Borderlands 3 may have had its share of problems, but one area where enemies and a variety of locations flourished. As promised in the Borderlands 2 finale, players visit and explore several planets, from swampy Eden-6 to futuristic Prometheus. On each planet of Borderlands 3, there were several unique enemies that gamers fought, creating many memorable moments when it comes to combat.
If Borderlands 4 wants to surpass its predecessor, it must double the concept of expanding the Borderlands universe. This can be done in several ways, some of which are unlikely to actually happen, although no matter how Gearbox gets there, an even larger universe would be ideal. After all, moving players to new locations outside of Pandora was a breath of fresh air in Borderlands 3, so the series needs to keep shaking up with each new entry.
New Borderlands planets and new areas on existing ones
Obviously, the fastest way to expand the Borderlands world is to add more planets to it. Wherever Lilith got the chest in the Borderlands 3 finale (and wherever she is now), this is the right candidate. Another fun option might be Junpai-7, a planet that is almost entirely made up of water and has several terrifying creatures to hunt in the sea. Underwater battles and locations can be a fun change of pace for Borderlands, so this planet will be a welcome addition.
However, new planets are not the only way to expand the Borderlands universe. Gearbox can also add to the planets already presented, making them as specific as Pandora. After all, gamers have only seen a small part of Eden-6, so there may be more dinosaur-like creatures hiding all over the planet. Similarly, it was possible to explore only part of the Prometheus city, and it’s easy to imagine one giant skyscraper making up a unique map on which players will fight in Borderlands 4.
Athens is perhaps the biggest example of an area that requires expansion, as players can only explore one place on this planet. Despite this, Maya’s home world remains the highlight of the game, with magnificent temples and a picturesque sky, thanks to which it is very different from the usual Borderlands locations. It feels like the players have only scratched the surface of the Borderlands 3 planets, especially Athens, so returning to them to add new locations may be useful. While new planets can and should be added, most of the current ones pale in comparison to Pandora and need more content.
Borderlands Multiverse Capability
A less likely possibility, but one worth discussing, given the popularity of the multiverse in modern media, is the introduction of alternative universes. Borderlands 3 Multiverse Final Forms takes a look at four Vault Hunters from other realities, and given that these origin stories and design are so interesting, it would be interesting to see what other characters in different universes are like.
Through the multiverse, fans could see the Calypso twins as heroes, the world in which Handsome Jack won, and the universe in which Tiny Tina’s parents survived. All of this can happen without negatively affecting the existing Borderlands story, as Gearbox can make it clear that the universes are divided. In addition, if the War of the Watchers becomes the center of the main Borderlands game after the creation of the multiverse, players can see not only the Vault Hunters in the main universe joining the battle, but also those from other realities. While the Multiverse concept is likely to remain a fun idea for cosmetics and nothing more, it will be another intriguing way to expand the Borderlands series.
Borderlands 3 has already been released for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
