Gearbox took the stage at PAX East 2025 with two big updates: new details on Borderlands 4 and a brand new DLC reveal for Risk of Rain 2. The panel featured a mix of developer commentary, fan Q&A, and a deeper look at gameplay systems for both games.
Alongside the Borderlands 4 roundtable with Randy Pitchford and the development team, the studio also pulled back the curtain on Risk of Rain 2: Alloyed Collective, the game’s third major expansion. Both segments included gameplay insights, feature breakdowns, and a few surprises aimed directly at long-time fans.
If you missed it, check out our full breakdown of the State of Play Borderlands 4 gameplay deep dive for more context before diving into the new reveals.
Let’s start with what’s new for Risk of Rain 2.
Risk of Rain 2: Alloyed Collective Adds New Survivors, Stages, and Bosses
At the panel, Gearbox and the Risk of Rain 2 team officially revealed Alloyed Collective, the game’s third major DLC. This new expansion takes you deeper into the Solus-controlled wilds of Petrichor V and builds on years of updates since the game’s early access launch at PAX. Fans can expect six new stages, two survivors (one returning, one new), and seven fresh enemy types to face.
Alloyed Collective introduces seven drones, each bringing new abilities and customization options. A new station lets you modify them to suit your playstyle, making drone control more tactical than ever. The DLC also adds a new Teleporter encounter and a final boss fight that reshapes the endgame.
There’s more loot, too. The update includes 15 new items, expanding your arsenal with another haul of UES property. Only one person in a multiplayer session needs to own the DLC to enable its content for the full lobby.
The team also recapped Risk of Rain 2’s six-year journey, including the Survivors of the Void and Seekers of the Storm expansions. They highlighted three recent update phases focused on item overhauls, boss redesigns, and skill updates for key survivors. With Alloyed Collective, Risk of Rain 2 continues to grow into a broader and more replayable experience.
Borderlands 4: New Planet, New Vault Hunters, and a Ruthless New Villain
During the second half of the Gearbox panel, Randy Pitchford and key developers hosted a roundtable discussion that expanded on the recent Borderlands 4 gameplay reveal. The story picks up after Borderlands 3, where Lilith teleported Elpis away to prevent disaster. That moon has now landed on a distant planet called Kairos, a world locked down by a figure known as the Timekeeper.
Kairos is tightly controlled through propaganda, surveillance, and cybernetic implants. Vault hunting is outlawed, and resistance is risky—but Elpis’ arrival sparks a shift. Locals begin removing their implants, some at the cost of their lives, leading to new unrest and hope. The Crimson Raiders have scattered across the galaxy in search of Lilith, with several familiar faces set to return.
Four new Vault Hunters were introduced. Vex, a Siren who can summon reapers and a spectral cat named Trouble. Rafa, a microgravity-born explorer using a fragile exosuit. Harlowe, a scientist from the Trant family who manipulates gravity. And Amon, a warrior-poet who wields forge drones to battle vault monsters. Each offers new playstyles tied to expanded skill trees, elemental effects, and companion abilities.
The Timekeeper serves as the main antagonist. He rules Kairos with absolute control and commands an army known as the Order. As his grip weakens, conflict spreads—and Vault Hunters are once again at the centre of the fight.
Borderlands 4 Expands Movement, Loot, and Best-in-Class Co-op
Gearbox confirmed Borderlands 4 will feature the series’ largest world to date, built for seamless exploration with no load times. You can jump, double jump, climb, glide, grapple, and even summon personal vehicles anywhere using digistruct tech. The new compass replaces the traditional mini-map, offering better navigation in Kairos’ layered environments. A full map is still available, now with GPS routing and a new Echo-4 companion for navigation and customization.
Combat and loot systems have seen major upgrades. Every gun now pulls from manufacturer-licensed parts, offering tiered behaviours across common to legendary drops. Underbarrel abilities, throwable weapons, and heavy ordinance return—this time managed by a cooldown system instead of ammo. Enhancements (formerly artifacts) and new endgame firmware sets add more ways to customize builds.
The new Vault Hunters feature deeper skill trees with branching paths. Gearbox aims for each build to feel unique, even between two players using the same action skill. Weapons, summons, and passives can be tailored to different playstyles through gear drops, class mods, and enhancements.
Co-op remains a major focus. Drop-in, drop-out support is available from the start. There’s no tethering between teammates—each person can explore independently and fast-travel to others at any time. Dynamic level scaling and instanced loot ensure that mixed levels can play together without imbalance. Couch co-op and online play are both supported, with the game launching with horizontal split-screen and a redesigned lobby system.
More to Come From Gearbox This Summer
Gearbox closed out the panel with a few hints about what’s still on the way. The team confirmed that more Borderlands 4 details—including endgame content—will be shared during an upcoming event in June. Called Borderlands FanFest, the event will include live streams, hands-on previews, and developer interviews.
They also teased additional appearances throughout the summer, including Bilibili World in July, Gamescom in August, and PAX West in September. Meanwhile, Risk of Rain 2 continues to grow with Alloyed Collective adding new stages, bosses, and a fresh layer of replayability for both solo and co-op runs.
For longtime fans of either franchise, 2025 is shaping up to be a busy year. Which part of the Gearbox panel stood out most to you—Borderlands 4’s massive world or the new Risk of Rain 2 content? Let us know below.
As always, remember to follow us on our social media (e.g., Threads, X (Twitter), Bluesky, YouTube and Facebook) to keep up with the latest news.
