Borderlands 4 is an all-new adventure in the iconic looter shooter series, with a fresh story set on the unfamiliar planet Kairos that serves as a perfect entry point for new players. As you might've seen in the recent Borderlands 4 Story Trailer, Kairos and its people are being dominated by the oppressive Timekeeper—but four badass Vault Hunters are about to break free from his control and violently disrupt his perfect Order.
For the latest installment of our Beyond the Borderlands series featuring behind-the-scenes insights from the team at Gearbox, you can hear more about Borderlands 4's overarching story from Managing Director of Narrative Lin Joyce and Narrative Director Sam Winkler. They discuss the current state of unrest on Kairos, how the Timekeeper stands out from the main villains of previous Borderlands games, and the factions you'll need to recruit on your mission to take down the Timekeeper and his region-ruling Commanders.
In addition to the info in the Beyond the Borderlands #2 video above, we asked Sam for more intel on the Crimson Resistance, an upstart faction on Kairos led by the intergalatically infamous Claptrap, and the unhinged Rippers who are loyal to Callis the Ripper Queen:
How did Claptrap end up on Kairos? Why did he start the Crimson Resistance?
Narrative Director Sam Winkler: The Crimson Raiders have split up to search the galaxies for where Elpis and Lilith ended up. Claptrap was aboard Sanctuary III with one of those search teams when they found Kairos and crashed down, scattering the crew across the world. Claptrap attempted to "tuck and roll" out of the hangar bay door, but instead invented a new technique known as "bounce and scream." Ever resourceful and desperate to be the center of attention, the lonely robot founded a new splinter group known as the Crimson Resistance to give the residents of Kairos the same kind of hope that led to Pandora being freed of its own tyrants.
Is Claptrap still bursting with illusions of grandeur?
Yes, along with crippling depression and so much ECHOnet spam mail that he is legally classified as malware.
How do the Vault Hunters and the Crimson Resistance become entangled in the larger battle to end the Timekeeper's regime? How do they impact the different factions on Kairos?
The Vault Hunters' fight against the Timekeeper is personal: they want their freedom, and they want what's in the Vault he is protecting. But Kairos is teeming with different groups who yearn to be free. The Crimson Resistance will only become a threat to the Timekeeper if the Vault Hunters can band all those different groups together into an open rebellion against his rule. Each group—the Outbounders, the Augers, and the Electi—are dealing with threats of their own, and it's up to the Vault Hunters to take down the bosses in each zone to earn trust from the people of Kairos.
Who are the Rippers? How did Callis become their leader?
Rippers are formerly Bolted Kairosians who survived the violent process of ripping out their own Bolt. Callis, once the Timekeeper's greatest military leader, was the first Ripper. In the wake of the Cataclysm—when Elpis tore open the sky and brought chaos to a closed system—Callis saw a vision of herself in the flames. She was free of the Timekeeper's control. And in that moment, she knew what had to be done. Many loyal soldiers followed in line. And those that didn't were ripped by force.
Why do Callis and her Rippers now stand in opposition to the Timekeeper?
Callis is leading her people to freedom—her vision of freedom, specifically. She saw a whole universe through the hole in the veil above Kairos, and she wants to lead her armies upward, conquering all of it. The Timekeeper must keep Kairos secret and protected, and so he must stop her at any cost.
How did Callis get those giant metal arms affixed to her back?
Callis has always been drawn to power. She has replaced any part of her body she deems too weak to survive—and added on even more. But if you mean logistically, I have to imagine there was some sort of elaborate harness and pulley system to get them installed.
Borderlands 4 is now available for pre-order on PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S, and for pre-purchase on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store! More info on Switch 2 pre-orders will be available in the future. While you wait for the game's launch on September 12, 2025, keep your eyes peeled for more Beyond the Borderlands videos that detail the making of Borderlands 4!
