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Borderlands 4’s tone sits somewhere between the first two games, which probably means less Skibidi Toilet and more Handsome Jack-style antics
The tone of Borderlands 4 is intended to land somewhere between the feel of the first two games, and Gearbox says while it isn’t just relying on meme humor, players should still expect the “zaniness” that the series is known for.
In an interview with senior project producer Anthony Nicholson, as part of our Borderlands 4 Big in 2025 Preview, we asked about narrative director Sam Winkler’s comments that suggested he’d cry real tears if terms like ‘skibidi toilet’ and ‘hawk tuah’ appeared in the game. In response, Nicholson said that the team remains “proud of the worlds we’ve created and stories told in previous Borderlands titles,” but notes that “the art of making games evolves over time, and audience expectations for both stories and the way we tell them change as well.”
That means that “the tone of Borderlands 4 will evolve too,” as Gearbox attempts “to adapt alongside both our amazing community and for new players.” That evolution probably won’t take the game too far away from what we might expect from Borderlands, however, as Nicholson says that “we’ll retain the fun and sometimes over-the-top writing players expect from us that makes us so unique.”
So how might that actually look? Nicholson explains that internally, that ‘evolved’ tone is intended to land “closer to between what players felt tonally in the first Borderlands and the humor and comedic opportunities we explored in Borderlands 2.” If I had to guess, that means some of the more brutal, apocalyptic tones of the first game, and the cartoonish villainy of Borderlands 2’s Handsome Jack.
Nicholson backs some of that up, explaining that the Borderlands 4 setting of Kairos “is a world where the outlook is bleak, the stakes are real, and the characters treat them as such.” That said, however, he also explains that “it all isn’t without the zaniness, oddity, and mayhem that makes a Borderlands game a Borderlands game.”
Borderlands 4 is shaping up to be a wild ride, with the game’s tone appearing to strike a balance between the gritty atmosphere of the first game and the zany humor of the second. While fans of the series have come to love the quirky and offbeat humor that has become a trademark of the franchise, it seems that the developers are aiming for a more nuanced approach this time around.
Gone are the days of Skibidi Toilet and other over-the-top gags that may have divided the fan base in previous installments. Instead, it looks like Borderlands 4 will be leaning more towards the clever and witty banter that players have come to expect from characters like Handsome Jack.
This shift in tone is sure to please fans who have been longing for a return to the darker, more serious storytelling of the original game, while still retaining the humor and charm that has made the series so beloved. With Handsome Jack-style antics on the horizon, Borderlands 4 is shaping up to be a game that will satisfy both long-time fans and newcomers alike.
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