Gearbox has flipped the script on its early post-launch plans for Borderlands 4. As of today, November 26, 2025, Bounty Pack 1: "How Rush Saved Mercenary Day" is live and available for free to every player, regardless of which game edition you own. Alongside this surprise drop, the studio has released an updated content roadmap that significantly reshuffles the deck for endgame players and Deluxe Edition owners.
Immediate Content: Mercenary Day Is Here
Effective immediately, the first Bounty Pack is accessible. While originally slated as part of the premium offerings, making "How Rush Saved Mercenary Day" free is a smart play to keep the player base unified during the holiday window. This pack focuses on thematic content, giving us something to grind while we wait for the heavier mechanical updates.
For those of you who purchased the Deluxe or Super Deluxe Editions specifically for the Season Pass value, Gearbox is adjusting the ledger. To compensate for Bounty Pack 1 going public, a new fifth premium Bounty Pack has been added to the roadmap, scheduled for release in 2026. This ensures you still get the exclusive value you paid for, just further down the timeline.
The Real Endgame: Bloomreaper and UVHM
While cosmetic packs are fine, the most critical news for the meta is coming next month. In December 2025, we are getting our first proper raid-tier challenge: the Invincible Boss, Bloomreaper. If you remember the scaling spikes from previous games, "Invincibles" are usually the only true test for min-maxed builds.
Launching alongside Bloomreaper is Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode (UVHM) - Level 6. This is the difficulty bump we've been waiting for to truly test the limits of our skill trees and weapon anointments.
What is the Borderlands 4 2026 Roadmap?
Looking ahead to next year, the content drip transforms into a steady stream of narrative and mechanical expansions:
- Q1 2026 - Story Pack 1: This expansion features the new Vault Hunter, C4SH, and brings Ellie back into the spotlight. New playable characters always shake up the meta more than any weapon patch, so keep an eye on C4SH's skill tree reveals.
- 2026 - New Takedown: A new Takedown endgame activity is in development and will be free for all players. Takedowns historically offer the highest density of legendary loot and the most complex combat mechanics.
- 2026 - Bounty Pack 5: The compensation pack for Deluxe owners arrives.
This roadmap suggests Gearbox is aware that endgame longevity relies on challenging content like Takedowns and Raid Bosses rather than just story missions. The wait for the Takedown until 2026 might sting for those already capped, but the December arrival of Bloomreaper should bridge the gap effectively.