Story Pack 2 details and Bounty Pack 5 revealed in new Gearbox DevCast

As Chris explained during the latest Gearbox DevCast, the development team designed Providence to feel completely different from the Kairos you've seen in the base game. You're free to explore this dense jungle and uncover its mysteries as you see fit, with eye-catching landmarks that will help you navigate through the brush. And you won't have to go it alone as you venture into the dangerous undergrowth, as FL4K will fight by your side during specific missions in their continuation of The Hunt, demonstrating their killer instinct and pinpoint accuracy with sniper rifles.

Verticality is also a core part of Providence's layout, bolstered by a new type of mobility: ziplines. You'll be able to traverse high above the treetops of Providence's jungle by grappling onto ziplines, which you can use to reach new vantage points or get the upper hand in combat.

Speaking of combat, the island is crawling with Tediore troops, including soldiers in exo-suits that are the bulky, less-sophisticated precursors to the high-end Deadframe exo-suit that keeps Rafa going. Just like in the Official Character Short for Rafa ("YOLT"), killing the pilots of these exo-suits won't be enough to stop them, as the metal frame will keep fighting even after its fleshy center is shot dead. Towering above the disposable infantry and exo-suit soldiers, Tediore has also deployed hulking mechs with varying weapon attachments that can buff their allies and digistruct reinforcements into battle. You'd do well to take down these heavy support units ASAP before they can amass an overwhelming army.

Just like their distinct brand of manufactured weapons, Tediore's forces are digistructed into being, beamed down from their T-shaped flagship that stores soldiers like they're bits of data on a server. If you can eliminate Tediore's rank-and-file grunts, colossal war machines, and the elite managers who lead them, you'll have a shot at taking on Lt. Harmony. 

Reaching her will be a challenge itself, as Tediore has converted the volcano on Providence into a base-of-operations bunker. That volcano is very much still active, and can spew out Ordonite-infused lava across the island, including molten rocks that spawn minibosses on impact in new world events. Another new type of activity you'll only find on Providence are opportunities to upload yourself into Tediore's digiverse servers, battling waves of enemies at the source before they can materialize into the physical world.

If you can manage to survive Providence's treacherous wilds and the legion of Tediore troops occupying them, you'll have a chance at some incredibly powerful new loot:

• 2 new Pearlescent weapons:
  • Astonisher (Ripper Shotgun)
  • Quadratus (Vladof Heavy Weapon Ordnance)
• 18 new pieces of Legendary gear:
  • Lovelorn (Tediore Assault Rifle)
  • Devourer (Ripper Sniper Rifle)
  • HandFrag (Daedalus SMG)
  • Shardenfreude (Daedalus Assault Rifle)
  • Infection (Jakobs Pistol)
  • Hippo Gun (Jakobs Shotgun)
  • Exhibition (Vladof Sniper Rifle)
  • Avarice (Order Assault Rifle)
  • Virtue (Order Pistol)
  • Petanque (Order Sniper Rifle)
  • Decompiler (Maliwan Shotgun)
  • Honeymooner (Maliwan SMG)
  • Fourier's Malady (Tediore Shotgun)
  • Ripple (Torgue Assault Rifle)
  • Critical Decay (Torgue Pistol)
  • Exfoliatrix (Jakobs Shield)
  • Font of Life (Tediore Repkit)
  • Li'l Brudder (Maliwan Grenade Ordnance)

Bounty Pack 5: Amara and the Vile Shadows

Kairos was forever changed by the cataclysmic arrival of the Elpis moon, and now the planet's showing signs of coming apart completely. Shards of Ordonite continue to spread corruption, and the recent appearance of unstable Phase rifts threatens to break the bonds of reality. With her Siren powers and attunement to Phase energies, Amara has pinpointed a possible source of the worsening instability: one of Vile Lictor's old laboratories, where Order Synths that once served him lie dormant.

In this all-new repeatable mission, team up with Amara to track down the Phase disturbances and stop their propagation before they unravel the known universe. Be ready for anything with these Phase rifts; there's no telling what you'll see on the other side.

As Max mentioned during the most recent Gearbox DevCast, Bounty Pack 5's mission is a chance to revisit Elpis and the Phase dimension that connects all Sirens, both of which are incredibly important to the overall story of Borderlands 4. And as April pointed out, making Amara the central character gave the development team a chance to go deeper into the lore of Sirens and their vital place in the Borderlands universe, as Amara grapples with the possibility that her tether to the Phase has been permanently disrupted.

When Bounty Pack 5: Amara and the Vile Shadows debuts on September 10, completing the mission will unlock a Vault Hunter Skin usable by all Vault Hunters, a Vehicle, and an ECHO-4 Drone Skin. In addition, you can farm a new boss, two new mini-bosses, and new Vile enemy types for a new Pearlescent weapon and six new pieces of Legendary loot!

• 1 new Pearlescent weapon:
  • AeroDramatic (Torgue Shotgun)
• 6 new pieces of Legendary gear:
  • Triplicate (Vladof Assault Rifle)
  • Pragmate (Daedalus Shotgun)
  • Enumeration (Ripper SMG)
  • Clarity (Maliwan Sniper Rifle)
  • Wind Skimmer (Jakobs Sniper Rifle)
  • Outburst (Torgue Repkit)

Bounty Pack 5: Vault Card 5

While Bounty Pack 5: Amara and the Vile Shadows represents the new narrative-focused content, Bounty Pack 5: Vault Card 5 lets you earn new space-age rewards through gameplay, with 24 cosmetic items and four pieces of rerollable gear to unlock! Here's the full rundown of the new Vault Card's unlocks:

• 4 rerollable pieces of Legendary gear:
  • Shield Overflow (Daedalus Pistol)
  • Flash Fuel (Jakobs Assault Rifle)
  • Tempered Essence (Vladof Shotgun)
  • Alignment (Order Grande Ordnance)
• 4 Vault Hunter Heads usable by all Vault Hunters
• 4 Vault Hunter Skins usable by all Vault Hunters
• 5 Weapon Skins
• 5 Vehicle Skins
• 4 ECHO-4 Drone Skins
• 2 ECHO-4 Attachments

Playing Borderlands 4 with a Vault Card active gives you more loot and XP via Daily and Weekly Challenges, and can be leveled up at your own pace (no time limits or expiring rewards). Once you own a Bounty Pack's Vault Card, you can activate that Vault Card via the Vault Card screen in your ECHO menu. Vault Card progression works just like leveling up: it's all driven by how much XP you're gaining. By exploring Kairos, killing enemies, and completing quests, you'll fill up your Vault Card progression in addition to your regular XP!

Story Pack 1 and Bounty Pack 2 will be available in multiple parts on September 10

Starting with Bounty Pack 3, we committed to releasing DLC for Borderlands 4 in two distinct parts that you can purchase individually, giving you more choice to buy the content that most appeals to you. Story Pack 1 and Bounty Pack 2 pre-date this approach, but come September 10, you'll be able to purchase those DLCs in individual parts as well, or as bundles if you're playing on Steam. Here's the full price breakdown:

• $19.99 USD for Story Pack 1: Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned (new map zone, narrative content and missions, and gear)
• $9.99 USD for C4SH the Rogue*** (new Vault Hunter playable across all of Borderlands 4)
• $5.99 USD for Bounty Pack 2: Legend of the Stone Demon (new narrative content and gear)
• $5.99 USD for Bounty Pack 2: Vault Card 2**** (new cosmetics and gear)

Please note: all prices listed here are USD, with regional pricing to show up on your preferred storefront when this content launches.

Upcoming required redownload for Story Pack 1 and Bounty Pack 2 owners on PS5 and XBOX

Starting September 10, players who own Story Pack 1 and/or Bounty Pack 2 on PlayStation 5 or XBOX Series X|S will need to redownload this content from the PlayStation Store or Microsoft Store to continue accessing it. This applies to: 

• Story Pack 1: Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned
• C4SH the Rogue
• Bounty Pack 2: Legend of the Stone Demon
• Bounty Pack 2: Vault Card 2

Unfortunately, this is an unskippable extra step needed to keep playing your owned Story Pack 1 and Bounty Pack 2 content, due to the individual contents of these DLC packs being made available for purchase separately on console platforms. We appreciate your understanding. 

Loveless the Hacker gameplay reveal coming September 3

It won't be long before you can see Borderlands 4's new Vault Hunter in action, as symbiotic assassin Loveless the Hacker will have her own dedicated episode of the Gearbox DevCast going live on September 3. If you missed it before, check out the Loveless teaser above, then be sure to come back for more info as we approach these big content drops on September 10!

As a quick refresher, owning Borderlands 4 Super Deluxe Edition gets you all of the content from the Bounty Pack Bundle (Bounty Packs 2, 3, 4, and 5) and Vault Hunter Pack (Story Packs 1 and 2), while Borderlands 4 Deluxe Edition gets you the Bounty Pack Bundle. Content from individual Bounty Packs and Story Packs will also be available for separate purchase.

*Story Pack 2 DLC has two parts: new story content in FL4K and the Last Resort, and a playable Vault Hunter with Loveless the Hacker. Included in the Borderlands 4 Super Deluxe Edition, Vault Hunter Pack, and available for separate purchase. Base game required.

**Bounty Pack 5 DLC has two parts: a repeatable mission in Amara and the Vile Shadows, and rewards earned through gameplay with Vault Card 5. Included with the Borderlands 4 Bounty Pack Bundle, Deluxe and Super Deluxe Editions, and available for separate purchase. Base game required.

***Story Pack 1 DLC has two parts: new story content in Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned, and a playable Vault Hunter with C4SH the Rogue. Included in the Borderlands 4 Super Deluxe Edition, Vault Hunter Pack, and available for separate purchase. Base game required.

****Bounty Pack 2 DLC has two parts: a repeatable mission in Legend of the Stone Demon, and rewards earned through gameplay with Vault Card 2. Included with the Borderlands 4 Bounty Pack Bundle, Deluxe and Super Deluxe Editions, and available for separate purchase. Base game required.