Borderlands 4 turns first Bounty Pack free as 2026 endgame grows

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Gearbox has reshaped Borderlands 4’s post-launch roadmap, starting by making the first Bounty Pack free for everyone. The studio also confirmed a new endgame Takedown in 2026, the debut of Invincible raid-style bosses beginning this December, and a major Story Pack in Q1 2026. Owners of select editions will receive an additional Bounty Pack in 2026 to balance the change. The update arrives alongside ongoing monthly and weekly patches aimed at stability, balance, and activities.

Bounty Pack 1 is free today – what’s inside and how to start

Bounty Pack 1: How Rush Saved Mercenary Day is now free for all players and is granted via the November 20 update at 9AM PT. After updating, the content starts by interacting with a gift‑wrapped present marked as a new mission in any major hub.

• Includes a Vault Card with 4 new pieces of rerollable gear and 24 new cosmetics.
• Bounty Packs are designed to add missions that culminate in a boss fight, plus gear and cosmetics suited for early to mid‑game progress.

Owners of premium editions get an extra Bounty Pack in 2026

Because Bounty Pack 1 is now free for everyone, Gearbox will add a fifth Bounty Pack in 2026 at no additional charge for players who own the Deluxe Edition, Super Deluxe Edition, or the Bounty Pack Bundle. As a result, these players will receive a total of five Bounty Packs, with four remaining premium pieces of content as originally planned.

Bounty Packs vs. Story Packs – what’s the difference

• Bounty Packs – add cosmetics, gear, and missions that build to a boss encounter; playable at any point during leveling; include a Vault Card that unlocks items through gameplay and accelerates progression.
• Story Packs – larger DLC drops with a new playable Vault Hunter, multiple main and side missions in a new Kairos zone, new gear, and cosmetics.

The first Story Pack, Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned, arrives in Q1 2026. It features the return of Ellie in a cosmic‑horror themed arc and introduces C4SH, a former casino dealer bot as a new playable Vault Hunter with three unique Action Skills and branching skill trees.

Endgame roadmap – Invincible bosses and a free Takedown

Borderlands 4’s endgame is expanding on two fronts:

• Invincible bosses – the first, Bloomreaper, arrives this December alongside Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode – Level 6. These raid‑style fights aren’t literally unkillable but feature massive health pools, lethal attacks, and new modifiers, with new Legendary loot for successful clears.
• Takedown (free update in 2026) – a high‑difficulty gauntlet in a new area with enemy hordes and fresh boss encounters, built for powerful endgame builds.

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Gearbox also notes ongoing short‑ and long‑term improvements to keep the endgame more engaging, with new goals for players who have invested heavily in their builds.

Key dates and features at a glance

The table below condenses the announced timing and highlights so you can plan your play sessions.

Watch the announcement

Official overview video:

Final takeaway – a clearer path for both leveling and endgame

A free on‑ramp now, harder raids later – Borderlands 4 players get immediate mission content and cosmetics at no cost, while high‑end builds will have fresh challenges in December and throughout 2026. Keep an eye on monthly and weekly updates as the roadmap evolves.