Gearbox said Borderlands 4 isn't an open-world game, but it sure looks open-world to me: tons of aerial movement, "no need to pick up a mission" for many surprises, and your own vehicle on command

An old man with a staff in Borderlands 4.

Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford has previously said that Borderlands 4 isn't really an open-world game, but the Borderlands 4 State of Play sure made it seem like the looter-shooter sequel fits that genre description. There's a seamless planet to explore, populated with smaller activities to engage in, and even a Destiny-style on-demand vehicle to make getting around the world easier.

Borderlands 4 takes place on Kairos, which is made up of four zones "that you can seamlessly explore" with "next to no loading time," finding "dynamic weather and events" as you go. The State of Play broadcast demonstrated the path to what looks like a story mission, but it seems there'll be plenty of room to be distracted by side activities along the way, with "no need to pick up a mission" to engage with them.