After experimenting with a couple of spin-offs, Gearbox Software is finally returning to the mainline Borderlands series with the upcoming Borderlands 4. Despite the relative popularity of the franchise, the excitement for the next Borderlands game has been somewhat muted compared to other high-profile AAA releases. A lot of fans have expressed skepticism towards the title, due in part to the mixed reception of the last three installments in the series, like Borderlands 3. Controversial statements made by Gearbox's CEO regarding the price of Borderlands 4 have also upset a large portion of the franchise's fanbase.
From the outside looking in, though, Borderlands 4 looks fairly promising. The Borderlands 4 State of Play that Sony and Gearbox held a few weeks ago gave players a comprehensive look at the gameplay of the game, and it impressed many fans. Gearbox hasn't shown anything egregiously bad about the title so far, and the company seems to be addressing fan feedback by dialing down the over-the-top humor of Borderlands 3. Some of the new features in Borderlands 4, however, could become problematic in the game if they aren't handled properly.
Borderlands 4 Put One Controversy to Rest Just to Dive Headfirst into Another
Borderlands 4 barely had the time to nip a controversy in the bud before another came up, but they share the same roots.
Borderlands 4 is Apparently Going to Have Some Massive Skill Trees
There Will Be More Skills Per Character in BL4 than in BL2 and 3 Combined
Two of Gearbox Software's executives, Randy Pitchford and Randy Varnell, revealed during a recent fanfest event that Borderlands 4 would have larger skill trees than any of the other entries in the franchise. Like previous Borderlands installments, the game will feature four playable Vault Hunters, each with their own distinct skill trees. The characters will also have three of their own action skills, which players can alternate between at any time. According to Pitchford, though, there are "more skills per character" in Borderlands 4 (courtesy of PCGamesN) than there were in Borderlands 2 and 3 combined.
Bigger Skill Trees Can Sometimes Lead to Uninspired Skills
While it's great that Gearbox isn't resting on its laurels with Borderlands 4, sometimes bigger isn't always better. In many games, skill trees typically end up being bad if they're too large in scope. The more unlockable skills a game has, the less interesting and unique those skills sometimes become. Instead of creating inventive abilities that players can obtain, some developers tend to fill big skill trees with simple stat modifiers. Earning points to slightly increase a character's stealth attribute, for example, isn't nearly as exciting as, say, a skill that makes enemies explode upon being killed.
The Borderlands Games are Known for Having Unique Skills, Which is Something Borderlands 4 Should Preserve
As the progenitors of the looter shooter genre, the Borderlands games are known for having unique and interchangeable skills. Players can pick a Borderlands 4 Vault Hunter of their choosing and come up with tons of powerful builds and skill combinations to turn their character into the ultimate killing machine. Borderlands 2 and 3, in particular, have arguably some of the most interesting skills in the entire franchise. Borderlands 2 had a skill called Money Shot, which gave players the last shot in their gun magazine a huge damage buff, while Borderlands 3 had a Tunnel Vision skill that increased a player's accuracy and handling abilities the faster they moved.
Gearbox's Randy Varnell claimed that a group of four Borderlands 4 players with the same Vault Hunter class and action skills could have completely different play styles from each other, depending on the abilities they unlocked in their respective skill trees. If Borderlands 4 is indeed able to maintain the skill diversity of its predecessors, as Varnell has suggested, then the game may have the most customizable Vault Hunters in the entire series. However, it remains to be seen whether this will actually be the case. Borderlands 4 having a high quantity of skills is great and all, but Gearbox needs to ensure that these skills are of a high quality before adding them to the game.
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
Borderlands 4 brings intense action, badass Vault Hunters, and billions of wild and deadly weapons to an all-new planet ruled by a ruthless tyrant.
Crash into Kairos as one of four new Vault Hunters seeking wealth and glory. Wield powerful Action Skills, customize your build with deep skill trees, and dominate enemies with dynamic movement abilities.
Break free from the oppressive Timekeeper, a ruthless dictator who dominates the masses from on high. Now a world-altering catastrophe threatens his perfect Order, unleashing Mayhem across the planet.
