The first officialBorderlands 4trailer is out, and so are many theories for the upcoming game. The trailer was revealed shortly after thedisastrous reception of theBorderlandsmovie. The intention may have been to distract fans from the movie’s poor reception. If so, it did so brilliantly, shifting the focus to the next game in the beloved series and getting the community to talk about it instead.
[Warning: Spoilers for the full Borderlands series, especially Borderlands 3.]
Borderlands 4will continue the story of the previous games, but the trailer is just a teaser and doesn’t give much away. So far, the only thing that’s been officially confirmed is thatthe game will feature four brand-new vault hunters,which is not really news as that’s been true for every one of the previous titles. Even though the trailer is only a minute and a half long, it has given rise to plenty of predictions for the game, some more believable than others.
10Tiny Tina Might Become A Siren
She Would Possess Explosive Elemental Powers
ThisBoderlands 4theory is the least likely. However, it’s such a popular idea that it’s worth at least mentioning. Tiny Tina is the explosives-obsessed, moderately unhinged young character introduced in the second game. Since then, she’s amassed a fan following, and even had her own spin-off in thetabletop RPG-basedTiny Tina’s Wonderlands.
Tiny Tina is voiced by Ashly Burch, who also voices Aloy in theHorizongame series, among many other roles.
Tiny Tina as a Siren would use explosive powers (of course), or one of the other existing Phase abilities, passed down by any of the now-deceased Sirens. It would give the character a chance to re-enter the spotlight and show even more growth as a character. It would also be fun to see how the unpredictable but ultimately good-hearted Tiny Tina handles Siren powers. At this point, there’s no evidence to suggest this will happen, and just wishful thinking by fans.
9Cybernetics And Robots Will Play A Large Role
A Robot Arm In The Trailer Supports This
There isn’t much information in theBoderlands 4teaser trailer, so every little detail is important. One striking detail that stands out to viewers is the arm that reaches for the Bandit mask.The arm and its fingers are very clearly robotic or mechanical in nature,sparking questions about who it belongs to.
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The cybernetic arm may indicate that the inhabitants of the new planet the vault hunters find themselves on are mechanical in nature. The arm bears a resemblance to the prosthetic arm of theBorderlands 2playable character, Gaige. It’s probably not actually her arm, butthe similarity has led some to speculate about a race of beings that have been cybernetically enhanced.It’s possible that the game may even allow players to utilize cybernetics in their character builds, leading to dreams of a Cybernetic Siren.
8Borderlands 4 Will Have Eridian Weapons
Expanding The Lore Of The Eridians
Whether the next game takes place on the Eridian home world or not, as suggested by another theory,the aliens will likely play an important role.The technology and creations of the Eridians have showed up in the franchise since the very first game. The Eridians were the creators of the original vault that drives the adventure of the very first team of vault hunters.
The Eridians also contributed their weaponry to the originalBoderlands,with some powerful and technologically advanced guns. Eridian weapons were conspicuously missing fromBorderlands 3.Hints of the Eridians playing a bigger role inBoderlands 4suggest that their weapons will also be making a comeback. Eridian-type weapons would add interest to the already excellent gunplay and fighting of the franchise, so it’s quite likely.
7The Other Sirens Will Be Found
Lilith And Asha Are Still Out There
Legend has it that only six Sirens can exist in the world at one time. When a Siren dies, they must pass on their powers to someone else, which is something fans got to see inBorderlands 3.There are currently three known Sirens who are alive and well: Amara, Ava, and Patricia Tannis, and two whose status is unknown: Asha (from theBorderlandscomics) and Lilith.
This leaves one final Siren to uncover, and it’s possible players will get to meet her inBorderlands 4.The Sirens' lore has played a critical role in the last game, so the games will probably continue to build on their lore. The game may introduce the new, sixth Siren, or reintroduce the two missing ones.It may even find the legendary Seventh Siren,who was revealed to exist at the end ofBoderlands 3,overturning the “only six sirens at one time” rule.
6Ava Will Be Playable As The Siren Class
A More Grown-Up Version May Be Better Liked
Boderlands 3introduced a new Siren into the lore, the young and brash Ava. The character’s grating and childish personality made her immensely unpopular among the fanbase, placing her nowhere near thebestBorderlandscharacters. As the youngest Siren, though,she makes perfect sense as the next game’s playable Siren class character.
If this is the case, the developers will have to make her personality less annoying. One way they may have done this is by making sure that enough time has passed. InBoderlands 4,fans may get to take control of anolder and more mature Ava, shaped by the trauma and experiences of her youth.
5A New Eridian Vault Hunter Will Be Revealed
A New Weapon Type Could Be Introduced
It’s very likely that Eridians will be pivotal to the story ofBorderlands 4.It stands to reason, then, that one of the new vault hunters may actually be an Eridian. This is even more likely if the planet that Elpis is shown crashing into is the home of the Eridians. It would make sense thata curious Eridian would become part of the next game’s ragtag group of protagonists.
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One detail that makes this less likely is that the Eridians often use staff-like weapons, not guns. Any Eridian that joins the team would need to be able to use guns, since part of the game’s appeal is its gun-slinging nature. However, it’s also possible that adding an Eridian character will also mean adding their weapon.It could lead to a whole new type of weapon,a staff that shoots projectiles and energy. Eridian weapons, like the ones highlighted byVinylicPumaGamingon YouTube, might also make a comeback.
4The Watcher Will Play An Important Role
The Character Has Been Acting In The Shadows
The Watcher is an Eridian Guardian character who first made an appearance inBorderlands: The Pre-Sequel,and was mentioned inBorderlands 3.The arm in the trailer looks like it might be Eridian, similar to that of the Watcher. But what really makes this a likelyBoderlands 4theory is the text that flashes at the very end of the teaser.
The text is written in Eridian writing.Termxdeciphers it in a YouTube video, to find that it says “He is watching. Break free.” The blatant reference to “watching” implies the involvement of The Watcher.This may mean players will also learn more about the history of the Guardians,and the Watcher’s Wars.
3Lilith Returns, Maybe As The Antagonist
Her Fate In Borderlands 3 Was Ambiguous
At the end ofBorderlands 3,Lilith the Siren risks her life to save the planet of Pandora and its moon, Elpis. The resolution of the game leaves things open-ended, and it’s uncertain if she’s dead or alive. When the trailer forBoderlands 4begins,it shows a symbol of a fiery phoenix in the starry sky.This “firehawk” image is associated with Lilith, as Phoenix is the name of her fourth tier skill in the Elemental skill tree in the firstBorderlands. The phoenix may also be symbolic here, representing rebirth and a rise from the ashes. It may suggest that Lilith, like the legendary bird she’s associated with, will make a miraculous return in the next game.
However, if Lilith does return, it’s likely that she won’t be quite the same. The end ofBorderlands 3sees her sacrifice her powers to save the vault hunters and their home. A huge transformation of this nature won’t be easy to return from unscathed.It’s possible that the events of the previous game have corrupted Lilith, turning her into the antagonistof the next game. The character has been around since the very first game, so turning her into a force for the players to fight against would be an emotionally fraught experience, and a perfect next step for theBorderlandsfranchise.
2Borderlands 4 Will Not Take Place On Pandora
A New Location Would Add Interest To The Title
So far, all threeBorderlandsgames have taken place on the original planet ofPandora.The planet has become a welcoming home for fans who return to explore all its nooks and crannies with every new game released.But it may be time to depart from the beloved Pandoraand move on to something new and exciting. At the end ofBorderlands 3,the vault hunters leave the planet to travel to its moon, Elpis. The upcoming game’s trailer, as seen on theBorderlandsYouTube channel, shows Elpis crash landing in a brand new location. It’s likely that this planet will be thenew setting forBorderlands 4.
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The most likely setting for the nextBorderlandsis the home planet of the Eridians. The powerful alien race created the vaults in the first place, and bits of their technologies and scientific accomplishments have made it into the main games. Exploring the Eridian home planet would open many new paths for the game to take, likenew flora and fauna, new biomes, and technologically-advanced ruins.Of course, it would also mean more vaults to potentially find. After all, the new characters for the coming game are still called “vault hunters,” so they need a vault to hunt.
1Something Worse Than Handsome Jack Is On The Way
The Game’s Original Antagonist Died In Borderlands 2
In the last few seconds of the trailer, an image of the vault symbol and a face flash on the screen. It seems at first glance that the face belongs to Handsome Jack, but the CEO of Gearbox Software,Randy Pitchford, has dismissed that theory on X (formerly Twitter), saying thatthe image isn’t alluding to Handsome Jack,but to “something far more dangerous and sinister.” Despite what Pitchford says, it’s hard to deny that the image is reminiscent of Handsome Jack. So the questionr remains: If this is something worse than Handsome Jack, what is it?
There’s no clear answer yet, but fans have been throwing some ideas around. One theory, based on the mechanical arm shown in the trailer, is that it’s anew and improved, robotic version of Handsome Jack.In theTelltale Games spinoffTales from the Borderlands,Jack has shown himself capable of downloading his consciousness onto machines. It’s possible that the fan-favorite baddie will return in a new form. His return would be quite welcome, as the sibling antagonists ofBoderlands 3were not as well-received by the community.
Borderlands 4will be released sometime in 2025. At this moment, no additional information is known about the game, but if even some of these predictions prove correct, then it’ll be an exciting title.
