The trailer for Borderlands 4‘s Siren, Vex, might’ve just signaled the return of a controversial character from Borderlands 3. Focusing on the moment Vex acquired her Siren powers, the trailer gives players insight into her backstory and how she became a Vault Hunter. Beyond Vex’s background, however, one minor detail points to a major character potentially returning to Borderlands 4; a character from Borderlands 3‘s main campaign that stands as one of the more polarizing additions to the series.
Roughly halfway through the recent trailer for Borderlands 4‘s new Siren Vex, the model of a stuffed bear is spotted among the shelves of the store Vex works at. The model doesn’t feature BALEX’s trademark pink-and-blue color scheme, but its proportions and worn-down texture are nearly identical. It’s not much of a reveal, but since the trailer is rendered in-engine, it’s possible Gearbox created a BALEX model for use in Borderlands 4.
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While seemingly unremarkable, the presence of the BALEX-like bear in the trailer could be more than simple background dressing. In fact, most of the materials and assets seen in the footage could’ve been objects taken from areas within the actual game, rather than bespoke creations for use in the trailer.
The trailer was seemingly rendered using Borderlands 4‘s same Unreal Engine 5, so it’s likely the assets shown were created for the new game. Although it’s clearly a different bear in the context of the trailer, given the unique coloration, the actual model looks the same. Asset reuse is a common practice with in-engine footage in the industry, so it might indicate BALEX’s inclusion in some capacity; for instance, the assets could have been developed for the new game or ported from Unreal Engine 4, which was utilized in Borderlands 3.
Voiced by rapper Ice-T in Borderlands 3, BALEX garnered generally mixed reactions from players. A supporting character in Borderlands 3‘s main campaign, BALEX was characterized by expletive-laden dialogue and a deadpan delivery.
While a favorite new addition for many players, the contingent of fans who didn’t appreciate BALEX often cited that, considering his placement within the player hub, his dialogue grew repetitive and annoying. Despite adding some star power to the series, a celebrity cameo with limited and repeating lines, stuck where players would spend huge amounts of time, naturally did not translate to universal player appreciation.
Should BALEX return in Borderlands 4, his inclusion would present somewhat of a mystery about his placement, given the structural changes between games. In the narrative of Borderlands 3, BALEX was a Tediore navigation AI aboard Sanctuary 3, the spaceship that acted as the player’s central hub due to the game’s multi-planet structure. Borderlands 4 will feature an open-world map, with only one planet, Kairos, confirmed as a setting.
With the shift to an open world and no need for a spaceship, BALEX’s role (if he returns) is unclear. The ships’ absence raises gameplay questions as well, as so far there has been no mention of a hub area in official details about the game. The lack of a player hub in Borderlands 4 would be a dramatic gameplay shift from how past Borderlands games worked.
From a development perspective, BALEX’s return would provide Gearbox with an opportunity to leverage the celebrity casting of Ice-T again if the character returns. It would also mean some narrative threads would probably be brought with him in continuity with his inclusion in the previous game. Rather, the character’s mixed reception brings about serious implementation considerations, as, overall, the potentially mixed reaction to his appearance as a returning character in Borderlands 4 might not be worthwhile.
BALEX’s potential return, if it actually does happen, would likely serve as a minor comedic element rather than a significant gameplay or narrative feature. Although not confirmation, the bear model from the official character short could turn out to be decent evidence of BALEX’s potential return. As with most info about the game, though, any news about BALEX’s hypothetical role will likely come in a future trailer for Borderlands 4.
September 12, 2025
Rating Pending
Unreal Engine 5
Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
Yes – all
