Borderlands 4’s $30 Expansion Pack Fails to Impress Players

Borderlands 4 has been having a tough time capturing the same player enthusiasm that Borderlands 2 and its sequel enjoyed in their heyday. To reignite interest, the game has launched its first major expansion since last year’s release, titled Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned. However, some fans are voicing their frustration over the $30 price tag, which is nearly half the cost of the full game.

On March 26, the first of two significant DLC expansions for Borderlands 4 dropped. This initial “Story Pack” introduces a new area to explore, a host of fresh weapons to loot, and a new playable character: C4SH, a “CasinoBot” who has been revitalized after hitting the jackpot and discovering a magical deck of cards that grants him formidable powers.

While this sounds promising, players who have already dived into the expansion are reporting that the main questline can be wrapped up in just two to three hours, which many consider to be on the short side. Gearbox has also noted that the new region is only a small fraction of the size of the main game’s starting area, meaning it won’t offer the extensive exploration opportunities that the larger open world does. For some, this raises concerns about the value of the DLC at its current price.

Discussions on Reddit are buzzing with opinions about whether the expansion is worth the cost. Some players appreciate the new content and the eerie atmosphere, while others are unhappy about paying nearly half the price of Borderlands 4 for a limited new area, a handful of missions, a few weapons, and a single new character. The DLC currently holds a “Mixed” rating on Steam, mirroring the main game’s reception, while it boasts a higher 4.3 out of 5 rating on PSN. On SteamDB, Borderlands 4 has seen a rise in active players, though it still falls short of the 300k peak at launch.

Josh Jeffcoat, the lead game designer for the expansion, emphasizes that the goal of this DLC is to provide players with a fresh adventure rather than focusing on endgame grinding or loot farming. “It’s very, very specifically for speaking to those customers that want that adventure,” Jeffcoat shared.

He expressed his excitement about the new horror elements introduced in the DLC, noting that it’s a theme the series hasn’t explored much before. “I was really glad that we got real swimming in the DLC finally, because it was important to me to be able to explore worlds in a new way,” he added. The expansion features entire underwater areas filled with secrets to discover, inviting players to return for the adventure.

When looking at the pricing historically, the new DLC isn’t too far off from previous Borderlands expansions. Add-ons for Borderlands 2 were priced at $10 each and typically offered two to four hours of content, depending on player engagement. Borderlands 3 expansions were priced at $15 each and were similar in scope to those in Borderlands 2. In Borderlands 2, purchasing a character and a DLC expansion would set you back around $20.

In Borderlands 4, players don’t have the option to buy the new Vault Hunter separately, so the $30 price includes both the expansion and the character. While this is a bit more expensive, it’s not excessively so. However, expectations have shifted since Borderlands 2 launched in 2012, with players now anticipating ongoing updates and expansions, often at no additional cost. This shift makes it more challenging to justify spending money on post-launch DLC, especially one that costs nearly half of the full game’s price.

For those interested in Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned and who might also want to grab the other upcoming story DLC, the Vault Hunter Pack priced at $50 could be a better deal. This pack includes access to both story packs and the two new playable characters, saving you $10 compared to buying them separately.

Will this new $30 expansion be enough to lure back players who drifted away from Borderlands 4 last year? It’s uncertain, but Gearbox seems optimistic.

“It’s definitely a good reason to come back,” Jeffcoat stated. “It’s a brand new area of the game, all new content, plus the new Vault Hunter. If you’re looking for a different style of gameplay, you can jump right into the DLC with the new Vault Hunter without needing to level anyone up or complete the main missions if you don’t want to.”