While Borderlands 4 continues its adventure since its release in September 2025, Gearbox Software is preparing to deploy a major update which could well shake up certain habits of players. Announced by Associate Creative Director, Grant Kao, this update aims as much at balancing gameplay as at generally improving the user experience. Here’s everything we know.
A patch eagerly awaited by the community
Since the launch of Borderlands 4Gearbox has adopted a measured update strategy, focusing primarily on technical fixes and targeted adjustments rather than shaking up the fundamental mechanics of the game. However, this philosophy seems about to evolve with the arrival of a new, much more ambitious patch.
According to Grant Kao’s statements, this patch in preparation aims to re-evaluate certain passive skills of Vault Hunters – these talent trees being at the heart of customization and effectiveness in combat. The idea is to better balance existing builds, in particular by correcting overly powerful recursive effects which allow certain players to abuse bleeding mechanics or cumulative bonuses.
A nerf announced for the Vex “Crit Knife” build?
Although Kao did not directly name the affected configurations, the most invested fans saw it as a clear allusion to the very popular build Crit Knife of Vex, based on his skill Bloodletter. This build is based on a cumulative bleeding mechanic which allows you to literally melt the life bar of bosses using throwing knives and a “Penetrator” increase bonus.
Ironically, this build had already been accidentally nerfed recently, when Bloodletter stopped acting as a status effect. This upcoming update could therefore either correct this bug or formalize a damage adjustment to better balance the character’s overall performance.
Assault rifles take center stage
Another important announcement: Gearbox wants to restore the nobility of a category of weapons often neglected by players – assault rifles. Unpopular compared to the power of legendary pistols or ultra-modified shotguns, these weapons could benefit from a serious boost, which would boost their attractiveness in future build configurations.
A message of balance, not repression
Unlike the practices of certain studios which choose to “nerve” (weaken) dominant configurations, Gearbox has so far preferred to strengthen weaker options. This update, however, seems to take a hybrid approach: correcting abuse while offering more diversity and viability in gameplay choices.
A still rich future for Borderlands 4
Already praised for its rich content, its crazy humor and its still addictive loot mechanics, Borderlands 4 continues to evolve. With an average score of 82/100 on OpenCritic and an 89% recommendation from critics, the game has found its audience. This update promises to be a new turning point for veteran players and newcomers alike.
No specific date has yet been announced, but Gearbox’s proactive communication on social networks suggests that this update will not be long.
And you ? Are you looking forward to these changes or are you worried that your favorite build will be weakened? One thing is certain: the galaxy of Borderlands 4 still has many surprises to offer.