In just a few weeks, Borderlands 4 will receive its first story DLC, which features a new Vault Hunter and legendary loot.
What is this DLC? Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned is the name of this first story DLC for Borderlands 4. The rough content was already known, and now there is a fixed release date – March 26, 2026.
In this DLC, you will join the mechanic Ellie, who fans may already know from Borderlands 2. The goal is to destroy an alien monolith and penetrate the titular Vault of the Damned. Meanwhile, a cosmic entity threatens Kairos – the planet on which Borderlands 4 takes place.
In the reveal trailer, you will get a first look at the DLC:
New Zone, Vault Hunter, and Plenty of Loot
What’s included in the DLC? It sends you to a new zone – the arctic ice desert of the Whispering Glacier. There are new story and side missions, as well as activities and collectibles. Some familiar faces also make an appearance. In addition to the aforementioned Ellie, Mancubus Bloodtooth, Pickle, and Crazy Earl have been announced.
A new Vault Hunter is also included. He goes by the name C4SH and was first introduced at the Tokyo Games Show 2025. The developers plan to reveal more about how he will play next week. It is already known that the Robo-Cowboy uses special cards in combat.
Fresh loot is also ensured: The first story pack contains three new pearlescent weapons and 11 new legendary gear items – including two grenades, two heavy weapons, two shields, and five class mods.
Additionally, there are 28 new cosmetic items:
- Two Vault Hunter heads (usable for all Vault Hunters)
- Four Vault Hunter skins (usable for all Vault Hunters)
- Eight Vault Hunter heads specifically for C4SH
- One alternative Vault Hunter body specifically for C4SH
- Four weapon skins
- Four vehicle skins
- Three ECHO-4 drone skins & attachments
- One ECHO-4 frame
Overall, the DLC also features two large boss fights and 16 minibosses. A new world boss mechanic will also allow you to interact with monstrous trees that grow in the game world. These will teleport you to a nightmarish dimension, where a random boss awaits you.
What do I need to play the DLC? The Vault Hunter Pack and the Deluxe and Super Deluxe editions of Borderlands 4 already include the story pack. However, you can also purchase it separately. There is no price available yet.
To play the new DLC, you should also have a Vault Hunter at least level 13. However, you can also create a new one at level 13 to dive right into the DLC. As this tells a standalone story, no prior knowledge is necessary.
Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned is intended to be just the first story DLC for Borderlands 4. After all, the loot shooter has already presented a comprehensive roadmap with many new contents. You can find an overview here with us on MeinMMO: Borderlands 4: Roadmap – All Upcoming DLCs
