When Borderlands 4 comes out in September, it will look much the same as the franchise's earlier games: four Vault Hunters, one central story, tons of loot, and up to four-person multiplayer. But what's next for the series? After four successful titles following the same format, it might be time for Gearbox to shake up the formula. 6z6v3a

With the release of Borderlands 4 right around the corner, Gearbox and 2K have revealed a bit of info about the new Vault Hunters fans will be playing as this time around. Every entry in the Borderlands franchise introduces four new characters, each with their own skills, fighting style, and personality. The fourth entry in the series is no different, and the franchise's latest adventurers are ready to embark on their journey.

Borderlands 4 has made a splash this year with a very in-depth State of Play and a number of key details being drip-fed by its developer, Gearbox Software. There's good reason to believe it could be one of the biggest games of the year, especially for fans of the series. It is one of the few triple-A first-person shooters releasing in 2025, that we know about, at least, outside of Xbox's The Outer Worlds 2, so that's pretty important for those who feel abandoned among the swathe of excellent RPGs, third-person adventures, and turn-based titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

When discussing the potential price of Borderlands 4, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford recently made some comments about "real fans" of the series that rubbed some players the wrong way. As a long-time fan of the series myself, I can understand where this frustration is coming from, especially given the manner in which Pitchford made his comments. Mainly, I think that his comments show that he is largely out of touch with the economic realities that many players are facing when it comes to the recent increases in the price of games.

With consumers dreading a new normal of $80 games, Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford gave a controversial response to concerns that the company's Borderlands 4 might be sold at that high price point. Last week, after Pitchford shared Nintendo's "Creator's Voice" video about Borderlands 4 on X, a replied to him, making a plea to make sure the game is not priced at $80. Pitchford directly responded to the post, and fans jumped on his response.

The social elements of Borderlands 4 make it the perfect game for the Switch 2, according to the game's developers. The fourth game in the Borderlands franchise might take players to a brand-new planet, but it's keeping many of the elements fans love about the looter-shooter. This September, fans will be able to pick up their explosive guns, call up their spectral companions, and expand the lore of the Vaults and their treasure hunters together with their friends and family, no matter where they are in the world.

Borderlands 4 is one of the most anticipated games of 2025, especially now that Grand Theft Auto 6 has been delayed. However, I find myself a little weary of it. It isn't that I don't care about the Borderlands series, as I do. Rather, I feel like I've been let down so often by it that I don't trust whatever Gearbox has cooked up will be something worthwhile. I feel I am in the minority with my opinions on the series, which I find a great shame, as I'd so desperately love to return to the majority's way of thinking.

Borderlands 4 is absolutely looking to revamp the series in order to both appease fans that have been demanding more and see a swathe of newcomers enter the popular franchise. While the more recent entries haven't been terrible, they've certainly lacked the magic that made the first two so special, which has obviously made Gearbox rethink its approach to pretty much everything. From what we've seen so far, Borderlands 4 is addressing players' issues with story, gameplay, and characters in major ways.

The newest trailer for Borderlands 4 has only been out for a couple of days, and one cosplayer is back to show off new images featuring their cosplay of Vex, the newest Siren in the franchise. Borderlands 4 is scheduled for release on September 12 and will take four new Vault Hunters off the planet of Pandora and onto the war-torn Kairos. Based on all the media that's been released so far, the game will include plenty of new friends and enemies, paired with the trademark humor and style that has made this series so well-loved.

Borderlands 4 is taking the series in a somewhat refreshing direction, returning to the slightly more grounded roots of the original, and telling a more mature and darker narrative that fans can really get behind. It is also spicing up gameplay with several important tweaks, introducing fans to an all-new planet, and finally tearing them away from the series' staple setting of Pandora. However, while there are plenty of changes happening, there's a lot that's remaining the same, including some very familiar faces that are making a comeback.