Gearbox officially released “Borderlands 4” Sept. 12, the latest entry in the wildly influential game series. Gearbox invited excited fans, VIP guests and cosplayers to the “Extravasplosion” Borderlands 4 Launch Party to celebrate the release — and in some strange twist of fate, I found my name on that invite list despite not even being a fan.
I knew of the series, but I didn’t know what to expect at the launch party. So I was thrilled to step into a party that had everything my pre-event Internet deep-dive said made the games interesting: crude humor, cel shading, guns and explosions. Okay, guns and explosions may be stretching what actually happened, but I can’t deny the organizers managed to immediately capture the chaotic, vibrant and bombastic energy of the Borderlands universe. I spent my first hour there exploring the Borderlands Museum, snapping photos of themed installations and cosplayers and scrounging up all the free merchandise littered around the building like in-game loot drops. The air was electric, and I could feel the excitement radiating off both diehard franchise fans and newcomers like me.
Dan Hewitt, Gearbox Entertainment’s chief communications officer, told me that this immersive experience was their goal. Hewitt said everything Gearbox did in the run-up to the game was meant to keep the look, feel and style of the series front and center.
“We designed an experience for both the incredibly talented Gearbox team members who spent the last six years developing the game as well as our community of players who came from near and far to celebrate together with us at Gilley’s Dallas,” Hewitt said. “The Borderlands series has a unique way of bringing people together both inside and outside of the game, and we made sure the launch party captured and reflected that passion.”
The energy peaked with a live performance by Des Rocs, the musician behind the “Borderlands 4” main theme, who blasted out famous tracks from the series. After the performance, CEO Randy Pitchford came on stage to thank the entire Gearbox team and fans who made the game possible. Before he left, he introduced performers who kept me utterly captivated as they twirled and juggled umbrellas with their feet, contorted their bodies in mesmerizingly unnatural ways, enhanced themselves with lasers and balanced bottles of alcohol atop their heads. This surreal show perfectly set the theme of the party and the new game itself, a mix of the seriously skilled and the outright absurd.
“Humor has always been a defining part of Borderlands, and with ‘Borderlands 4,’ we wanted it to evolve while respecting what’s made it so iconic,” Hewitt said. “We are very proud of the stories put forward in previous titles. ‘Borderlands 4’s’ story is darker and more serious in certain places than previous Borderlands games, but there continue to be those moments of well-placed levity players have come to expect.”
Leaving the party, I felt Gearbox had done more than just announce a new game. They It had created a true homage to their community. The launch party was as badass and cool as the series itself, proving that Gearbox’s appreciation extends far beyond just churning out games. In my first time ever interacting with the series, I already felt genuinely appreciated as a fan, not just a consumer. Now that I am starting my Borderlands journey, I hope the games maintain the same erratic allure the party had — and that, as a games journalist, the game purchases count as tax write-offs.
