Borderlands 4’s Recent Bad News is Actually a Blessing in Disguise

by

Anticipation for a revival of the Borderlands franchise is high among fans, given that recent installments have fallen short of expectations. The upcoming Borderlands 4 has shown promise in this regard, though it’s still too early to pass final judgment. Initial reactions to the game’s unveiling were lukewarm, but more recent gameplay footage has left players feeling optimistic. While Borderlands 4 doesn’t stray far from the series’ established gameplay style, it introduces a host of fresh mechanics and aims to tone down the questionable humor seen in Borderlands 3.

The upcoming game, “Borderlands 4,” is being hyped by its creators, Gearbox Software, as the most expansive and open-ended title in the series to date. Unlike previous installments, the game will feature four interconnected regions that can be explored seamlessly with no loading times in between. Furthermore, it’s been stated that there are over 30 billion possible weapon combinations available in “Borderlands 4,” which is roughly 30 times more than what was offered in “Borderlands 3.” Despite the game’s grand ambitions, some key features will be absent at its launch; however, this may not be as detrimental as it initially seems.

Borderlands 4 Won’t Have Some Features at Launch, But It’s Not All Bad

At launch, Gearbox has revealed in a Steam post that Borderlands 4 won’t offer cross-save or cross-progression features, implying that players cannot migrate their save files or account-related advancements across platforms initially. For most users, particularly those who stick to one gaming platform, this shouldn’t be a concern; however, it might pose an issue for individuals owning multiple devices. This means PC players won’t be able to continue from where they left off on PlayStation or Xbox consoles and will have to start over each time they change platforms.

Even Without Cross-Save or Cross-Progression, BL4 Will Have Cross-Play Functionality

Even though it lacks those two specific aspects, there’s a positive angle to this announcement. In the same Steam post, Gearbox Software announced that Borderlands 4 will debut with cross-play compatibility on Xbox Game Pass and across all platforms. This means PlayStation, Xbox, and PC gamers can enjoy the game together, regardless of their device choice. While it’s not unusual to see cross-play in modern video games, it’s a significant leap for the Borderlands series.

Despite being released a month later than other editions of Borderlands 4, its Nintendo Switch 2 version will offer cross-play functionality as well.

Borderlands Games Have Usually Not Been Released With Features Like Cross-Play

Although the Borderlands series primarily focuses on cooperative shooter gameplay, cross-platform features like cross-play, cross-progression, and cross-save have rarely been available at launch. For instance, Borderlands 3, released over two years ago, only added cross-play compatibility across Xbox, PC, Mac, and Stadia recently. Regrettably, cross-progression or cross-save support was never incorporated for Borderlands 3, despite fan demands. A similar situation applies to the spin-off game, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, which did include cross-play functionality at launch.

Initially, Sony prevented the inclusion of cross-play support for Borderlands 3 on PlayStation due to certain restrictions. It wasn’t until about a year later that this feature was enabled on these versions of the game.

Unlike Other Borderlands Games, BL4 is Going to Get Cross-Save and Cross-Progression Eventually

Initially, Borderlands 4 won’t offer cross-save and cross-progression at launch, but the developers at Gearbox have promised to incorporate these features in the game later on. If they deliver on their promise, Borderlands 4 will be the only game in the series to support both features. With its cross-play functionality, it will also become the most accessible installment yet in the Borderlands series. While it’s unfortunate that these features won’t be available immediately, the ability for players to move their saves and progress between platforms in Borderlands 4 is an impressive feat on its own.

Read More

2025-08-26 21:02