In January 2026, Gearbox Software published a development roadmap for Borderlands 4, announcing paid expansions, new characters, endgame activities, and major updates focused on performance and progression improvements throughout the year.
At the beginning of 2026, the developers confirmed their continued support for Borderlands 4, with a focus on expanding content and improving core systems based on community feedback. Priority areas include cross-platform saves, shared account progression, level cap increases, and overall performance and stability improvements.
The first major update of the year has already been released, introducing Photo Mode along with balance adjustments and gameplay refinements on the planet Kairos. Detailed patch notes and a dedicated guide to the new feature were published alongside the update.
Upcoming Expansions and Story Packs
In February 2026, Gearbox plans to release the paid expansion Bounty Pack 2: Legend of the Stone Demon. The add-on will introduce a new mission, Legendary gear, and a themed Vault Card featuring cosmetic items and equipment unlocked through gameplay. The expansion also adds a new gear rarity tier — Pearlescent — which surpasses Legendary items in power. Some of this equipment will be exclusive to Bounty Pack 2 owners.
In March 2026, the studio intends to launch the first story expansion, Story Pack 1: Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned. It will open a new region of Kairos, add new main and side missions, and introduce the first new Vault Hunter, C4SH. According to the developers, the expansion will focus on Ellie’s return and feature a darker, cosmic horror-inspired theme.
As part of its endgame development plans, Gearbox will add a new raid boss in the second quarter of 2026 and release a free high-difficulty Takedown mission in one of the major updates. These activities will include new arenas and high-tier rewards.
Throughout the year, the game will also receive additional limited-time free events, expanded progression systems, and new challenges. Exact release dates for some features have not yet been disclosed.
In early 2026, Gearbox released the first major update for Borderlands 4, which introduced Photo Mode, balance adjustments, and gameplay improvements on Kairos. The update also focused on performance optimization and stability, becoming the starting point for the studio’s 2026 content roadmap.
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