If you're looking for a reason to jump back into Borderlands 4 this weekend, Gearbox just gave you one. The first Bounty Pack, titled How Rush Saved Mercenary Day, is officially live and free for all players. While holiday-themed content is standard for the franchise, the studio also dropped a significant nugget for endgame players: a new Takedown is in active development.
Claim Your Free DLC
The How Rush Saved Mercenary Day pack is available now. Unlike the upcoming paid packs, this one is free, likely serving as a goodwill gesture to keep the player base engaged while we wait for the heavier content drops. If you've played previous Borderlands holiday events (like the Headhunter packs), you know the drill: expect thematic enemies, wintery loot, and a short narrative loop perfect for grinding XP.
This is the first of several planned content drops, with four more paid Bounty Packs on the horizon. Getting the first one gratis is a solid move to keep the matchmaking pools healthy.
New Takedown Confirmed for 2026
For the hardcore crowd, the biggest news isn't the holiday fluff—it's the roadmap. Gearbox confirmed that a brand-new Takedown is scheduled for release "later next year" as a free update. Takedowns are the Borderlands equivalent of raid-lites—high-difficulty missions designed for coordinated squads with optimized builds.
Knowing a new Takedown is coming gives meta-crafters a target to prepare for. If it's anything like the Maliwan Blacksite from the previous game, you'll want to start harmonizing your anointments and perfecting your skill tree synergies now.
How can I vote for Borderlands 4?
In the midst of the content updates, Gearbox is also pushing for a Steam Award. Borderlands 4 has been nominated for the "Better With Friends" category. If you've enjoyed the chaos of four-player co-op, voting is open until December 1 at 10 AM PT.
Finally, this week's update features a spotlight on Elisabeth Finck, the Certification Lead at 2K. While it's "inside baseball," her interview sheds light on the technical hurdles of shipping a game on multiple platforms simultaneously—a massive part of why cross-play works (or doesn't) on launch day.