Borderlands 4 has simmered in the public eye, and the prevailing opinion is that its narrative is merely acceptable. Although somewhat underwhelming, my main enjoyment stems from the engaging gameplay rather than dialogues, allowing me to enjoy the background story even if it lacks punch.
With improvements over Borderlands 3, I found some character moments notably charming, steering clear of stale memes.
According to Sam Winkler, the game’s narrative lead, during a dev panel at PAX Australia 2025, he expressed satisfaction, stating, “It’s been great! It’s been really good—I’ll be honest, I’m really happy with it.” This sentiment shouldn’t be dismissed.
Despite past controversies surrounding Gearbox, Randy Pitchford asserts that it’s odd to release a game where feedback centers on gameplay rather than narrative failures.
Pitchford continues to contend, “We’re happy to live in that world… Sam and the team crushed it on the storytelling.”
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Despite Randy’s controversial past, his willingness to acknowledge and adapt to player concerns indicates a shift within Gearbox, reinforcing the community’s trust in their development process.
