The Borderlands series’ weapons are getting a major overhaul in Borderlands 4, with the traditional randomized loot gaining an additional layer of unpredictability with the new Licensed Parts system, allowing a weapon to feature different parts from various manufacturers. However, one downside is that Borderlands 4 is ditching some past manufacturers like Hyperion, Dahl, and COV in favor of new ones like Order, Daedalus, and Ripper. With this shake-up to Borderlands 4‘s weapons, the game may end up losing one of the series’ best Legendaries in the process.
Several pieces of Legendary gear for Borderlands 4 have already been revealed in pre-release gameplay footage. The community-compiled list of all Legendaries confirmed for Borderlands 4 so far can help some players rest easy knowing their favorite series gear is returning, but one Legendary missing from the list could be disappointing for fans. The Butcher shotgun has long been a staple of the Borderlands series, but its absence in marketing material ahead of release is a worrying sign, and it may end up being cut from the game entirely for one clear reason.
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Since the original Borderlands, The Butcher has been a recurring weapon and one of the best Legendary shotguns in the Borderlands series. Although it looks slightly different between entries, The Butcher’s high rate of fire for a shotgun remains its main claim to fame. To make this weapon even more appealing, it is also a clever reference to Blizzard’s Diablo franchise, featuring the same name as Diablo‘s iconic foe and sporting his classic “Fresh Meat!” slogan as its description.
Diablo‘s version of The Butcher may not be a weapon, but he can strike more fear into the hearts of players than any other boss in the series. The Butcher has appeared in multiple Diablo titles, but is most fearsome in Diablo 4, where he can appear randomly in dungeons and pursue players, boasting a high health pool and dealing massive amounts of damage. Borderlands isn’t the only franchise to feature a reference to this Diablo monster, with titles like Overwatch 2, Fallout 2, and Dead Island also including Butcher Easter eggs. It’s safe to say that The Butcher is one of the most iconic enemies in gaming, but he may no longer have a presence in the Borderlands franchise.
Aside from the lack of confirmed footage of The Butcher shotgun in pre-release Borderlands 4 gameplay, the main reason the Legendary is likely gone from the game is due to the removal of Hyperion weapons. In each of its appearances in the Borderlands series so far, The Butcher has been manufactured by Hyperion, a corporation that won’t have weapons in Borderlands 4. Although Hyperion is confirmed to be included in the Licensed Parts system, adding a front-facing shield to weapons with a Hyperion component, this doesn’t necessarily mean it will still be represented by an entire Legendary like The Butcher.
It’s possible that The Butcher will still be in Borderlands 4 under a different weapons manufacturer like Daedalus or Order, but this hasn’t been confirmed.
While Borderlands 4 is sure to have enough new Legendaries to justify some cuts, it will be disappointing if The Butcher really is gone, since it has endured since the series’ beginning. The popularity of Diablo 4 means Borderlands 4 has an advantage that its predecessor didn’t in an even more timely opportunity to reference the latest entry in Blizzard’s classic franchise. However, without The Butcher, Borderlands‘ iconic Easter eggs may be lacking Diablo representation in Borderlands 4.
September 12, 2025
Rating Pending
Unreal Engine 5
Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
Yes – all
