Summary
Borderlands 3is a few years old at this point, and sequel speculation is alive and well. The series is four games deep now andBorderlands 4seems like an inevitability. Where the story goes at this point is anyone’s guess, with most of the known Sirens dead and the Crimson Raiders now led by Ava and presumably the remaining vault hunters. Regardless of what’s next for the remaining protagonists from prior games, there’s one tired story beat a potentialBorderlands 4should stay far, far away from.
The series needs to move away from leaning so heavily on the manufacturers for story beats. The originalBorderlandswas largely about the conflict with Atlas, whileBorderlands 2andBorderlands: ThePre-Sequelwere obviously about Hyperion (with an admittedly welcome appearance of the ever-hilarious Mr. Torgue), andBorderlands 3heavily featured Jakobs, Maliwan, and Atlas, with Hyperion coming back in the Handsome Jackpot DLC. It’s time to put these manufacturer-related conflicts to bed for a game or two.
Borderlands 4 Should Be About the Eridian War Teased in The Pre-Sequel, Not Gun Manufacturers
TheBorderlandsuniverse offers so many interesting storytelling opportunities and more planets to explore than what’s been shown in previous entries. While it’s understandable that theweapons manufacturers are major players inBorderlands' universe, the games have leaned on them as antagonistic forces a bit too much. It’s getting slightly predictable and, frankly, overdone. Ideally, the next installment in the franchise would shift focus from the corporations and lean more heavily into the Eridians, the Vaults, and their largely unexplored history. And the best part is Gearbox has already set itself up for just one such story.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequelis criminally underrated, but it may have given Gearbox the best possible route for a story that’s largely independent of the manufacturers. The game mostly follows the events leading up toBorderlands 2, mainly Handsome Jack’s rise to power, but the story is actually set during the time after Jack’s death, with the meat of the narrative told in flashback form. The often overlooked game ends with an unknown Eridian known as The Watcher appearing to Lillith, Brick, and Mordecai to warn them they’ll need all the Vault Hunters they can get for an upcoming war.
While some may interpret theevents ofBorderlands 3as the warin question, The Watcher is conspicuously absent from the events of that game, indicating that the conflict they were talking about is still incoming. This war is the perfect opportunity for Gearbox to move away from its dependence on the corporations and focus solely on fleshing out more information on the Eridians and other aspects of theBorderlandsuniverse.
Could Eridians Play a Larger Role in Borderlands 4?
ThoughBorderlands 3gave some much-needed context and additional information, Eridians are still largely a mystery. But this ambiguity could work in the story’s favor. Though it’s widely thought that the Eridians are completely extinct, the Watcher’s existence proves that’s not the case. One wonders if there aremore Eridians hidden out in space, waiting to make their way back to Pandora.
A potentialBorderlands 4could focus on contacting/fighting the remaining Eridians, who’ve taken refuge far beyond the known galaxy. An external invading threat would force all the remainingfan-favorite NPCs and past Vault Huntersto come out of the woodwork and join together in a fight bigger than any seen in previous games, fulfilling the seemingly forgotten promise of a war fromBorderlands: The Pre-Sequel. And most importantly, it would be a complete breath of fresh air from the standardBorderlandsplot of corporations doing shady things.
Ultimately,Borderlands 4may still be a ways off.Borderlands 3dropped a whopping five years ago back in 2019, giving the developers a good while to cook up something new for the story. Hopefully, the series gives the manufacturer plot lines a break for at least one entry to further expand the lore and world beyond the corporations that make the weapons.
Borderlands 3
WHERE TO PLAY
The original shooter-looter returns, packing bazillions of guns and an all-new mayhem-fueled adventure! Blast through new worlds and enemies as one of four brand new Vault Hunters – the ultimate treasure-seeking badasses of the Borderlands, each with deep skill trees, abilities, and customization. Play solo or join with friends to take on insane enemies, score loads of loot and save your home from the most ruthless cult leaders in the galaxy.A MAYHEM-FUELED THRILL RIDEStop the fanatical Calypso Twins from uniting the bandit clans and claiming the galaxy’s ultimate power. Only you, a thrill-seeking Vault Hunter, have the arsenal and allies to take them down.YOUR VAULT HUNTER, YOUR PLAYSTYLEBecome one of four extraordinary Vault Hunters, each with unique abilities, playstyles, deep skill trees, and tons of personalization options. All Vault Hunters are capable of awesome mayhem alone, but together they are unstoppable.LOCK, LOAD, AND LOOTWith bazillions of guns and gadgets, every fight is an opportunity to score new gear. Firearms with self-propelling bullet shields? Check. Rifles that spawn fire-spewing volcanoes? Obviously. Guns that grow legs and chase down enemies while hurling verbal insults? Yeah, got that too.NEW BORDERLANDSDiscover new worlds beyond Pandora, each featuring unique environments to explore and enemies to destroy. Tear through hostile deserts, battle your way across war-torn cityscapes, navigate deadly bayous, and more! QUICK & SEAMLESS CO-OP ACTIONPlay with anyone at any time online or in split-screen co-op, regardless of your level or mission progress. Take down enemies and challenges as a team, but reap rewards that are yours alone – no one misses out on loot.
