With Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands releasing later this month, it could be awhile before the next major Borderlands game is released. Despite the wait likely to be on the longer side, it is fun to theorize where the story could go in the next Borderlands title. Borderlands 3’s Director’s Cut sets up the search for Lilith as the main plot point, so fans have some idea of what to expect, though Gearbox could still surprise players.
While the search for Lilith is a solid enough foundation for Borderlands 4’s story, it could be made more impactful if Gearbox reuses a past storytelling tactic. Between Borderlands 2 and 3, there was a seven-year time gap in both the real world and in-universe, something that saw the characters aging alongside the player. Come Borderlands 4, another time gap should be introduced that mirrors the time that passed since the release of Borderlands 3.
Why a Borderlands 4 Time Skip Would Help
The search for Lilith in Borderlands 4 would instantly be made more impactful if Ava and the rest of the Crimson Raiders have spent years looking for their lost leader. If Borderlands 4 takes place right after Borderlands 3’s Director’s Cut, not much time will have gone by since Lilith first disappeared. In turn, Ava and the other characters finding her would be a lot less impactful than it would if years had gone by since Lilith first flew into Elpis.
A time gap could also give Gearbox an excuse to introduce new planets for Borderlands players to explore, as Ava could make it clear early on that the Crimson Raiders already searched for Lilith in familiar locations like Promethea and Eden-6. An unexpected breakthrough could happen at the start of Borderlands 4, with Ava taking the crew of Sanctuary 3 into some uncharted territory to explore never-before-seen planets.
Another upside to the time jump, and arguably the biggest, is that it would give Gearbox the opportunity to further refine the character of Ava. Despite the controversy and near-unanimous dislike of the character, Borderlands 3 made it clear she is part of the franchise’s future. A time skip would allow Ava to get out of her angsty teenager phase and mature bit, with Borderlands 4 potentially featuring a 20+ year old Ava with a new attitude that could win the community over. The Director’s Cut side missions were a step in the right direction, and letting Ava grow up some more could help even more.
A time jump would help give insight into how the stories of other Borderlands characters are progressing, too. Fans could see how the Wainwright Jakobs and Sir Hammerlock’s marriage is going, while the Atlas corporation’s continued rise under Rhys’ leadership could be documented. Fans can see what Timothy has been doing with his second chance, how the B Team has grown, and what Mad Moxxi is doing with her casino. If Borderlands 4 is set right after Borderlands 3, it would be hard to see the side characters’ stories developing in significant ways.
Lastly, another time jump would open the possibilities for more spin-offs like Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. An in-between game like Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel could be released that helps fill in all the in-universe years gamers missed, for example. While Borderlands 4 could still be solid without a time jump, the passing time was one aspect of Borderlands 3’s storytelling that made sense. As such, it would be nice to see this trick used again in the next Borderlands game.