Summary
Borderlands 4is arriving later this year, on June 28, 2025. After a nearly five-year gap since the latest title, the fourth main installment got its first big reveal in a trailer at the 2024 Game Awards, with the date being revealed shortly after in February at Sony’s State of Play showcase. Now that fans have a firm date to look forward to, along with the details shown off so far, the discussion around what, and how, developer Gearbox Studios will be evolving the franchise inBorderlands 4has only accelerated.
Gearbox has already commented on the various elements and shakeups to the established formula that the next entry will be addressing. The new villain,the Timekeeper,has been touted as “more sinister and dangerous” than the previous fan-favorite, Handsome Jack, and the story is said to be much darker compared to the more comedic angles ofBorderlands 3.Along with these, another longstanding aspect appears to be getting an overhaul.Borderlands 4looks to be expanding the functionality and prominence of its vehicles, and this could lead to them playing a more integral role in some major ways.
For Good or Ill, Vehicles in Borderlands 4 Might Be a Much Bigger Focus
Borderlands' Vehicles Have an Uneven Track Record
Borderlandshas included a stable of vehiclessince its inception, many of which returned in subsequent entries, along with some new models:
While these could be useful in various situations, and were generally enjoyable to speed around the landscape in, they were also often more limited and sometimes outright superfluous. Vehicles could only be spawned from specific points, and the experience gained from vehicle kills was minimal compared to normal combat.
Additionally, some of the more uneven sections of regions meant that they became more trouble than it was worth attempting to navigate via them. With thechange-ups thatBorderlands 4is introducingto them, though, vehicles might be more necessary than before, which may end up being a double-edged sword in the long run.
Borderlands 4’s New Summonable Vehicles Should Stay in the Proper Lane
Studio members have also clarified thatBorderlands 4won’t precisely be open-world, but will still be “seamless.” What exactly that means in terms of how large the new planet of Kairos' map is and how it will function is currently unclear. But combined with the fact thatBorderlandstraditionally contains sizable zones and spaces within them, it’s probably safe to assume that vehicles are shaping up to be more integral than ever, which is certain to affect some of the level and quest design.
Borderlands 4promises to give fans “a vehicle that can be summoned almost anywhere.” The qualifier of “almost” in that description is a little cryptic, but nevertheless, it implies that players will be able to make use of them in a wider scope. It could also mean thatBorderlands 4might replace the Catch-a-Ride systemwith a more convenient tool or method to call them to the player’s side, which could flow more directly into gameplay and quests designed specifically around them.
Vehicles being more immediately accessible may thus mean more main missions and side activities associated with or requiring them to complete. This could possibly entail a greater number of or new types of enemies that use them as well, along with expanded options and ways for players to engage in vehicular combat.
Borderlands' vehicles were already customizable to a large extent, and this will likely also be expanded on too.
Borderlands 4will also be incorporating new movement abilities, and this could work in tandem with the expanded role of vehicles to evolve how players explore and fight through Kairos. While it is encouraging that Gearbox is focusing more on vehicles inBL4,they will hopefully be balanced and integrated in a manner that elevates them without impacting other aspects, resulting in them being more fun and satisfying compared to prior outings.
