Gearbox Software seems to be doing everything right with Borderlands 4. The studio has taken on board many of the complaints fans, myself included, had with Borderlands 3.
With Borderlands 4 set to launch on September 12, 2025, on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Steam, and Epic Games Store, Gearbox has recently announced its post-launch plans. From what’s been revealed, fans are in for a treat.
Pre-Order Bonus: The Gilded Glory Pack
For those eager enough to pre-order Borderlands 4, something I’m very tempted to do, you receive some cosmetics usable by all Vault Hunters:
- 1 Vault Hunter skin
- 2 Vault Hunter heads (including the new Ripper mask themed after Callis’ followers)
- 1 weapon skin
- 1 ECHO-4 drone skin
The pre-order bonus also includes four pieces of Legendary Gear, added later as an upgrade to the pack:
- Level 1 Legendary Maliwan SMG – Fires spiraling projectiles, which creates a cone of death
- Level 30 Legendary Ripper Grenade – Teleports through several enemies, damaging on each bounce
- Level 30 Legendary Torque Ordnance – Fires a volley of high-speed ricocheting rockets
- Max level Legendary Daedalus Assault Rifle – Guarantees critical hits on enemies with full health with crit chance decreasing as their health gets lower
Everything is granted at launch for anyone who pre-orders the game, with the pack being sold separately post-launch.
Paid Post-Launch Content in Borderlands 4
Borderlands 4 is set to receive two major expansions in 2026. Each story pack will introduce a brand-new Vault Hunter, complete with unique skill trees and action skills.
Alongside the new characters, players can expect fresh main story missions, side missions, and new Legendary gear to collect. Each pack also includes a bundle of cosmetics, such as:
- Vault Hunter heads and skins
- Weapon skins
- Vehicle skins
- ECHO-4 drone skins and attachments
- ECHO-4 frame
The first of these story packs is Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Demand, planned for Q1 2026. Gearbox is keeping most of the story under wraps, but we know it will be themed around cosmic horror and star Ellie, the daughter of fan-favorite mechanic Moxxi.
Each story pack will be available separately, or bundled as part of the Super Deluxe Edition.
That’s not all fans can look forward to, provided you’re willing to spend a little extra. Bounty Packs are more minor DLC drops planned for Borderlands 4, each offering a mix of missions, loot, and cosmetics.
Every Bounty Pack includes new main missions, a boss encounter, a piece of Legendary gear, and a Vault Card packed with 24 cosmetics and four pieces of re-rollable gear. You’ll also get a Vault Hunter skin, an ECHO-4 drone skin, and a new vehicle.
The first Bounty Pack centers on Rush, leader of the Outbounders faction in the Fadefields. All four packs are included with the Deluxe and Super Deluxe Editions, or can be purchased individually.
Free Content Updates for All Players
For those not wanting to spend extra, Borderlands 4 still has plenty of free content lined up. One of the biggest additions is Invincible bosses — raid-style encounters with massive health pools and unique mechanics. They’re not literally invincible, but they’re far tougher than standard bosses and drop some of the best loot in the game. The first Invincible boss arrives in Q4 2025.
Players will also be kept busy with rotating weekly content. Weekly Big Encore bosses are tougher variants of existing fights, accessed through Moxxi’s Big Encore Machine using Eridium, which can be earned in-game. Weekly Wildcard missions add community-wide challenges with enemy modifiers, and always include a guaranteed Legendary drop.
Elsewhere on Kairos, Maurice’s Black Market Machine will appear in a new location each week, selling high-value Legendary loot. The machine’s location is the same for all players, but the inventory differs, giving extra incentive to team up with friends and share finds.
Arriving in October 2025, the first seasonal mini-event, Horrors of Kairos, brings spooky weather effects, new cosmetics, and new Legendary gear.
For long-time fans, Pearlescent rarity is finally making a return. More powerful than Legendary gear, Pearlescent loot will be added as a free update alongside Bounty Pack 2 in Q1 2026.
Finally, Gearbox is expanding Borderlands 4’s endgame with Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode, introducing new difficulty tiers you can unlock through gameplay, with the most formidable challenges offering the highest-tier rewards.
Looking ahead to launch
What do you make of Gearbox’s plans for Borderlands 4 post-launch? Personally, I’m pretty excited. As a long-time fan who felt let down by Borderlands 3, this roadmap looks like a big step in the right direction. I might just take the plunge, pre-order, and jump in when the game launches on September 12, 2025.
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