The Borderlands franchise has officially surpassed 100 million copies sold, which is quite impressive, to be fair. Without a doubt, the gaming scene has changed a lot since the first game was released in 2009, but the series has always been known for its ridiculous variety of weapons and opportunities to try out different builds. These features have played a huge role in the franchise’s success over the years, but there is much more to Borderlands than simply hunting for the next weapon, and it seems like Gearbox is more prepared than ever to experiment.
The studio has already confirmed that it is working on bringing additional content to Borderlands 4 in 2027. It also invited fans to share their opinions on which characters deserve more time and attention and which stories deserve proper conclusions. In other words, it seems like the studio is trying very hard to focus on the franchise’s future beyond regular gameplay updates, and maybe its next biggest success is closer than people might suspect.
Borderlands 4 Has Plenty of Characters and Stories Worth Revisiting
The studio specifically asked players to reveal which characters they would like to see more of, so the door for some familiar faces to return to Borderlands 4 is now open. What makes this even better is that there’s a pretty good chance that we will see characters who have not received enough attention in the latest installment. This is especially exciting when it comes to franchises like Borderlands, because the series generally introduces plenty of memorable personalities that many people can easily get attached to, so it would be a shame if some of them never had another opportunity to develop their roles in the story.
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Of course, in this case, familiar characters shouldn’t make a few small and meaningless appearances just for the sake of nostalgia. Instead, they could play important roles in future missions and interact with the current Vault Hunters. If Gearbox manages to play its cards right, returning characters could become one of the biggest attractions of Borderlands 4 in 2027. Not everything is about the characters and the story, because some players are particularly excited about creating overpowered builds. For example, many are interested in making Vex’s companion Trouble even more powerful, while others are looking forward to the game’s movement abilities. The latter is pretty obvious since previous installments have been relatively slow when exploring on foot.
It’s always nice to see that people are excited about a game for reasons beyond just a few new weapons.
Of course, there are also people who are simply excited about the opportunity to enjoy new content just because it’s their favorite franchise we’re talking about. In any case, many players seem to agree that the lore is one of the most interesting aspects of the game, especially when it comes to characters like Ava. She became an important part of the previous title in the series and eventually even took responsibility for the Crimson Raiders. However, Borderlands 4 has arguably given her very little attention, so it could be very interesting to see where her Siren abilities and inherited responsibilities could take her. Also, it’s important to mention that Ava is already quite the controversial character either way, so some character development is much needed there. Another interesting candidate could be Moze, who was a playable Vault Hunter in Borderlands 3.
Many people appear to want her to interact with Amara, which could create opportunities for new missions involving even more familiar Vault Hunters. We shouldn’t forget that the franchise has even older mysteries that remain undiscovered to this day, such as The Great War. This conflict was teased back in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel when the character warned the Vault Hunters about an approaching war. Considering how long people have been waiting, there are all kinds of speculations and theories circling around, but with such a beloved franchise like Borderlands, this is entirely understandable.
Borderlands 4 Needs to Balance Its Past With Its Future
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Ellie in Borderlands 4’s Story Pack 1 DLC. Image via 2K -
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Of course, no story development would matter if Gearbox doesn’t play its cards right in terms of gameplay elements. After all, most fans of looter shooter games already have a pretty good idea of what they like about the franchise as a foundation, so it’s essential for some aspects of the game to remain the same as they have always been. In any case, the developer has already confirmed that Weekly Activity refreshes and Community Challenges will continue either way, so players will always have a reason to come back.
In any case, considering how much content the game has received so far, people seem to be expecting some interesting changes that will make its second year feel genuinely exciting, which is no easy task. Thankfully, the studio has also made it clear that it is looking to incorporate community feedback into its future plans for the franchise, which is always encouraging. Moreover, so far the developers seem to be doing quite well in this situation; after all, it’s always nice to see that people are excited about a game for reasons beyond just a few new weapons.
- 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
