Borderlands 4 Story Pack 1, ‘Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned’, will officially launch on March 26, 2026. This release date was confirmed via a new Gearbox DevCast, an 18-minute deep-dive into the upcoming Borderlands 4 DLC’s new story and gameplay content.
After a six-year hiatus, the Borderlands franchise returned in September 2025 with its fourth mainline entry. Upon its debut, Borderlands 4 received a fairly strong reception from most critics, with the long-awaited sequel earning a Top Critic Average of 82 on OpenCritic, with 88% of critics recommending the game. A few weeks before Borderlands 4‘s release, developer Gearbox detailed a substantial post-launch roadmap, one which included two paid story DLCs. These DLCs were said to include one new playable Vault Hunter each, along with an array of new story missions, side quests, enemy types, bosses, and weapons.
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Borderlands 4’s Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned DLC Will Launch on March 26, 2026
Staying true to its original Q1 2026 release window, Borderlands 4‘s Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned DLC will release on March 26, 2026. This release date was officially confirmed at the end of a recent Gearbox DevCast, during the premiere of the DLC’s first full-length trailer. This trailer teased Borderlands 4 Story Pack 1’s narrative, its new setting, its new enemy types, and gave a very brief look at the new Vault Hunter C4SH’s unique gameplay style.
Everything Revealed About Borderlands 4’s Story Pack 1 DLC So Far
The vast majority of the recent Gearbox DevCast’s runtime was dedicated to diving a bit deeper into the upcoming DLC’s story and its connections to past Borderlands entries. Along with once again confirming that the expansion will have a more horror-oriented tone, Creative Director of the Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned DLC, Josh Jeffcoat, gave an overview of the DLC’s new setting, describing it as a glacier and wilderness that players are dropped into in their search for Ellie. During the DLC, players will also be able to encounter chunks of Elpis, the moon that Lilith crashes into Kairos prior to Borderlands 4 and the primary setting of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel.
While Mad Ellie is obviously returning to the series once more, she’s joined by a handful of other legacy Borderlands characters. One of these returning cast members is Crazy Earl, who crash-landed with Ellie in this new desolate region. Mancubus Bloodtooth, an enigmatic NPC from Borderlands 3‘s ‘Guns, Love, and Tentacles’ DLC is also returning here, seemingly as the DLC’s main antagonist. Pickle from Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is also confirmed to be making an appearance.
Several enemy types from Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel will also be returning in Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned, including the Kraggon and Scav enemies with authentic “space Australian” accents. While an exact number of bosses hasn’t been confirmed yet, Jeffcoat says there will be “lots” of new threats to fight, and that all bosses will be replayable, either via Moxxi’s Big Encore machine or the new Nightmare Rift feature, which is essentially a new version of Borderlands 4‘s world boss mechanic.
Along with all the new story content, Borderlands 4 Story Pack 1 will also be introducing new trophies/achievements and new cosmetics for all characters, including the new Vault Hunter C4SH, who’s officially confirmed to be a rogue. C4SH will be receiving a dedicated gameplay breakdown sometime next week. Shared progression is also being added, allowing players to share SDUs, map exploration, fast travel stations, collectibles, and activity completion between characters.
How to Access Borderlands 4’s Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned DLC
During the DevCast, Jeffcoat confirms the two ways players will be able to access Borderlands 4’s upcoming story DLC. The first method is to simply complete the first four main story missions in Borderlands 4’s campaign. Doing so will unlock a new mission that will take players to the DLC’s new region. Alternatively, players can access the Mad Ellie DLC via the main menu, where they’ll have the opportunity to start right away with a new character who’s auto-leveled to 13.
- Released
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September 12, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
