Highlights

  • Borderlands 4 may continue the time-skip trend for character development, opening new story possibilities.
  • Characters aging could complicate narratives in Borderlands 4, risking beloved figures fading into the background.
  • Despite potential lore-building opportunities in sticking with BL3's time period, Gearbox might stick with the time-skipping formula for Borderlands 4.

Since the franchise launched in 2009, each mainline iteration of the Borderlands series has occurred at least five years after the previous game's events, with Borderlands 3 slightly breaking tradition by stretching the gap to a seven-year timeframe. Franchises typically stick to their defined patterns as part of their brand identity, and there's hardly any reason to expect Gearbox to deviate from its time-skip policy in the highly anticipated Borderlands 4. However, there are a few ramifications for the developer to consider in this regard, as there are pros and cons that need careful weighing before deciding how the next installment of the looter-shooter's tale should pan out in terms of narrative.

It's not uncommon for time skips to feature in storytelling, and although the dynamic is more prominent in anime like One Piece and Naruto, the technique has found its way into the overarching plots of video games. Borderlands has been a pioneer in the industry in this regard, consistently featuring gaps between its mainline titles. Each storyline jump has its benefits and deficits, and while Borderlands 4 might well follow in the footsteps of its predecessors, Gearbox has to take a long look at the implications of yet another significant leap in its timeline.

Borderlands Science Game in Borderlands 3
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Borderlands 4 Should Think Twice Before Jumping in Time

Another Time Skip Has Loads of Potential for Vault Hunters

Using Borderlands 3 as a point of reference, there was a marked difference in Aurelia's appearance as one of the most telltale signs of the passing of time; her head of hair had gone entirely gray, as opposed to a single speck in a field of black in Borderlands 2. Such details can fly under the radar given Borderlands' typically humorous plot, but there's a trove of lore ripe for exploration in that time period gamers missed between mainline entries. In Borderlands 4, characters would have aged another number of years if Gearbox's storytelling pattern endures, and there could be lore-building potential for the developer to explore.

Lilith's disappearance after flying into Elpis might open the door for other characters like Ava to get some well-deserved time in the spotlight, and should Borderlands 4 decide to employ a time skip, Gearbox can fully flesh out her persona. Akin to Lilith, who gradually grew in importance in the Borderlands timeline, Ava seems geared to carry the torch of the storyline from her appearance as Lilith's Siren successor.

Showing her in a mature light in contrast to her angsty depiction would do wonders to repair her image as one of the more disliked characters in Borderlands 3. To achieve this feat, Borderlands 4 would have to give some insight into her off-screen journey during the time skip to tie her tale together, and other Vault Hunters could also benefit from such plot-building.

Character Aging Could Pose a Problem for Borderlands 4

On the flip side of character development depth, Borderlands 4 may want to play it safe instead of risking phasing out some of its most relatable figures due to aging. There comes a time when a page in a story has to be flipped, but moving past the characters that have painstakingly built the franchise's identity is not an easy decision. As referenced earlier, Aurelia is already advanced in age, and while her arc isn't necessarily the most popular in BL3, it's easy to see the main players following in her footsteps, getting older, and maybe even reneging on their story progression like she did.

Not using a time skip would leave little wiggle room narrative-wise, as well as break longstanding tradition, so it seems like a no-brainer for Gearbox to maintain the status quo. However, even in light of the lore-building potential for several characters (and maybe even opportunities for far-reaching planet exploration), it remains to be seen if the risks of yet another time skip would outweigh the inevitable ripple effect that phasing some of the most popular Vault Hunters into the background would cause for Borderlands 4.