Gearbox used its PAX West panel to showcase the endgame structure of Borderlands 4, and the total chunk of planned post-story content has never looked stronger. At launch, the new and improved return of Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode, weekly challenge missions, and a variety of late-game-only systems all await players seeking content beyond the main campaign. The reveal also made it painfully clear that some series staples are still a ways off; however, for Borderlands 4, the player's response to that missing content will be just as important.
Of course, players will still have plenty of ways to engage with Borderlands 4's endgame at launch. Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode has been reimagined to avoid campaign replays, while weekly activities like Wildcards, Moxxi's Big Encore, and Maurice's Black Market Machine create opportunities for Legendary farming. The content there looks good, but some of the series' most defining activities, namely Invincible Bosses and Takedowns, are either delayed or altogether absent.
Invincible Bosses Return Late in Borderlands 4
Borderlands' Invincible Bosses are the series' most iconic endgame challenges, specialized encounters designed to test finely tuned builds and reward powerful loot. Gearbox confirmed they will return in Borderlands 4, but not at launch. Instead, they will be free post-launch content, with one slated for release before the end of the year.
While this rollout model ensures a steady pipeline of content in the long run, it also means the series' most recognizable late-game activity won't be part of the initial experience. It's a strange decision, since Invincible bosses have always been the defining endgame feature in Borderlands. Still, better late than never.
This curious decision to release Invincibles post-launch may be one of necessity, considering the work required to create an experience on par with new mechanics for other series staples, like the new and improved Vaults in Borderlands 4.
Borderlands 4 Won’t Have Takedowns, Despite Being One of BL3’s Best Ideas
Even more concerning is the complete absence of Borderlands 3's Takedowns. These activities offered challenging, bespoke encounters and raid-tier boss fights, each intentionally designed for endgame difficulty. Takedowns quickly became one of the more celebrated aspects of Borderlands 3, offering the game longevity through content tailored to high-level play.
While an associate creative director at Gearbox has confirmed that the Takedowns won't be returning for Borderlands 4, they did mention that elements pulled directly from Takedowns were built into certain new activities. Still, it feels like Gearbox is walking away from one of its more successful recent gameplay concepts. Especially considering that, as of now, the only similar challenges are the Weekly Wildcard missions, which aren't exactly a fitting substitute.
Borderlands 4’s Weekly Wildcards Look Interesting, but Not as a Substitute for Takedowns
As rotating missions with guaranteed Legendary rewards, Weekly Wildcards may aim to fill that gap, but they seem likely to fall short of what Takedowns had offered. Gearbox has not clarified whether these missions will be new or recycled from the main story, but amid radio silence, the latter seems more likely.
If that ends up being the case, Wildcards might simply be less compelling for dedicated late-game players, as aside from a re-tuned difficulty curve, they will have experienced it before. There's also no guarantee that retrofitted missions will be nearly as challenging. For now, Wildcards seem useful for farming gear, but they look like they might be missing a crucial element that made Takedowns a highlight of the previous entry.
Borderlands 4’s On-Release Endgame Is Only a Solid Foundation
Regardless, the roadmap for Borderlands 4's post-launch content looks like it'll do a ton to fill in these gaps. The problem is that most of the additional features will take a while to arrive. If Gearbox can stick the landing on them, though, the game could easily become the most complete Borderlands experience endgame to date.
According to Borderlands 4's Post-Launch Roadmap, there will be four Bounty Packs, two Story Packs, multiple Invincible bosses, Pearlescent Weapons, two DLC Vault Hunters, and even seasonal events by the time all is said and done.
Also, this isn't to imply Borderlands 4 will launch without a strong post-game structure. The reimagined Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode seems built around addressing past frustrations, and Firmware, as a loot system, could shake up build-crafting in meaningful ways. Still, the absence of Takedowns and the delay of Invincible Bosses may leave fans feeling like Borderlands 4 launched without a few of its essential nuts and bolts.
Borderlands 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
- Released
- September 12, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Gearbox Software
- Publisher(s)
- 2K
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- Yes - all platforms
- Prequel(s)
- Borderlands 3, Borderlands 2, Borderlands
- Franchise
- Borderlands
- Number of Players
- 1-4 players
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unsupported
- PC Release Date
- September 12, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- September 12, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- September 12, 2025
- Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date
- October 3, 2025
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- Local Co-Op Support
- Yes
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
