Borderlands 4 aims to be a narrative departure from its predecessors, aiming for more grounded dialogue to match its new setting, Kairos. Read on to learn more about the new creative direction of the Borderlands 4 writing team.
Borderlands 4 is Fixing its Humor
Departing from Pandora's Wild West Non-Sensibilities
Borderlands, known for its eccentric humor and satire of modern media, seems to be treading on a new path for its 4th mainline title, as it looks to move away from its signature "meme-style" humor. More than 15 years have passed since it first debuted with its loot-driven ventures, over-the-top action, and co-op gunplay; yet the series still feels like it’s stuck in Pandora, the world introduced in the first game. With Borderlands 4, the studio is looking to break away from its "meme-style" legacy and focus on more grounded dialogue to match its new setting, Kairos.
"Narratively, it’s both a fresh start and a continuation. It’s a new planet that is very different from Pandora, with a very different kind of villain than we’ve had before," explains Borderlands 4’s Lead Writer, Taylor Clark in a recent interview with VGC.
Clark continues, "So naturally, it will feel fresh and new and exciting, but Borderlands 3 ended with Lilith warping away Elpis, so we’re chasing that narrative thread."
Moreover, gamers won’t need to be intimately familiar with legacy characters or past titles to enjoy the upcoming entry.
"You don’t need to have played all the old games to understand it, but you have something that rewards people who are coming from Borderlands 3 and also people who want to jump in, with no experience."
The interview then shifted toward the most pressing concern among fans. Not long ago, we got a comprehensive look into Borderlands 4—but the swelling excitement was dampened by some hesitation, as many still remembered the mixed reception around Borderlands 3's humor and the backlash following the poorly received movie adaptation.
Toning Down Humor in its Totalitarian World
To the relief of many, however, the Borderlands 4 writing team has taken the community's thoughts into consideration.
"Of course, we were aware of the feedback that Borderlands 3 got, and we took all the valid criticism on board," Clark explains. "We're creating an entirely new world, and we want to have a tone that fits the new planet we're on."
While it’s true that the tone of Borderlands stood out because of its absurd sense of comedic delivery and post modern commentary, by acknowledging the growth of its audience, perhaps the series can grow alongside them and explore more compelling plot threads.
Entering its "Simpson Era" of Writing
As for the future direction of Borderlands 4's writing, Clark describes the team as being in its "Simpsons Era"—a playful nod to how challenging it is to pitch something new for Borderlands 4, as there's a good chance Gearbox has already pulled it off in some form before. Borderlands 4 Producer, Chris Brock, described the development process as a delicate balancing act.
"We’re in the writers’ room, and somebody will have an idea on how to finish a mission, and someone will be like, ‘We did that in Borderlands,’" illustrates Brock. "How much of it should be all new? How much should stay the same since that’s what people love about the game?"
Over the years, with similar titles emerging, the team has been paying close attention to the competition. A deep-dive earlier this year even sparked fan comparisons between Borderlands 4 and Bungie’s Destiny 2, highlighting familiar gameplay elements.
Given that Borderlands helped pioneer the looter-shooter genre, its sequels have navigated a tightrope of praise and criticism. Brock acknowledges the influence of other games, saying, "We play all of them, and we understand what other people are doing. We might see something we think is cool, but we always want to ‘Borderlandsify’ it."
Borderlands 4 is set to be released on September 12, 2025 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. To stay up to date with the latest information about the game, check out our article below!
Sources:
Gearbox talks Borderlands 4: Exploration, fixing the meme humor, and entering the series’ ‘Simpsons Era’
Borderlands 4 To Shift Its Comedic Tone, Gearbox Reveals
Borderlands 4 Making Big Change to Narrative
