When fans think about the Borderlands franchise, there are likely a few things that immediately come to mind. Handsome Jack, one of the most beloved villains in the history of video games, is one of them. Another is the series’ expansive arsenal, from talking weapons to cursed guns to the melee tools of Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. Yet another trait of Borderlands is its distinct cel shaded art style. Lastly, there are the Vaults, and the Vault Hunters associated with them - though the next entry may change that.
While Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands moving away from Vault Hunting made sense, as its fantasy world created by Tina could be more imaginative and did not require a big connection to the main series, every proper Borderlands game has featured at least one Vault to loot. Even the Tales from the Borderlands games feature Vaults at key points in their stories, with the Vault symbol doubling as the series’ official logo. As such, it would be surprising to drop Vaults from Borderlands 4 entirely, but there is good reason to believe that they could be less of a focus in the franchise’s next release.
Why No Vault Hunting Would Make Sense For Borderlands 4
Those that stuck by Borderlands 3 through its second Season Pass will surely remember Ava’s murder mystery missions and their big reveal. After defeating the Seer, Ava and the Vault Hunter learn that Lilith is still alive, confirming a popular fan theory that followed the ending of Borderlands 3. Players also uncover a mysterious chest in Lilith’s room, leading most to believe that Borderlands 4 will focus on the search for Lilith and take them to wherever this chest comes from.
If this is the case, it makes little sense to hire Vault Hunters for the job. Borderlands 4’s main plot will seemingly not revolve around searching for Vaults, but looking for an important figure who is arguably Borderlands’ main character. With this in mind, it would make more sense for the four playable characters to be figures with established ties to Lilith as opposed to a random collection of people seeking power and loot. Characters like Tina and Ava could be playable for the first time, while figures like Brick and Mordecai could become playable once again with a whole new set of skills.
Even if a fully new group of heroes is playable, calling them Vault Hunters would not make much sense, unless Lilith is somehow trapped in a Vault. And if there are no Vault Hunters, there might not be any Vaults to plunder. Instead, players may end up on an adventure that goes all in on good storytelling, improving upon the one flaw many had with Borderlands 3. Though many would surely miss out on looting alien rooms full of loot, Gearbox can simply let players search through large storage rooms of companies like Jakobs and Hyperion at certain points of the story.
Alternatively, Borderlands’ iconic Vaults could still feature, but maybe they will be treated as a side activity instead of being used in the main campaign. Reworking Borderlands 3’s Takedowns to always end in the looting of a Vault could be a ton of fun, serving as a truly exciting endgame activity. Alternatively, collectibles could be improved by giving players pieces to a Vault Key, with gamers able to construct it and go on a quest to secure its loot once they have it in-hand.
Though Borderlands 4 will surely keep its instantly recognizable Vault symbol branding, and Vaults could work as an engaging side activity, it makes sense for Vault hunting to take a back seat. The Borderlands series has deep enough lore and popular enough characters to move beyond the formula of killing monsters and grabbing guns, and having a playable cast of characters with a mission that goes beyond collecting strong guns would be exciting. Though Gearbox may find a way to incorporate Vaults into the plot just like it did with Borderlands 3, now feels like an appropriate time to take a break from the traditional Vault Hunter style.