Borderlands 4 changes the rules of its universe: a seamless world, a new weapon system, and the abolition of the minimum map
Gearbox is experimenting a lot with Borderlands 4, combining a large-scale seamless world without downloads, a revolutionary weapon system with "Licensed Parts" and the absence of a mini-map.
Here's What We Know
Gearbox developers at PAX East talked about the key innovations of Borderlands 4. CEO Randy Pitchford explained that the team created a "huge, seamless world" where players have to navigate a large area with numerous tasks scattered over a considerable distance. Therefore, the traditional mini-map that was in the series turned out to be ineffective for such a scale.
Instead, the game will feature an intuitive compass that will help you track multiple targets and navigate in space at the same time. At the same time, the full map will remain available - it can be called up with one click, and it will receive a new AI-enabled navigation system that will show the best route to the selected goal.
Another important change is the weapon system. Borderlands 4 introduces five weapon slots, including a new Ordnance slot for heavy weapons that run on cooldowns rather than ammunition. The already well-known manufacturers such as Jakobs, Maliwan, Vladof and Tediore have been joined by three new ones - Order, Ripper and Daedalus, each with its own unique characteristics.
The feature of the Licensed Parts system is the ability to combine components from different manufacturers in one barrel. For example, you can create a weapon with a Torgue magazine and a Hyperion sight, which gives it unique properties and a huge variety of options. The higher the rarity level of a weapon, the more random components it can have, which opens up endless possibilities for customisation.
Gearbox has also revised the drop system: legendary items will become rarer and more valuable, unlike in Borderlands 3, where there were too many of them. This will make the search for unique loot more exciting.
In addition, Borderlands 4 will support cross-play between PlayStation, Xbox and PC, as well as four-player co-op and two-player split-screen modes on the same device from the very beginning. This will allow players to team up regardless of platform and enjoy the game together.
Borderlands 4 is scheduled for release on 12 September 2025 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The price has not yet been announced, as the Gearbox head "doesn't know" the price of Borderlands 4 for gamers, nor the shooter's production budget either the price of Borderlands 4 for gamers or the production budget of the shooter.
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