Borderlands 3, though well received in many ways, proved to be quite divisive in others. While the gameplay and graphical improvements were appreciated, the story came under fire. Though events like Revenge of the Cartels proved strong, Takedowns were less popular, as many took issue with their balancing and the lack of traditional raid bosses. Loot was another point of frustration for many, with anointments and drop sources both being debated. As split as fans ended up being on the game, though, most agreed that the post-launch support for the title was very strong - meaning Borderlands 4 should take notes from it.
Alongside the aforementioned events like Revenge of the Cartels and the Takedowns, free updates provided a fair bit of content for fans like a Mayhem Mode rework and the Borderlands Science mini-game. Four good-to-great expansions were released, and a second Season Pass added a new mode in Arms Race as well as a skill tree extension for every Vault Hunter. Gearbox also introduced the concept of Vault Cards in its second Season Pass, something that could provide the basis of a live service approach for the next Borderlands game. If done correctly, it could be beneficial for the series, keeping players interested and leading to less downtime between new content releases.
How a Seasonal Plan For Borderlands 4 Could Work
First and foremost, getting Vault Cards ready to go from day one would be key to a live service Borderlands title. Though the system was solid, its addition coming at the very end of Borderlands 3’s life cycle meant that a lot of players had moved on to other games and were not playing enough to unlock all the new loot. Essentially the Borderlands equivalent of a battle pass - a key aspect of most live service titles - Gearbox could tie a Vault Card to every Season of a hypothetical live service Borderlands.
Just like the Vault Cards from Borderlands 3, each Season and Card could have a distinct theme, which could extend to the core gameplay as well. If a new expansion is releasing that focuses on a character like FL4K, the items included in the Card could be themed around robots and the beastmaster’s animal companions. Players could get increased loot for killing robotic or animal enemies as well during the Season’s runtime, which could work similarly to Borderlands 3’s various loot events.
When crafting a seasonal approach, Gearbox could look at how other games in the industry are handling the system. For instance, Overwatch 2 is switching between a new hero and a new map with its Seasons, ensuring that different types of gameplay additions are being made at a steady rate. For Borderlands, Gearbox could switch between expansions like Handsome Jackpot and events like Bloody Harvest, with Season 1 offering a full DLC, Season 2 offering a smaller event so that Gearbox has time to develop another expansion, and so on.
Midseason updates like with Call of Duty’s Reloaded content would also be welcome. These content drops could be slightly smaller, but still noteworthy. A new raid boss could be added to a location in Borderlands 4’s universe, or a small quest line like Ava’s Mysteriouslier missions could drop. Alternatively, if modes like Arms Race or Chaos Chamber return, new maps and rooms could be introduced so that they do not get repetitive. A few levels could be added each Season too, letting players steadily improve their Vault Hunters instead of waiting for big cap increases.
Obviously, Gearbox would have to be careful with monetization, as Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands’ DLC left many fans disappointed. These players will likely be wary of the franchise’s future post-launch content, so ensuring that the Vault Cards and expansions in this suggested model are fairly priced would be key. Ultimately though, with new Vault Cards at launch and more coming every few months, players could have something to work toward at all times. Keeping expansions and events coming at an even steadier rate than Borderlands 3 would be hugely beneficial, too. With a live service approach, Borderlands 4 could have a much longer life cycle than its predecessor, thriving for far longer than a couple of years after it is released.
