Borderlands 4 made a huge splash at the Game Awards 2024 with its new reveal trailer. The first teaser for the next installment of the looter shooter series hit a lot of different notes: it looks at the new vault hunters for Borderlands 4updates on fan-favorite characters and, of course, plenty of new weapons. But perhaps more exciting than anything else was the first look at some of the fourth game's story beats, including a first look at the next villain trying his hand at taking over Pandora.
The story in Borderlands 3 was a weak point for the title, with many fans citing the Calypso Twins' inferiority to their beautiful predecessor as the reason why the third did not reach the same heights as the previous installments. A key moment in the trailer might indicate that Borderlands 4His story intends to take the series to the next level, finally addressing one of the most mysterious threads hanging from one of the series' most underappreciated entries.
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One Borderlands: The pre-Sequel feature should live on in new forms in BL4
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel had a lot of unique ideas built into it, and one of them deserves to be brought back in Borderlands 4.
Borderlands 4 looks to finally deliver the Watcher's “Vault Hunter War.”
A plot thread Ten years in the making
Although sometimes overlooked, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel would have hatched the plot for Borderlands 4 a decade ago in 2014. The game ends with the Watcher, an enigmatic alien entity making itself known in the Sanctuary before ominously warning the characters of an impending war that would require all the Vault Hunters they could get . Later, the Holodome DLC revealed that Axton and Gaige were off-world, looking to recruit Aurelia, but after that the “war” became an afterthought.
Borderlands 3 largely ignores this plot thread in favor of focusing on the Calypsos and the children of the Vault Cult, but the former looks at Borderlands 4 could indicate that Gearbox is dusting off the long-heralded War of the Watchers. Borderlands 4Its reveal trailer features hordes and hordes of enemies rushing headlong into battle with the game's four new Vault Hunters standing in their way.
These are much more “warlike” visuals than the series has explored so far, and a possible sign from Gearbox that it will finally deliver on its promise Pre-Sequel. The new villain of Borderlands 4The Timekeeper is something of an enigma. It's impossible to tell exactly what their motivations are, but whatever they are, it seems they're willing to bring an army to help them achieve their own goals.
As exciting as the Vault Hunter war is, it's good that the series is moving on to new stories
The Watcher was a mysterious player in the The Pre-Sequelappearing on the screen only twice during the game's runtime. Almost nothing is known about it except that it is definitely Eridian in origin. This war, and perhaps even Timekeeping, could also trace its origins to Border countries the most enigmatic faction of the series. This would certainly explain why the Observatory was informed so early of the imminent danger. The war could very well be the result of a resurgence of the Eridian presence in the galaxy, as most longtime fans of the series will agree that they aren't entirely convinced that every Eridian is extinct.
Regardless of the exact details of the conflict of Borderlands 4there's a distinct chance that it will involve the Vault Hunter War players have been waiting for since 2014. If so, it's good that Gearbox is finally paying off, as it's been by far the biggest stick around. Border countries plot thread that was left unaddressed and unresolved. Closing the book on the Watcher War would allow the series to continue moving forward with new ideas and concepts, and would provide a long overdue resolution to the most underrated game in the series.
Borderlands 4
See if you have what it takes to go down in history as a legendary Vault Hunter as you search for secret alien treasures, dropping everything in sight.
Looter Shooter
Action
Venture
RPG
- Franchise
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Border countries
- ISSUED
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2025-00-00
