing their excitement. As many dissect the footage to uncover any hidden messages or secret Easter eggs, Gearbox is parting the curtain ever so slightly.

Per Gamespot, Gearbox showed off some concept art of Borderlands 4 during a at PAX West.

The images show off various scenes of the new setting, a major change for the series given that every other mainline game has focused on Pandora; even Borderlands 3, which allowed players to travel to different planets, was still deeply tied to Pandora, even if it was more barren than ever. The images themselves depict a world that's much darker than previous games, featuring vast displays of technology and futuristic design choices with traditional architecture and layouts.

What Can Fans Expect From Borderlands 4?

Out With The Old, But Not All Of It...

Discussing Borderlands 4, art director Adam May noted that while they can't say much about the concept art, the game does represent "a chance to play... with some of that high technology stuff" that's depicted in every image. Borderlands hasn't shied away from technological displays but the more advanced equipment is generally found off-planet, so the team is making it more central to the core location. May also said that Gearbox is excited to see something new, insisting that the studio doesn't want to "keep rehashing the same world over and over."

Details on Borderlands 4 are scarce right now but some fans are convinced the game will see the return of a beloved villain: Handsome Jack. The teaser trailer concludes with a brief "glitch" that shows a face seemingly branded by a Vault Symbol in much the same as Jack, leading to speculation that he could be back despite his death in Borderlands 2 (and his second "death" in Tales From the Borderlands). Decoded text also has enthusiasts guessing that the enigmatic Watcher will feature in the story but all of this is pure speculation.

Borderlands 4 certainly has some big shoes to fill given the one of the worst films of 2024. With all that pressure, one can only hope that Borderlands 4 can stick the landing.

Borderlands Needs An Overhaul

Is It Time To Go Truly Open-World?

The Borderlands series may be known for featuring massive maps filled with all manner of bizarre enemies and encounters, but one has to it that the presentation of each location quickly grows stale. While the peak of the open-world trend, didn't capitalize on it. The third game provided some additional movement options but many maps were simply linear sprints from one end to the other.

One has to hope that Borderlands 3 changes that process by granting players an actual open world where the action isn't separated from the core hub. While it may take away Far Cry to provide a more seamless exploratory experience. Whether or not that's the plan remains to be seen, but the tease that a new planet will seemingly be core to the game's experience suggests Gearbox is considering some major changes.

Borderlands Players Are Tired Of Pandora

It's Time For Some New Scenery

Pandora has served the Borderlands franchise well, acting as the main backdrop to the series since the first game launched in 2009. As much as it's become a staple, it's also time to acknowledge that the planet itself isn't all that impressive. Several Borderlands characters have even quipped that all the blood shed over the world doesn't seem worth it when Pandora itself is only really good for mining Eridium, a mineral that's of great importance to the corporations vying for control but only makes the lives of the settlers harder.

Gearbox's projects are often hit-or-miss but Borderlands has consistently proven to be the studio's most coveted property.

Pandora has become repetitive, the only constant in a franchise that aims to surprise players with each game. While spinoffs like Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel and Tiny Tina's Wonderlands may have divided audiences, many will agree that the best part of both games is the new environments. Pre-Sequel makes some fun changes to movement by placing players on one of Pandora's moons while Wonderlands is a major tonal shift thanks to its medieval fantasy theme.

There are still many questions surrounding Borderlands 4 but knowing Gearbox, players won't need to wait too long for answers. The game is slated to arrive in 2025, so the next few months will see details dripping out of the studio before a torrent of information comes spilling out in the months just before launch. Gearbox's projects are often hit-or-miss but Borderlands has consistently proven to be the studio's most coveted property.

Source: Gamespot

Key Background

• Borderlands 4 will be released on all major platforms, meaning PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam + Epic).
• The storyline of Borderlands 4 will continue from the ending of Borderlands 3 but is expected to jump ahead a few years.
• Borderlands 4 will feature cross-platform play thanks to Gearbox Software’s own cross-play infrastructure.