What I Heard About Borderlands 4 At Gamescom

Last updated on December 21st, 2025 at 07:57 am

Here, I came into Gamescom 2025 with a little skepticism about Borderlands 4. I’ve seen more than my share of sequels that tout “bigger and better” only to serve up the same old thing. But you know what, Gearbox turned up with something unexpected. And after hands-on and a deep dive into what it had to show off, I’m actually pretty psyched about this one.

Let me tell you what actually matters if you’re considering purchasing it.

The Movement System Changed Everything

First thing I noticed? Combat feels fast. Like, DOOM Eternal fast. Vault Hunters can now dash, double jump and glide and that glide resets every time you grapple or contact the ground. Sounds simple, but in practice? It’s a game-changer when it comes to how you confront fights.

I messed around with the grappling hook mechanic for a good bit. And it’s not just exciting to swing around with or anything it resets other movement cooldowns, so what you’re actually doing is that you’re constantly flowing between dashing, jumping and grappling in a way that feels actually smooth instead of incredibly clunky. Vertical arena fights are so much more enjoyable to play when you’re pressing every dimension of the field.

And the new ordinance slot replacing grenades was, honestly, my favorite surprise. But rather than throwing grenades, you’re hurling guns turrets, explosive discs, all manner of things depending on the loot you manage to scavenge. It sounds crazy, but it opens up so much room for playing differently without being too powerful.

The RPG Stuff Finally Matters

Here’s where I was actually impressed: The skill trees are not bullshit. Every Vault Hunter comes with their own deep, meaningful specials and ability trees that alter the way you play.

I got to try out Vex the Siren, whose phase-energy powers and conjured minions felt nothing like Rafa the Exo-Soldier, just a beginner’s dream as her special abilities are guns in an armoured suit (shoot things, no need to understand anything else!).

Then there’s Amon the Forge Knight who wields elemental axes and Harlowe the Scientist with cryo gadgets. They not only feel different they also play different.

The weapon system was overhauled, too. Guns today contain parts from multiple manufacturers, so you end up with these hybrid weapons that do actually feel very different to one another and not just stat-swaps of the same thing. The legerndaries feel legebdary again becaue they are actually rare and have some interestingness to them.

That New World Justifies the Upgrade

Kairos, the planet that is new, consists of four zones without loading times at all. I realize that sounds technical, but here’s why it matters: You’re not sitting around waitin’. The world feels active with dynamic weather, faction conflicts and activities that just pop up when you’re going about your business.

There’s this tech-hijack mission type thing called “Silo” which mixes things up with this exploration/meat-and-potatoes puzzle solving thing that you do with your grappling hook. It’s not pesky, it doesn’t feel like a chore it feels like part of the world.

Here’s What We Know So Far (And It Looks Good)

And this is where you get to the good stuff for Borderlands 4 post-launch. They’ve shaped future content and story DLC. Weekly activities are rotating with fixed guaranteed Legendary drops via something called Wildcard Missions, so you’re not just endlessly grinding in hope for a drop.

Community challenges are pretty smart, in fact: they lay out collective numbers to be reached, and when we reach them as a community, we all get exclusive rewards via free SHiFT codes. C4SH is the first confirmed paid Vault Hunter to hit in late 2025, but there’s also plenty of freebies if you aren’t into giving Gearbox a little extra value.

The roadmap actually has substance. Nor is it that old “trust us, updates are coming.” Now they are being loose with the vibrancy intervals, and instead we get weeklies, story packs and balance tweakers based on what players need.

The Catch (Because There’s Always a Catch)

Legendary drops got rebalanced, so you’re not swimming in rare gear on day one. That’s a good thing, really it means when you finally do find something good, it feels earned. But if you’re the kind of person who wants instant gratification, you’ll have to be patient.

Plus, a bunch of balance patches are still in the process of rolling out. Tediore guns were just buffed, and drop rates are all still being tweaked. Nothing game-breaking, just the usual “we’re hearing your feedback” items.

Should You Actually Buy This?

Yeah, I think so. Borderlands 4 sound like a true step forward, not just a money grab. Its movement system is a revelation for assault gameplay and dodging attacks, the RPG stuff actually gives you good reason to try out various characters, and the world somehow feels worth your time. The seasonal roadmap suggests they’re invested in keeping it interesting for a while.

If you were into previous Borderlands games, you will dig the new systems. If you bounced off it before, the faster combat and clearer progression might click for you now. And if you just want a good looter-shooter with personality? This is it.

The only reason to avoid it would be if you’re opposed to live-service games or can’t tolerate the Borderlands sense of humor. But if either of those aren’t deal breakers, here’s all the confirmation you need to know that yes, Borderlands 4 is worth your time and money.

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