Borderlands 4 was released to mixed reviews back in September of 2025. Suffice to say that the series has lost a bit of its luster since Borderlands 3. Regardless, the game seems to be doing fine; unfortunately, its latest DLC is pretty much drowning in negative reviews. Why would that be? Let’s take a look.
What is the latest Borderlands 4 DLC?
The DLC is called Mad Ellie, and the Vault of the Damned is designed as a short, self-contained expansion that builds on the base game’s world but doesn’t drastically change its structure. It centers on Ellie, a returning character from earlier Borderlands games, and follows her involvement in a new vault-related mystery tied to dangerous enemies and hidden loot. The tone sticks to the series’ usual mix of chaotic action and humor, though many players felt it didn’t hit the same highs as earlier expansions in the franchise.
Narratively, the story focuses on Ellie’s role in uncovering what’s inside the vault and dealing with the threats surrounding it, but the plot progresses quickly and resolves just as fast. There isn’t much time spent developing new characters or expanding the lore in a meaningful way, so the story can feel rushed. The dialogue and humor are present, but many players felt the writing lacked the memorable moments that earlier Borderlands DLCs were known for. Lastly, the DLC adds one new Vault Hunter named C4SH.
Why is the DLC hated?
Right now, the DLC has mostly negative reviews. There are a couple of reasons why this DLC is hated, as if Borderlands doesn’t have a bad reputation already.
Too expensive for the quality
The DLC is $30 (could be more expensive for others), and for that price, the content isn’t that much. Players claim you can finish the DLC in 2 to 3 hours. Even with the new Vault Hunter, the price is just too much. This should sit around $10, at least that’s what some people claim.
Doesn’t do much for the plot
While we’re not going to spoil anything, people claim the story is just there. It doesn’t do anything to add to the plot, nor does it add anything in general. It just exists, and it is also a continuation as to why the story in these games, particularly in Borderlands 4, is just not that good.
Will it get better?
To be fair, this is just the first DLC in Borderlands 4. Older games have more than one, and some of them were better and got better, and some were just like this but not as expensive. The developers definitely need to make future content better so that it can lead to more games in the future. The worst that can happen is that they just put this game on ice. This means that there will no longer be any more DLC in the future, and they will move on to another game.
