Borderlands’ Spin-Off Series May Be a Better Home For One BL4 Feature

Summary

Borderlands 4 releases this Fall, and Gearbox’s Randy Pitchford has hinted that it will include base building mechanics.
Base building may suit Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands much more due to its fantasy style and cozier vibes.
Although a Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands sequel is currently in question, Gearbox could retroactively add a base building system to the first title based on its reception in Borderlands 4.

Borderlands 4 is rapidly approaching its September 23 launch. After a waiting period lasting nearly five years since the latest numbered entry, Borderlands 4 picked up steam in late 2024 and earlier this year in February when developer Gearbox announced and showed off more about the upcoming fourth installment. Among some of the changes fans can expect are a switch from the series’ “toilet” humor to a more serious tone, brought by a menacing new villain that the studio says will rival the legendary Handsome Jack.

Another item that has been teased in comments from Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford is that Borderlands 4 might be introducing base building. The franchise has previously dabbled with this in minor ways, but now players could see a fully-fledged system dedicated to it. And while this would be a welcome inclusion, Borderlands‘ spin-off, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, is in many ways arguably more suited to the mechanic.

Borderlands 4 trailer screenshot hunter on hover bike

For Better or Worse, One Classic Borderlands Feature May Be More Important Than Ever in BL4

Borderlands 4 is making a change to one of its longstanding features, which might mean that it will be a bigger part of the overall experience.

Borderland 4’s Possible Base Building Might Actually Be a Better Fit for Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands

Base or Settlement Construction in Borderlands 4 Would Be a Big Step-Up

Borderlands has always been about looting and shooting first and foremost, but notably in BL3, fans could also deck out the Sanctuary base with some limited decorations for their own small room in the hideaway. There are some other franchises that have previously experimented and made good use of this as well. For example, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has some of the most expansive base building for the IP, a far cry from its roots as a stealth-action adventure series.

With so much character and flavor to the setting and its distinctive cel-shaded design, there is a lot more that Borderlands can bring to the table in this regard. Along with the action, Borderlands 4‘s focus on compelling story arcs and continued world building could tie into settlement construction as a great evolution for it, adding an entirely new layer to the next title’s experience. Yet, such a feature would arguably be better served in Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands given its own framework and aesthetics.

Customized Base Building Seems to Feel More at Home in Tina Tiny’s Wonderlands

Since fans are essentially meta-roleplaying in Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, playing a campaign of the in-universe tabletop RPG, Bunkers and Badasses GM’ed by Tina, the nature of the fantasy world and narrative are subject to both her and the player’s whims. This was already used to great effect, as Tina describes changes and the visuals react accordingly. Giving players the added ability to build bases would fit TTW’s more cozy-styled vibes and designs incredibly well.

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands also had a deep character creator compared to Borderlands, and this range of freedom could easily transfer to a base of operations, or perhaps multiple ones, that players can similarly tailor to their heart’s content. There is a wealth of fun potential for TTW to incorporate buildable homesteads within its well-realized whimsical fantasy setting, and Gearbox could offer an extensive array of options for doing so, all while staying true to its themes and framework.

One possible hurdle to this, however, are rumors claiming Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands 2 may have been canceled, although Gearbox has not officially commented on its status. Even if one is no longer planned, though, the studio could still patch base building mechanics into the first game, especially if they prove popular in Borderlands 4. This could theoretically, at least in part, pave the way for a TTW sequel to be revived and introduce a refined system in another entry that takes full advantage of its potential.