Summary
While the specific details ofBorderlands 4’s gameplay are still unknown this early in its development stage, expectations for the upcoming sequel to take the franchise to the next level are naturally high. If one thing is certain though, it’s thatBorderlands 4can’t pull any punches when it comes to the new weaponry in the game. After all, weapons and gunplay are some oftheBorderlandsfranchise’s biggest strengths, so future games can’t afford to overlook this aspect.
In order to build upon the past game’s innovative weaponry,Borderlands 4should arguably pull the trigger on a mechanic that made one of theBorderlandsfranchise’s iconic weapon manufacturers stand out among the rest. Specifically, it’s time theBorderlandsfranchise experimented with weapon crafting, andBorderlands 4’s upcoming release could be the perfect time to do so.
The Case for Borderlands 4 to Introduce Weapon Crafting
Borderlands 2’s Bandit Weapons Already Laid the Groundwork for Weapon Crafting
Outside of a few exceptions, the variousweapon manufacturers in theBorderlandsfranchisecan each be recognized by the signature gimmicks and/or the stylized appearances of their weaponry. For the Bandit-manufactured weapons inBorderlands 2, the gimmick of these weapons is that they are known to be crafted from miscellaneous weapon parts, and in terms of gameplay, these weapons generally have larger ammo capacities and longer reload times compared to weapons made by other manufacturers. Yet despite weapon crafting being available to the franchise’s enemy factions, surprisingly, weapon crafting has never been available to players in theBorderlandsfranchise games so far.
The Grinder inBorderlands the Pre-Sequelallows players to discard weapons to produce new ones based on general recipes, though this is different from crafting weapons from scratch since the weapons produced from the Grinder generally have randomized elements.
Consequently, theBorderlandsfranchise has the perfect opportunity to finally introduce weapon crafting inspired by theBandit weapons fromBorderlands 2. Specifically, letting players scavenge for weapon parts and attachments could lead to players crafting their own god-roll Legendary weapons. Considering that Bandit weapons are currently exclusive toBorderlands 2, this weapons manufacturer arguably deserves to make a comeback for future games in the franchise, which could very well pave the way for a weapon crafting system.
Weapon Crafting Shouldn’t Replace Borderlands’ Endgame Loot Grind
This kind of feature could be a game-changer for buildcrafting, so long as it doesn’t replaceBorderlands’ existing endgame grind. For example, ifBorderlands 4introduces craftable weapons without balancing them properly, this could devalue any natural weapons that players loot. On the other hand, if crafted weapons prove to be underwhelming, they would risk being an unwelcome andcontroversial addition to theBorderlandsfranchise. Yet if it’s done right,Borderlands 4can have its cake and eat it too when it comes to craftable weapons and OG loot co-existing. Ultimately, it may be a tall task to properly balance crafted weapons in their first appearance in the franchise, and yet,Borderlands 4should arguably step up the challenge of introducing weapon crafting to the franchise.
Especially considering that past games have already laid the groundwork for this fun bit of lore to eventually become a prominent feature in futureBorderlandsgames, weapon crafting would arguably be a natural progression for theBorderlandsfranchise’s stylized weapons, and one that might be worth sticking around for the franchise’s future. Not to mention, plenty of other looter-shooter franchises have already pulled the trigger when it comes to weapon crafting, so it’s time that theBorderlandsfranchise considered hopping on the bandwagon with its own spin on this popular feature.
