Borderlands 4: The Destiny 3 Experience We’ve Been Waiting For—Gearbox’s Smartest Move Yet

I’m on this wild ride with everyone else, just sitting there, glued to the screen during the Borderlands 4 State of Play. What’s it like seeing a mishmash of nostalgia and new ideas swirling into something unexpected? Yeah, it felt a bit like Day One excitement, with a side of “huh?” when you glance over at the sudden shift towards something that seems more Destiny 3-ish. But hey, who’s to say a shake-up isn’t welcome?

So, let’s talk Borderlands. It’s got this double-edged sword thing going on. You’ve got guns. Loads of ’em. Wacky, wonderful guns doing things you didn’t even know you wanted until you tried ’em out. That’s been the draw, you know? Even way back in the first game—oh how simple that seems now—it was all about just shooting your way into euphoria.

Now, the humor, well, that’s a whole other beast. Claptrap anyone? Or the kind of offbeat chaos you either love or despise? Sure, there’s warmth in nostalgia, but step back and you got a whole crew either chuckling or eye-rolling into the next galaxy. Borderlands 4 seems to have taken a good long look in the mirror and decided: maybe dial it back? Just a tad. Less noise, more poise. Who would’ve thought?

Case in point—did you see the number of jokes? Blew my mind to watch bits of silence, not the constant barrage of one-liners. Someone on team Gearbox must’ve had an epiphany. That kinda restraint, kind of a relief, right?

Visually, it’s shifted, too. Still wacky, but it feels like they’ve toned down that whole note-taking-from-a-rainbow thing. Now we’re talking exploration and discovery that feels like, I don’t know, a love letter to Destiny 2’s world bosses and level ups, but with Gearbox flair all over it. Calling vehicles whenever? Drone buddies? Sounds familiar, huh?

Funny thing, Destiny’s hit a bit of a weird patch, haven’t they? Bungie’s attention diverted, Marathon’s lukewarm alpha feedback—I mean, there’s a whole gap opening wide enough for Borderlands to strut through. Ping-ponging ideas off Destiny while they’re deep in the works on their next big thing? Smart move, right time.

And Marathon? Ah, it’s like watching your friend’s band play a new song—it’s not quite there, you know it, they know it. Borderlands, on the other hand, it’s like watching a headliner swoop in and take the stage. Feels unfair to Marathon sitting remotely at the sidelines.

With all of this tumbling around in my head, there’s this spark about Borderlands 4. Who knows if this buzz sticks around, but hey, at least it’s firing the imagination engines right now. Good move, Gearbox. Solid shift. Almost makes you feel a little, oddly proud, right?