Borderlands 4 Highlights Loot, Co-op at PAX East

Borderlands 4 showcased significant upgrades to its loot system and cooperative play during PAX East 2025. Discover what's new with these game-changing improvements and learn why the development team decided to remove the mini-map feature.

Borderlands 4 PAX East Panel

Loot and Co-Op Overhaul

Gearbox Software detailed substantial upgrades to Borderlands 4's loot and cooperative multiplayer systems during their PAX East 2025 presentation on May 10. CEO Randy Pitchford and key team members explained how they've reinvented these core gameplay elements.

Drawing from player feedback since Borderlands 3, Gearbox has completely redesigned the co-op experience. The new lobby system allows seamless drop-in/drop-out gameplay without requiring players to reach specific story milestones. Fast travel functionality has been enhanced to help players quickly reunite across Borderlands 4's expansive open world.

The level-scaling system from Borderlands 3 returns with improvements, enabling balanced multiplayer sessions regardless of character progression. Each player now receives personalized loot rewards, eliminating competition over dropped items.

The developers have streamlined the loot system to reduce excessive randomization. While legendary items will be less abundant, they'll deliver more meaningful power spikes. Specific bosses and mini-bosses now grant predetermined rewards, making encounters more rewarding. Moxxi's Big Encore mode allows players to replay missions and bosses without save-scumming for loot farming.

Mini-Map Removal Explained

Following fan questions about the absent mini-map, Pitchford explained this intentional design choice: "We've created a massive world where objectives can be miles apart. A local space map isn't effective navigation when you're managing multiple distant objectives. Our new compass system provides better orientation in this sprawling environment."

Pitchford emphasized the team's philosophy: "We want players to engage with the game world rather than a minimap. When you experience how vast this world is, you'll understand why playing the game feels better than staring at a map."

Gearbox expressed confidence in their development progress following the recent Borderlands 4 State of Play. With the game's release date moved two weeks earlier to September 12, 2025, the studio plans additional showcases at Fan Fest, Bilibili World, and Gamescom to reveal more content.

Borderlands 4 launches September 12, 2025 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. For the latest updates on the game's development, check our ongoing coverage.