Borderlands 4 devs talk loot, comedy, and what makes Borderlands great: “We listen to the fans”

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Six years have passed since we last saw Borderlands 3, and though Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands managed to keep fans entertained in the interim, it’s been quite some time for a genuine follow-up to the Borderlands series.

We received an invitation to visit Take-Two’s London headquarters for an exclusive, firsthand look at the forthcoming Borderlands 4, a title promising a significant revamp for the franchise.

In a fresh, unfamiliar setting populated by mostly new characters, this narrative offers a grounded approach and maintains a sincere, somber atmosphere – quite distinct from the more humorous, action-packed titles that have emerged from the Borderlands development team, with two of its members attending the unveiling.

As a passionate gamer, I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Executive Producer Chris Brock and Lead Writer Taylor Clark, who have both been deeply involved in the creation of the much-anticipated Borderlands game. While Chris has been part of the team since day one, Taylor recently joined the series for this year’s New Tales from the Borderlands.

I kick off our discussion with a question that seems straightforward to me, but might not be as easy to answer for Chris and Taylor: What do you think makes an excellent Borderlands game?

Straight away, Chris lets out a chuckle and says, “That’s quite challenging,” he notes. “The essence of Borderlands isn’t found in individual components; instead, it lies in the unique blend of those parts you add to it.

Taylor adds, “It’s a blend of the weapons, definitely the hunt for treasure, the humor, and the artwork.

Chris is discussing the balance between refining and enhancing the game series while preserving its unique Borderlands essence. He suggests that although you can include many elements, if the combination isn’t just right, it won’t give off the authentic Borderlands vibe, correct?

As we delve into Borderlands 4, the developers seem to be prioritizing enhancements in character movement, an aspect that Chris, Taylor, and I believe they’ve successfully addressed in the previous game.

Chris proposes: “[In BL3] we incorporated slide and mantle. Instead, what if we fully committed to movement and exploration aspects? What if we heavily emphasized these features, making them the main focus?

In other words, we decided to experiment with various moves such as a double jump, glide, and trying different elements to see which ones work best.

Indeed, double jumping, gliding, dashing, and grappling have all been incorporated into the game. These features significantly enhance exploration and combat, making them an integral part of the gaming experience. It will be challenging to revisit Borderlands without these mechanics, a sentiment that Chris himself has shared.

After experiencing the enhanced liveliness when using your grapple, double jump, ground slam, and dodge in combination while traveling worldwide, it becomes challenging to return to the simpler methods.

In combat and exploration, mobility takes on greater importance. Notably, the world where these actions occur has undergone substantial enhancements as well. Blacksmiths Legacy 4 (BL4) offers an expansive, uninterrupted environment that allows for seamless travel without the need for loading screens.

Back in 2009, when we initially envisioned Borderlands, it was as a vast, interconnected world, according to Chris’s memory.

Due to time constraints, that idea was not feasible for us to implement. However, as technology has advanced over time, our vision for Borderlands has essentially remained the same; it’s only now that we have the capabilities to bring it to life.

I bring up the sense of burnout some players seem to feel regarding open-world games, wondering if, in any way, Gearbox has attempted to maneuver around this issue when creating their massive new universe.

In simpler terms, Chris mentioned that Borderlands 4 features an expansive map for exploration, allowing you to go wherever you’d like, but he also emphasized that it offers a highly customized or tailored gaming experience.

He casually mentions that most of your experiences – a term he dislikes – will involve story-driven activities. There’s a significant volume of primary story quests, but an even greater abundance of additional content, all of which is customized to offer you a unique adventure.

Each tale stands alone, unconnected to other aspects of the game, which helps alleviate the sensation that the game is merely filled with content for its own sake. By ‘content’, I truly mean the various elements that make up the game.

One intriguing feature of the Borderlands series, as well as its creation process, lies in the fact that it places considerable emphasis on content beyond the main storyline, such as post-game activities.

Discussing with Chris and Taylor about how they plan on re-fighting bosses in Borderlands 4 for the opportunity to get the finest gear, since this mechanic is essential to the Borderlands series.

Chris clarified that Graeme Timmins, our creative head, is particularly enthusiastic about the final stages of our project. Typically, we discuss the endgame phase towards the later stages of development. However, this time around, it seemed more like we were asking ourselves from the outset, “How can we approach the endgame?

As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but share my excitement about the enhancements in BL4! Although they’re tight-lipped about the final act, they’ve been eagerly boasting about their innovative boss rematch system. This feature allows players to dive straight into battles against defeated bosses, without the need to replay entire levels. What a game-changer!

Tyler points out that a crucial aspect of endgame play is the ability to revisit and replay content, doesn’t he? He believes this is more straightforward than ever in Borderlands 4.

Following my positive remarks, let me delve into the less favorable aspects. Some players have raised concerns about the over-the-top, juvenile humor in Borderlands 3 and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. I wonder if the shift back to a more mature tone in Borderlands 4 was a reaction to these criticisms.

Taylor responds, “I wouldn’t express it in that manner. Instead, we consider what the fans want, what’s current, yet beyond that, we focus on the narrative we aim to convey. We strive to make the game’s tone match the importance of the situation.

Considering Pandora as an unregulated business landscape where each corporation seems to prioritize their self-interest above all else, it might be more fitting to adopt a blunt, straightforward approach, wouldn’t you agree?

In contrast, our setting is a grim dystopia. The oppressive figure known as the Timekeeper rules over the people, and it seems unusual that there wouldn’t be any darker or serious undertones in this scenario, rather than perpetual whimsy.

In his continued analysis, he emphasizes the significance of humor within the Borderlands franchise. Regardless of any changes in the overall mood, humor remains an indispensable element: “Borderlands can’t do without humor.

In Taylor’s opinion, there’s a noticeably more sober atmosphere in BL4’s main content, yet the side stories offer an eclectic blend of traditional Borderlands’ quirky missions, some of which are serious, somber, contemplative, and even moving.

“We tried to go for a cornucopia approach there.”

In a throwback to the early days of the franchise, Borderlands 4 might seem familiar, but it also breathes new life into the series like never before, striving to keep things fresh and pioneering.

Taylor concludes by asking the question that Borderlands 4 is built on: “What’s the new frontier?”

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2025-06-25 13:05