Why I’m Waiting for Borderlands 4’s First DLC Before Going Back to It

Like many fans of Gearbox’s seminal looter-shooter series, I was eagerly looking forward to Borderlands 4 ever since the previous entry ended up coming out more than a little uneven. When the developer promised a shift in tonal direction along with notable gameplay and other design shakeups ahead of the latest title, I took it as a good sign that it was taking feedback into account and dedicated to bringing the franchise back in line while also moving it forward. After launching earlier this September, it was largely agreed that Borderlands 4 succeeded in these areas. Personally, I greatly enjoyed my time in Kairos, and spent 80+ hours doing every side quest, activity, and most of the collectibles before rolling credits.

However, throughout my history with the series, I often found myself in the minority of the Borderlands community in one regard, in that I usually only do a solo playthrough with a single Vault Hunter, and this remains the case now. Having reached the end of the campaign with a max level Vex, I then set it aside, and haven’t logged back in since. Instead, I’m waiting until Borderlands 4‘s first DLC releases to jump back in, and I’ve found this approach can be beneficial in a couple of ways.

As a Soloist, I’ve Always Been More Interested in Borderlands’ Story DLCs Than Other Updates and Tweaks

I’ve played every mainline Borderlands game, all their story DLCs, and the spin-offs like Tales From the Borderlands and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. I’m comfortable in saying that some of my favorite Borderlands content was in the DLCs, like the fantastic Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep. A few of my other personal favorites include Moxxi’s Heist of the Handsome Jackpot and the Western-flavored Bounty of Blood for BL3.

And while the core loop has always remained engaging, I’ve also never been overly concerned with optimizing builds and grinding for items above all else. That isn’t to say I ignore this aspect completely, though, and Borderlands 4 was the first time I played as a Siren, because Vex’s skills and personality called to me. As I progressed through the story and optional quests, it never failed to be a thrill upon finding a piece of legendary gear that synergized well with my setup or was just cool and fun to use. But for me, the ongoing narrative and lore of Borderlands has always been the bigger draw and is what has kept me most invested in the franchise.

Returning to Borderlands 4 Only When Its First DLC Releases Helps Keep It Feeling Fresh For Me

Since the very first game, I’ve stuck to my pattern of completing the main story, then taking a break and waiting a few months for the first major DLC to drop before dipping back in. It’s been a great way for me to continue enjoying Borderlands without burning out. In the most extreme case, I remember picking up The Pre-Sequel at launch in the fall of 2014 but not starting it until spring of the next year. By the time I eventually fired it up, there had been a number of updates and patches, and one of the biggest was being able to play as Handsome Jack/Timothy from the start. He ended up being one of my favorite Hunters, and the nature of the plot gave it a little something extra, which wouldn’t have been the case if I had started earlier. Overall, giving myself some space between completing the campaign and the first story expansion has worked out well.

Even though I haven’t played since finishing around two weeks after launch, I’ve still kept up with everything that’s been happening with Borderlands 4, and it certainly has been something of a roller-coaster. Most notably, there was the confused flurry of changes surrounding the now infamous Crit Knife Bleed build, which I didn’t even attempt to try out for myself, though I always greatly respect the community when it figures out a “broken” build, as that’s traditionally been part of the appeal. But as I said, it’s just never been the most interesting part of Borderlands to me. Rather, it’s the promise of more narrative content that keeps me coming back, and that holds true for the upcoming expansion.

Borderlands 4’s First DLC Looks Promising

Borderlands 4‘s first DLC will be Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned and is currently slated for a 2026 Q1 release window. The title alone already has me intrigued. It brings to mind Borderlands 3‘s Love, Guns, and Tentacles, another of my top DLCs. Like that one, this seems to suggest a Lovecraftian cosmic horror theme, or potentially a passing of the torch in some way from Ellie’s mother, Moxxi, to her. However it turns out, though, I’m looking forward to seeing how it unfolds, and the fact that enough time will have passed to make returning to the world feel fresh while being able to experience a new storyline goes a long way toward maintaining my excitement and interest.

Borderlands Tends to Get Better While I Wait for DLC

I’d also argue that this comes with a couple of other upsides. Firstly, it gives Gearbox additional time to address any lingering performance issues and technical hitches, which I had a few of, although nothing gamebreaking. The DLC will also likely increase the level cap as per Borderlands tradition, meaning I can jump in and immediately start leveling my Vex again while going through the DLC’s story and acquiring new gear along the way.

This mindset has turned out positively for me in the past, and I’m confident that once again waiting until the first major DLC to jump back into Borderlands 4 and resettle into the rhythm will allow me to enjoy the next adventure to the fullest without risking it becoming stale compared to if I hadn’t.

Released

September 12, 2025

ESRB

Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact