Summary
Borderlands 4has officially been revealed via a short teaser trailer, and while the trailer alone doesn’t reveal much, it is, at least, confirmation thatBorderlands 4is on the way. Judging by what is shown in theBorderlands 4trailer, it appears players could be in for an experience much different than past installments, but that remains to be seen.
Little more than the fact thatBorderlands 4’s villainwill be much more “dangerous and sinister” than Handsome Jack has been confirmed for the game, but it’s still possible to speculate on what its villainous weapons manufacturer could be based on what the series has already done and where it might be going. That being said, these speculations should be taken with a grain of salt, as Gearbox seems to be playing its cards very close to its chest withBorderlands 4,and it could produce a thoroughly unexpected curveball.
What Borderlands 4’s Villainous Weapons Manufacturer Could Be
The Borderlands Series' Past Villainous Weapons Manufacturers
Almost every weapons manufacturer in theBorderlandsseries has been featured in an antagonistic role to some extent, but only a handful of them have fueled the source of the overarching conflict in each entry. For example, inBorderlands, the Atlas Corporation was behind most of the conflict, working through Commander Steele to find and open the Vault before the player and other Vault Hunters. InBorderlands 2, the Hyperion Corporation was directly tied to the game’s antagonist, Handsome Jack, as he was the leader of the company. Finally, the Dahl Corporation played a background antagonistic role inBorderlands: The Pre-Sequel,and Borderlands 3 saw the Maliwan Corporation partnering withthe Calypso Twins, the game’s antagonists.
Vladof Could Fill the Role of Borderlands 4’s Villainous Weapons Manufacturer
Based on what theBorderlandsseries has done so far and what was revealed in the backstory of one ofBorderlands 3’s Vault Hunters, it seems likely that Vladof could be the next big villainous weapons manufacturer. The Vault Hunter in question is Moze,Borderlands 3’s Gunner, who once served as a member of the Vladof mechanized infantry Ursa Corps. According to Moze’s backstory, she and her fellow soldiers were often sent on dangerous missions in which the probabilities of success were extremely low, despite the high skill of the soldiers chosen to go.
During one of these missions, Moze’s company was wiped out, leaving her standing as the sole survivor in the unit. This is a significant part of what led her to become a Vault Hunter, as she eventually became aware of how willing Vladof was to throw away the lives of its soldiers in exchange for political or tactical advantages and therefore chose to go rogue, abandoning the military and takingher mech, the Iron Bear, with her. This all came after her superior, Kaziak, frequently extended her quota and essentially attempted to trap her in the military. Given these fairly recent revelations about Vladof, it seems likely that it could fill the role of antagonist inBorderlands 4.
Based on what theBorderlandsseries has done so far and what was revealed in the backstory of one ofBorderlands 3’s Vault Hunters, it seems likely that Vladof could be the next big villainous weapons manufacturer.
It could be that the Eridians simply fill the antagonistic role that past weapons manufacturers have occupied, shouldBorderlands 4’s villain indeed be an Eridian. However, since Eridian isn’t necessarily a weapons manufacturer — as corporations like Hyperion, Maliwan, and Dahl are — it seems unlikely that the alien race would take on that role entirely. Instead, should the Eridians be the overarching antagonists ofBorderlands 4, perhapsVladof could be a weapons manufacturerthat somehow partners with the Eridians in their plot or at least acts as the antagonist of a side conflict in the game. This would arguably give the corporation the role that has been coming to them sinceBorderlands 3, due to Moze’s backstory with them.
WHERE TO PLAY
Borderlands 4 brings intense action, badass Vault Hunters, and billions of wild and deadly weapons to an all-new planet ruled by a ruthless tyrant.Crash into Kairos as one of four new Vault Hunters seeking wealth and glory. Wield powerful Action Skills, customize your build with deep skill trees, and dominate enemies with dynamic movement abilities.Break free from the oppressive Timekeeper, a ruthless dictator who dominates the masses from on high. Now a world-altering catastrophe threatens his perfect Order, unleashing mayhem across the planet.Ignite a resistance and blast your way through mechanical monstrosities, bloodthirsty bandits, and vicious beasts. Amass an arsenal of death-dealing firepower to wreak havoc as you tear your way across Kairos.Fight solo or in co-op with up to three other players in this immense sci-fi adventure, packed with free-form combat and exploration, pulse-pounding boss fights, infinitely varied loot drops, and an eclectic cast of unforgettable characters new and old.
