Summary
- Borderlands 4’s vault hunters have been met with mixed reactions, with many fans disappointed in their looks.
- The complaints regarding the new vault hunters have ranged from “atrocious” and “bland.”
- Gearbox may need to impress with gameplay after negative reactions to the playable character designs in the trailer.
Fans got their first look at Borderlands 4‘s vault hunters in the game’s latest trailer, and many aren’t too happy about them. The fourth installment in the looter shooter franchise revealed its characters and gameplay for the first time during The Game Awards on December 12 to decidedly mixed reactions. One particular issue many had with the trailer is that Borderlands 4‘s vault hunters look bland.
The Game Awards trailer unveiled a lot, including introducing Borderlands 4‘s villain, and as with many sequels, fans were divided. Some expressed excitement for the game, while others claimed the franchise is continuing on a downward spiral. For many, though, the key takeaway had less to do with the game as a whole and more to do with the character design for the four new hunters.
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It didn’t take long after the trailer dropped for fans to take to Reddit and express their disappointment in the vault hunter designs. While Borderlands 4 already faced an uphill battle topping BL3‘s hunters, it’s not off to a great start, with many Redditors calling the new characters “bland.” Some even went as far as to call them “atrocious” or say they’re players’ least favorite of the franchise. Of course, the way a character looks does not necessarily indicate the game’s quality, but many fans are certainly not happy about what they saw in the trailer.
Fans Call Borderland 4 Vault Hunters “Bland”
Not every fan had bad things to say about Borderlands 4‘s vault hunters. Some pointed out that while they may not be as eye-catching as those from earlier entries, they’re still not bad. Still, the reception was largely negative, which is probably not what Gearbox wanted. Some players say Borderlands 4 could still benefit from its vault hunters, depending on how the game approaches their archetypes and gameplay, but as far as appearances go, the new slate of player characters may disappoint fans of the franchise.
While the vault hunter designs may not be fans’ favorite, the fourth installment in the Borderlands series could still make a splash. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford has hinted at Borderlands 4‘s villains, saying they’ll be “dangerous and sinister,” which could be a relief after Borderlands 3‘s Calypso Twins, whose humor largely fell flat. Details on the new hunters and their abilities are still uncertain, but these initial reactions mean Gearbox may need to impress fans with BL4‘s gameplay, as it failed to do so with its aesthetic.
Looter Shooter
Action
Adventure
RPG
- Franchise
- Borderlands
- Released
- 2025