Borderlandshas established a reputation for itself when it comes to the quality expansions. The original game had the Secret Armory of General Knoxx, which allowed players to loot a vault full of chests and battle the first raid boss in theBorderlandsfranchise.Borderlands 2delivered the brilliant Assault on Dragon Keep, which was charming and emotional, whileBorderlands: The Pre-Sequel’s very best content is found within the Claptastic Voyage DLC.Borderlands 3had several great expansions, though one in particular deserves a follow-up in the sequel.
The Fantastic Fustercluck DLC had some powerful story moments, the Handsome Jackpot had good gameplay, and Guns, Love, and Tentacles was a strong marriage of the two. However, Bounty of Blood was a truly unique expansion that felt unlike anything else in the franchise. Though it may not need a full-onspin-off game likeTiny Tina’s Wonderlands, which is essentially a sequel to Dragon Keep, more stories should absolutely be told in the Bounty of Blood style.
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Why Bounty of Blood Deserves a Follow-Up in Borderlands 4
One of the main points supporting anotherBorderlandsDLC based on Bounty of Blood is that the story is essentially unfinished.Butcher Rosesurvived, and with her being such a charismatic antagonist, letting the devil rider return to cause more issues for a struggling town could be interesting. This would be an even better premise if she teamed up with Captain Scarlett, a different type of outlaw that also survived her run-in with some do-gooding Vault Hunters.
Gehenna is another massive strength that gave Bounty of Blood an edge over other DLCs. An interesting combination of wild west and japanese architecture, the setting had an interesting vibe that encouraged players to explore. Like otherBorderlandsplanets, gamers only see a few locations from this world, meaning it is ripe for exploration in future games. Only Pandora has been deeply explored, so giving the other planets that same treatment makes sense. Given its beauty, Gehenna would surely have more sights to see.
The third and most important strength of Bounty of Blood was its tone. Having a narrator talk over gameplay was an interesting change of pace that perfectly suited the western theme and made the DLC stand out even more than it would have done without it. ThoughBounty of Bloodhad some hilarious side quests and a couple laugh out loud moments, the more serious main story was a big plus, as humor rarely got in the way of moments where players were supposed to focus on the plot.
InBorderlands 4, Gearbox could deliver either a spiritual successor with a new name or outright call this hypothetical expansion Bounty of Blood 2. It could feature a new villain or conclude the story of Butcher Rose, with either option having potential. Ultimately, what has to be kept intact are the setting and the tone, as they came together to give Bounty of Blood a vibe that was hugely different from the other three majorBorderlands 3expansions.
Though it has potential, it is unclear whether a Bounty of Blood sequel DLC could actually happen. WhileTiny Tina’s Wonderlandsdoes seem to be proof that the idea has potential, Dragon Keep is a bit of a special case, as that DLC’s popularity was unmatched. Bounty of Blood was terrific, but it was likely not as big of a financial success as Tina’s fantasy-focused content, especially after theDragon Keep One-Shotreleased. Still, that should not stop Gearbox from delivering another western DLC. Gehenna is a beautiful planet that has a lot more to give, so hopefully players will get another chance to shoot their way through a cel shaded saloon one day.
Borderlands 3is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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