Borderlands 4 ultimately has a wealth of features to inherit from past games in the franchise, especially considering that this extends beyond the mainline games to the Tales From The Borderlands games and the Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands spin-off. Of all the features Borderlands 4 should inherit from past games though, Borderlands 4 really shouldn’t miss the opportunity to revive the Vault Insider Program (VIP) and bring it back for good.
Borderlands’ VIP service allowed players to earn in-game rewards in Borderlands 2, Borderlands The Pre-Sequel, and Borderlands 3 by interacting with community content outside the game. This was a fun way for players to expand their in-game arsenals while keeping the community active in the lead-up to BL3. Sadly, this service was discontinued in May, 2020,but bringing the insider approach back for Borderlands 4 could be advantageous for both fans and the franchise as a whole.
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Why Borderlands 3’s VIP Rewards Deserve a Comeback
Borderlands’ VIP rewards were mainly intended to build hype for Borderlands 3 ahead of its release, though they also gave players a reason to revisit and continue their playthroughs in some of the previous games. By interacting with new trailers, blog posts, and similar content, players could earn free guns, shields, grenade mods, and character customization options for Borderlands 2, Borderlands the Pe-Sequel, and Borderlands 3.
The weapons, shields, and grenade mods that were previously available as rewards from
Borderlands
’ VIP system can be earned naturally in each game. Regardless, the VIP system was still a fun way for players to expand their arsenal nonetheless.
Borderlands’ VIP Rewards Could Help to Build Hype for Borderlands 4’s Release
Not long after the release of Borderlands 3, though, Borderlands’ VIP service was permanently discontinued. Although, with the anticipated release date for Borderlands 4 drawing nearer by the day, bringing back Borderlands’ VIP program could be worthwhile, with it serving the exact same purpose of helping to build hype for the upcoming game.
After the overall poor reviews for the Borderlands movie, the Borderlands franchise as a whole is seemingly in a delicate spot, putting a lot of pressure on the release of Borderlands 4. While the Borderlands movie may not have affected longtime Borderlands fans’ expectations for future games in the franchise, it might have turned potential fans away. So, while Borderlands 4 is likely to have a big turnout among longtime franchise fans, the extra hype generated by reviving the VIP rewards could help the franchise appeal to newcomers.
While
Borderlands
’ VIP system is no longer available, players can still get free in-game rewards throughout the franchise games via redeeming Shift Codes.
Borderlands’ VIP Rewards Could Be the Key to Reintroducing Weapons From Past Borderlands Games
Throughout the Borderlands franchise, a handful of weapons and buildcrafting tools have made returning appearances in multiple games, so it’s safe to expect that some of these returning weapons could show up in Borderlands 4. While many fans will naturally want some of their favorite loot to return for yet another game in the franchise, continuing this cycle of reusing the same weapons could potentially be holding the franchise back, as opposed to creating new, original buildcrafting tools for each game.
However, outright removing all returning weapons could lead to a backlash among longtime players who expect this feature, so the best way to approach this problem could be to use the VIP system. Having exclusive rewards tied to the VIP system could encourage players to participate in community events both inside and outside the Borderlands games, especially if these rewards are fan-favorite legendary weapons from past Borderlands games. Meanwhile, this would allow loot from Borderlands 4’s in-game sources to exclusively feature new buildcrafting tools, ultimately having the best of both worlds when it comes to new and nostalgia-focused loot.
Looter Shooter
Action
Adventure
RPG
- Franchise
- Borderlands
- Released
- 2025