There was some confusion around whether Borderlands 4 was an open-world game or not after Gearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford called it the studio's most "open and free" game so far, but a senior developer on the upcoming looter-shooter has clarified what that means exactly.
In an interview with GamesRadar+ as part of our Big in 2025 preview, senior project producer Anthony Nicholson said the shooter isn't exactly an open-world game in the traditional sense - it's just continuing the series' long tradition of giving players freedom of movement.
"We're making the experience of playing the game more seamless to the player in a number of ways," Nicholson said when asked about the difference. "Borderlands 4 does have some open-world-like features, such as seamless travel between zones, a more dynamic world with events and discoverable side missions and activities, and new traversal mechanics, all of which encourage and reward exploration."
"However, we did not set out with the intent to create an 'open world game' in the traditional use of that term," he explained. "Borderlands games have always had, to a degree, a more open, explore-the-world-around-you feeling, particularly in our big zone maps. This time we worked to integrate these gameplay spaces together without map loads so that the players are getting a seamless experience. In a nutshell, that captures why we use the term seamless."
It's not just about how large and connected the maps are, though. Nicholson reveals that players can "spawn a vehicle instantly [from] almost anywhere with a touch of a button" and fast travel to your co-op partner instantly. There's also a ton of other traversal options hinted at in the trailer, so Gearbox seems to be revamping the series' movement, too.
