Like previous Borderlands games, Gearbox Software has big plans to keep players invested in Borderlands 4 well after they’ve wrapped up the campaign and all of its side missions. Free and paid DLC are on the cards, as players can expect new expansions, new Vault Hunters, and an endgame that will be updated weekly.
For the paid content, Story Packs will flesh out the planet of Kairos with post-launch narrative content. Two Story Packs are scheduled to be released in 2026, with the first one planned for release in the first quarter of the year. Gearbox says its first Story Pack will be a bloody, cosmic-horror-inspired tale entitled Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned. As the title suggests, this DLC will star Moxxi’s daughter Ellie, a trend that will continue in future DLC drops as players can expect to see a few familiar faces pop up.
There’ll also be multiple main missions and side missions set inside a new zone set inside a new zone of Kairos included in these Story Packs, as well as a brand-new Vault Hunter, new gear to earn, and a bunch of new cosmetics to unlock. Gearbox says more details on the mystery Vault Hunter will be revealed during the Tokyo Game Show later this month.
While Story Packs are planned to be big drops, Bounty Packs will offer bite-sized narrative content to dig into. These will give players new gear and cosmetics to earn, as well as a Vault Card that lets you unlock additional loot through gameplay. Each mission in a Bounty Pack will reveal more about the various NPCs of Kairos and give you a new Boss to take down, as well as a Vault Card that gives you more loot and XP via daily and weekly challenges when it’s active. Gearbox says that each Vault Card is built around a distinct theme and can be leveled up at your own pace, as there are no time limits or expiring rewards here.
As mentioned above, this content is available through the Deluxe and Super Deluxe Editions of Borderlands 4, as well as through bundles or individual purchases. For the free content, Gearbox says that it will continue to support the game with updates and Invincible Bosses will also be coming to the game. These are bosses with massive health pools, unique mechanics, and capable of dealing lethal amounts of damage, so you’re going to want to have your Vault Hunter prepared for a serious fight. It’s worth taking on an Invincible Boss, as they’ll drop some of the best loot in the game when they’re defeated.
Borderlands 4 will also include multiple types of free weekly content, such as:
- Weekly Big Encore Boss: Visit Moxxi’s Big Encore Machine, spend some Eridium, and take on a tougher variant of a boss who’ll offer greater rewards upon defeat.
- Weekly Wildcard Missions: In this community challenge, all players will get the same Weekly Wildcard Mission added to their map. These have a guaranteed Legendary drop that you can repeatedly earn until you get your god-roll.
- Maurice’s Black Market Machine: The talking Saurian Maurice returns in Borderlands 4, and once a week, he’ll offer Legendary loot for in-game cash if you can find his Black Market Machine.
While Legendary-class drops will be rarer in Borderlands 4, expect the return of Pearlescent-grade gear to be even more elusive. The crème de la crème of loot, Pearlescent items will be added to Borderlands 4 in Q1 2026 and these will boast some of the best stats and power in the game.
Gearbox will also cycle in seasonal mini-events throughout the year, kicking off with the Halloween-themed Horrors of Kairos later this year. The developer says that these will tweak the gameplay and give players new cosmetic items and new Legendary gear to chase after. Finally, the Borderlands 4 endgame will see free updates roll out to Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode. If you can overcome the challenges of Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode, Gearbox says you’ll get the best loot rolls in the game.
Borderlands 4 launches on September 12 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S–as well as Switch 2 in October–and in case you missed it, Gearbox recently released a new live-action trailer encouraging fans to exit Earth and head over to Kairos.
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