- Gearbox Entertainment revealed the full gameplay deep dive for Borderlands 4, revealing new vault hunters.
- We also get a closer look at advanced movements, combat mechanics, a new map, unique bosses, loot, and weapon overhaul.
- Borderlands 4 will be released on September 12, 2025, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
The looter shooter genre is incomplete without the Borderlands franchise, and with an early release date for its fourth edition, fans cannot wait. To feed into that hype, Gearbox revealed an official deep dive into the Borderlands 4 gameplay. In the showcase, we saw new vault hunters, a look at the new planet, an overhauled weapon system, UI changes, and more. So, if you are as excited as I am, scroll down and discover more about Borderlands 4.
Borderlands 4 Gameplay Reveal Showcased New Vault Hunters
In Borderlands 4, players will get to lock in with any of the four vault hunters. At the State of Play reveal, Gearbox showed us two of them. Each vault hunter offers three distinct Action Skills, allowing players to tailor their combat style. The revamped skill tree system introduces branching paths, augments, and capstone abilities, providing deeper customization options. Here are more details about the new vault hunters:
- Vex the Siren: Harnesses supernatural phase energy and can summon a spectral feline companion named Trouble to assist in combat.
- Rafa the Exo-Soldier: A former Tediore soldier equipped with an experimental exo-suit capable of digistructing a variety of weapons.
Borderlands 4 Movement and Combat
To complement the vault hunters, the game needed some advanced movement tech. Well, Gearbox delivered on that part as well. In the Borderlands 4 deep dive, we got a complete and in-depth look at the advanced movement and combat mechanics from the gameplay. Here is the list of everything related to mobility and combat that you get in general:
- Double Jumping: Allows for greater vertical traversal.
- Gliding: Facilitates safe crossing of large gaps and descent from heights.
- Dodging: Provides quick evasive maneuvers during combat.
- Grappling: Enables players to reach elevated areas or pull enemies closer.
Borderlands 4 Gameplay: Weapon System Overhaul
One of the major changes the game got is the revamped weapon system. Yes, instead of the traditional style of Borderlands 3, the game now allows you to have five weapon slots, offering more loadout flexibility. Moreover, there are a total of eight manufacturers in the game, with three being entirely new for the franchise. Each manufacturer gives you access to a different style of weapon. Here are all eight manufacturers available in Borderlands 4:
- Order weapons deliver precise, high-powered burst fire for sharpshooting combat.
- Ripper guns charge up before unleashing a stream of full-auto fire.
- Daedalus firearms are user-friendly and adapt to multiple ammo types.
- Tediore guns double as grenades—just throw them to reload and detonate.
- Maliwan weapons deal devastating elemental damage with fire, ice, and electricity.
- Jakobs guns fire as fast as you can pull the trigger, with bullets that ricochet on critical hits.
- Vladof weapons boast blazing fire rates and massive magazine capacities.
- Torgue guns fire explosive rounds that can be switched to sticky mode for delayed carnage.
Looting and Boss Fights Feel Rewarding
But that’s not all; Borderlands 4 introduces the new Licensed Parts system, letting guns blend traits and abilities from different manufacturers into one weapon, making for the craziest loot combos yet. Legendary guns are also getting a significant overhaul.
In Borderlands 3, they dropped too frequently, which took away their impact and made other loot feel less meaningful. Now, every weapon is designed to feel rewarding, and when a Legendary drops, it’ll be a true moment worth celebrating. Plus, you get to customize the guns using your loot.
On top of that, farming is now more player-friendly—you can replay complete missions or jump into boss fights anytime using Moxxi’s Big Encore Machine. And the bosses? They’re bigger, meaner, and more dynamic than ever. Take Vile Lictor, for example—the terrifying creature teased at the end of the Borderlands 4 gameplay Deep Dive. These encounters are designed to push your loadout, reflexes, and strategies to the limit. To add even more depth to your builds, Borderlands 4 introduces new gear slots:
- Ordnance: A shared slot for grenades and heavy weapons like rocket launchers, now powered by a cooldown system to keep the action flowing in tough fights.
- Enhancements: Replacing the Artifact slot from Borderlands 3, these boost your weapons based on their manufacturer, rewarding smart loadouts with bonus firepower.
- Repkits: Utility gear that can heal you or trigger temporary buffs, giving you the edge when things get chaotic.
Borderlands 4 Map, Settings, and Other Details
Borderlands 4 throws you into the chaos of Kairos—a brand-new planet packed with angry factions, deadly beasts, and people ready to blow the system up. The Timekeeper ruled this place in secret for ages, using mind-controlling Bolts and an army of synthetic enforcers called The Order. But after a rogue moon crashed into orbit, the veil dropped, and everything went off the rails. Now, with the world primed for rebellion, you and your crew of Vault Hunters are about to light the fuse.
You’ll rally fresh factions, run into returning legends like Claptrap, Moxxi, and Zane, and meet a whole new cast of wild allies and villains. Getting around is smoother than ever—summon your Digirunner, zipline from hacked Silos, and glide across the map like a boss. Silos also lead to Vault Key Fragments, unlocking big-time dungeons with big-time loot. And whether you’re solo or in 4-player co-op with crossplay and splitscreen, Borderlands 4 keeps the gunplay fast, the loot flowing, and the chaos nonstop.
I will skip the UI part! Yes, during the gameplay deep dive, we got a look at the new UI, and it looks quite messy. Hopefully, Gearbox makes it cleaner by the time Borderlands 4 is released. Well, we chaos fighters will all be waiting for September 12, when Borderlands 4 hits PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Did the Borderlands 4 gameplay deep dive excite you to wishlist the game? Do tell us in the comments below.
