If there is one thing Gearbox has made clear ahead ofBorderlands 4’s release, it’s that it is doing everything in its power to redeem the series after the shortcomings ofBorderlands 3left many fans wanting more. While there were a lot of grips about whatBorderlands 3could have done differently, one of the loudest ongoing cries is that each of the more recent titles has been little more than “just anotherBorderlandsgame,” andBorderlands 4seems to be a response to that. However, this also means that the next entry is leaving some of the series' longest-standing traditions behind, and that might seeBorderlands 3being the last of its kind.
It almost goes without saying that one ofBorderlands 4’s biggest new featuresis its seamless world design within the new planet Kairos. Though not a true open world as the developers have confirmed, Kairos has almost no loading screens between zones, which is a far cry from what the series has done in the past. On paper, everything Kairos promises sounds great, and it could very well signal a new era forBorderlandsif it delivers. What that could mean, though, is thatBorderlands 3and everything that came before it will be collecting dust in a museum while the rest of the franchise moves in an entirely different direction from here on out.
Borderlands 4’s World Design Could Signal the End of a Longstanding Series Tradition
BL3’s Compartmentalized Maps Represent a Bygone Era
Borderlands 3, like every entry before it, built its world out of interconnected maps separated byloading screens— a design choice that, at one time, felt efficient and even allowed for better performance across platforms. Players could hop between planets, fast-travel from zone to zone, and complete missions in locations that were relevant to each story beat and side quest. There’s no denying that it worked well, keeping things clean and manageable, especially when players had to juggle multiple quests at one time.
Now, with the industry’s growing push toward immersion and a widespread desire for fewer loading screens in games, that fragmented design now feels like something that might be better off left in the past.Borderlands 4is aiming for a seamless world that connects its distinct biomes organically without those constant interruptions, thereby putting the classic structure thatBorderlands 3kept intact at risk of being nothing more than a memory. If players can now travel through the world seamlessly and more naturally than ever before in aBorderlandsgame, then the old map model may feel more like a limitation than the strength it once was.
If Borderlands 4’s Seamless World Works, There May Be No Going Back
It happened withThe Legend of ZeldaafterBreath of the Wildabandoned a decades-old formula in exchange for what is now considered astandard in open worlds, leaving subsequent entries with the question of whether going back to the way things were was actually a good idea. As it turns out, the answer to that question was apparently “no,” as bothTears of the KingdomandEchoes of Wisdomstayed true to the new formula, all but guaranteeing a new direction for the series as a whole.
If players can now travel through the world seamlessly and more naturally than ever before in aBorderlandsgame, then the old map model may feel more like a limitation than the strength it once was.
In the same way, shouldBorderlands 4’s new approach to world designdeliver a worthwhile experience, it’s likely players will never see anotherBorderlandsgame adopting the structure the series once did. If that’s the case, thenBorderlands 3may end up serving as the last example of how the series used to function. In the end, for better or worse,Borderlands 4would thus mark the turning point where the franchise fully committed to evolving beyond its original identity.
