[p]Hey Vault Hunters! Welcome to “This Week on Kairos” - a weekly post where we share everything happening across the world of
Borderlands 4, from developer updates to community highlights and beyond.[/p][p]Every week, we’ll be here with the latest news, fan creations, dev spotlights, helpful resources, and anything else we think you’ll want to see. Whether you're looking to catch up, dive deeper, or just see what your fellow players are up to, this is the place.[/p][p]
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[/p][h3]Our Latest Update Notes:[/h3][p]We’ve rolled out several updates since launch, with more coming soon. Here’s what you may have missed:[/p][p]Remember, during Season's Lootings you'll be up to 5x more likely to get a Legendary drop (outside of Big Encore Bosses and Bloomreaper) as you grind for loot, also until January 8! Legendary loot drops will still be infrequent enough to feel special, in keeping with our overall design intent.[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]A guide on how to submit a ticket can be found here: [/p][p]
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1285190/discussions/2/673972930559959886/[/p][p][/p][p]When you submit a ticket, please remember to attach your DxDiag or MSinfo file. If you need assistance with doing that, here’s a walkthrough:[/p][p]
https://support.borderlands.com/hc/en-us/articles/44564441894291-PC-How-do-I-attach-a-DxDiag-and-MSinfo-file[/p][p][/p][p]
(Note: This section is going to be structured the same each week, so although it looks the same, rest assured it’s being updated weekly!)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Happy Mercenary Day, Vault Hunters![/h3][p]As we head into the holidays, we want to extend our gratitude to everyone playing
Borderlands 4; this community is beyond badass, and we're endlessly appreciative of your passion and feedback. We're stoked to bring you even more mayhem in 2026![/p][p]To close out 2025, we're mixing things up with a Triple Threat of Big Encore Bosses and a Season's Lootings increase to Legendary drop rates for bosses! Starting today, this Triple Threat will feature THREE True Bosses at once while our team logs off to celebrate Mercenary Day with our loved ones. We'll resume a weekly rotation of bosses with our Minor Update on January 8, 2026![/p][p][/p][p]
Weekly Activities: Dec 18 - Dec 25[/p][p]Weekly Big Encore Bosses (Triple Threat):[/p][p]
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- [p]Primordial Guardian Inceptus[/p]
- [p]Primordial Guardian Origo[/p]
- [p]Primordial Guardian Radix[/p]
[p][/p][p]Weekly Wildcard Mission:[/p][p]
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Mission: Rush the Gate (Healthy, Wealthy, Experienced)[/p][p]Legendary Gear Reward: Aegon's Dream Vladof Assault Rifle[/p][p][/p][p]Maurice’s Black Market Vending Machine[/p][p]
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Here's a visual hint to where Maurice’s Black Market Vending Machine is hidden this week. Remember, while this week's location is the same for everyone, your vending machine items are different from other players, so ask around to see if someone has the item you’re looking for![/p][p][/p][p]
Weekly Activities: Dec 25 - Jan 8[/p][p]As we head into 2026, the Big Encore Boss Triple Threat continues, along with the Season's Lootings increase to Legendary drop rates! On December 25, the Weekly Wildcard Mission and the location of Maurice's Black Market Vending Machine will change.[/p][p][/p][p]Weekly Wildcard Mission:[/p][p]
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Mission: The Timekeeper's Order (Armored, Bougie, Chain Master)[/p][p]Legendary Gear Reward: Plasma Coil Maliwan SMG[/p][p][/p][p]Maurice’s Black Market Vending Machine[/p][p]
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Here's a visual hint to where Maurice’s Black Market Vending Machine is hidden from December 25 to January 8. Remember, while the location is the same for everyone, your vending machine items are different from other players, so ask around to see if someone has the item you’re looking for![/p][p]
[/p][h3]Steam Community Screenshots[/h3][p]As you take screenshots and drop them in Steam, we’ll round up a few of our favorites for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy the beauty of chaos - er, I mean, Kairos![/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]
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[/p][h3]Behind the Team: Vanessa Little,
Borderlands 4 Senior Level Designer[/h3][p]Every week, we’re spotlighting one of the minds behind the mayhem. You’ll get to learn about folks from both Gearbox and 2K, and how each person who touches the game both influences and is influenced by
Borderlands 4. This week, we're talking with
Vanessa Little, Gearbox’s Senior Level Designer
:[/p][p][/p][p]
How do you balance player freedom with guided pacing?[/p][p]
Vanessa: When it comes to building an open world, to keep pacing feeling good for players while also making sure they feel free to explore is a delicate balance. Designing the open world relies upon broad paths and large landmarks to assist in keeping players from getting too lost and relying heavily on the map.[/p][p]If you pick up a mission, you generally want their first objective to be in the same region as the pickup, if not relatively nearby. As players explore and work their way through mission objectives, you want them to feel as if they're not backtracking all over the place, or else that can become pretty frustrating. If someone wants to take off and explore mid-mission, it's very important that we lean on those large landmarks in our designs to help reorient players and get them back on track.[/p][p][/p][p]
How has your approach to level design evolved over your career?[/p][p]
Vanessa: My skillset and approach has changed quite a lot over the years. I always want to push myself to improve and try new techniques and ideas. My career started out as a set dresser back on the 2013 remake of
Rise of the Triad. I didn't make any of those maps myself, but I came in to do the art pass. Through my time there, I did learn some fundamentals of linear level design that I still use today. My second job in the industry was working at Wargaming, which has an entirely different approach to level design. Those maps are very open and reliant upon stealth and cunning maneuvers. I learned about "hot spots" and how to effectively build out a space to create player interest and keep players using more of the map, versus having too much empty, unused space. After Wargaming, I did some fun indie stuff before ultimately ending up here at Gearbox, where I have now been for just under 10 years![/p][p]All of my previous experience has helped me here, and through my time at Gearbox I have learned so much about what it takes to build effective
Borderlands content. There's a lot more than some may expect that goes into
Borderlands level design. Yes, you have to set up fun spaces and build combats around them, but there are many different angles to it. You need to make sure that it flows well for players as they traverse the space (be it linear or vertical), give them opportunities to hit a barrel to get a fun kill, and make a space that seems believable. You also have to think about what the art pass is going to look like and how you can tell a visual story for your level artist that comes in behind you. What effects you expect to have, any cool environmental sounds, flickering lights, foggy atmosphere... You work in concert with many different departments and it's one of my favorite parts. I love the collaborative effort and seeing the finished product.[/p][p][/p][p]
How do you stay creative during long iteration cycles?[/p][p]
Vanessa: I think that the key to staying creative is to have fun with what you're building. Frustrations happen when something didn't come out quite as you expected, but it's important to remember that this is all meant to be a fun experience for the player. When it's not fun to build, that can truly come across in the final product. Sometimes you have to flip and burn and try something new, and that's okay. It's not a failure, it's part of the iterative process.[/p][p]All of that can weigh on you after a time, especially if it's on a really long project and you've had to start over on something a few times. Something that helps me is stepping away, playing with the dogs, chatting with my husband, or reading a book. Sometimes you need to get out of the thing making you frustrated and clear your mind. Coming back with a fresh perspective and brainstorming with a coworker usually results in a much more fun or interesting idea. I also can't tell you how many times I have worked out solutions to designs in my dreams. Believe it or not, it sometimes works out![/p][h3]
Community Creative Corner[/h3][p]Our community members aren’t just gamers—many of you are also artists. Whether it’s cosplay, digital art, or some yet-to-be-invented medium, we’re your biggest fans. Check out this week’s hand-picked fan creations:[/p][p]
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dans-art-zone[/p][p]
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Crystallizedmiracle[/p][p][/p][p]
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yulnik[/p][p]
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[/p][p]That’s it for this YEAR—We'll have more for you in 2026! Until then: keep your ECHOnet tuned and your loot luck high.[/p][p]Happy Hunting,
The Borderlands Team[/p][p]
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