During PAX East 2025, Gearbox pulled back the curtain on Borderlands 4, revealing a slew of upgrades designed to make cooperative gameplay smoother and more engaging than ever. The developer emphasized quality-of-life changes, addressing long-standing fan requests while introducing new features to enhance the multiplayer experience.
Seamless Co-Op: Faster Lobbies, Smarter Difficulty
One of the standout improvements is the overhauled lobby system, making it quicker and easier to jump into games with friends. Gearbox has also implemented drop-in/drop-out functionality, removing the need for lengthy pre-game sessions before co-op becomes available.
Randy Pitchford, head of Gearbox, stressed the studio’s commitment to co-op, calling it a core pillar of the Borderlands experience. He explained that the team has fine-tuned matchmaking and connectivity to ensure players spend less time waiting and more time looting and shooting.
Additionally, Borderlands 4 will feature dynamic difficulty scaling, adjusting challenges based on each player’s level. This ensures a balanced experience, whether teaming up with newcomers or seasoned vault hunters.
Quality-of-Life Upgrades: Instanced Loot & Fast Travel
Fans of the series will appreciate the return of instanced loot, eliminating fights over gear drops. But the most exciting addition might be the ability to fast-travel directly to friends, cutting out tedious backtracking.
Pitchford highlighted these improvements as key steps in refining Borderlands’ signature multiplayer chaos. The goal is to make co-op as intuitive and enjoyable as possible, whether playing with randoms or a dedicated squad.
New Vault Hunters and Tighter Loot System
Beyond co-op enhancements, Gearbox unveiled two more playable characters: Harlowe the Gravitar and Amon the Forge Knight, joining the previously revealed Vex and Rafa. Players can expect a more balanced loot system, with fewer but more meaningful Legendary drops compared to Borderlands 3.
Release and Pricing
Borderlands 4 launches on September 12, 2025, for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2. While pricing remains unconfirmed, Gearbox acknowledged the industry’s rising costs, leaving the door open for potential adjustments.
With these changes, Borderlands 4 aims to set a new standard for cooperative looter-shooters, blending chaotic fun with streamlined multiplayer mechanics.