Borderlands 4’s Licensed Parts System: How It’s Changing Weapons Forever

If there’s one thing Borderlands fans can count on, it’s an absolutely bonkers arsenal. But the upcoming Borderlands 4 is about to break its own mold when it comes to weapon customization.

Sure, we’ve come to expect a billion guns, outrageous firing modes, and classic manufacturer flair, but this time Gearbox is flipping the table with a brand-new mechanic: the Licensed Parts System. This isn’t just a tweak. It fundamentally changes how weapons work in the Borderlands universe.

Here’s why the Licensed Parts System makes Borderlands 4’s weapons feel more chaotic, creative, and personal than ever before.

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What Is the Borderlands 4 Licensed Parts System?

In Borderlands 4, weapons are no longer loyal to just one manufacturer. Thanks to the Licensed Parts System, guns can now come kitted out with parts from multiple manufacturers at once, smashing their quirks together into one gloriously unhinged package.

The rarer the weapon, the more licensed parts it can pack in:

• Common Weapons: 1 licensed part
• Uncommon Weapons: 2 licensed parts
• Rare Weapons: 3 licensed parts
• Epic Weapons: 4 licensed parts
• Legendary Weapons: 3 licensed parts + 1 unique Legendary part that’s the gun’s signature gimmick

And in true brutal Borderlands fashion, you can’t craft, reroll, or manually swap these parts. What drops is what you get, meaning every pickup matters and every weapon has the potential to surprise you.

Fan-Favorite Manufacturers Are Back—With a Twist

Some iconic names like Atlas, COV, and Hyperion aren’t producing full guns this time around. Instead, they show up as licensed parts you can find bolted onto other manufacturers' weapons. And they bring their signature weirdness along for the ride:

• Atlas: Homing projectiles (shoot and forget)
• COV: Heat mechanic—watch your gun sizzle as you crank the fire rate
• Hyperion: Front-facing shield for bullet-soaked showdowns
• Jakobs: Critical hits ricochet projectiles to nearby enemies
• Maliwan (Epic only): Swap between Corrosive and Incendiary elements on the fly
• Tediore (Epic only): Thrown guns grow legs and chase enemies while still firing (never change, Tediore!)
• Torgue (Epic only): Sticky gyro-jets that explode on reload or mode switch, stacking extra damage

The combinations this system creates can be wild. Imagine a Vladof SMG with homing bullets, a Hyperion shield, sticky gyro-jets, and a thrown-gun-on-legs finisher: That’s the level of wonderful madness possible.

Legendary Parts: The Wildcards

This is where things get extra weird, in the best possible way! Legendary weapons not only roll with three licensed parts, they also come with a unique Legendary Part that completely defines how the gun plays.

Here’s a taster of what you can expect:

• Complex Root (Legendary Part: Sierpinki): Fires projectiles that split into diverging patterns mid-flight, like a laser show with teeth.
• Husky Friend: Features an alternate fire mode that deploys a chunky Husky auto-turret to become your new best friend and bullet hose.

These Legendary Parts aren’t removable, swappable, or craftable. They’re baked into the gun, and they’re what will keep you obsessively chasing that next perfect drop.

Why the Borderlands 4 Licensed Parts System Changes The Game

In past Borderlands games, weapon identity was simple: one manufacturer, one vibe. For example, Maliwan? Elemental. Torgue? Explosions. Jakobs? High damage, zero frills.

Borderlands 4 tears that system apart.

Now you can find weapons that fuse competing styles into one perfect monstrosity, blowing the door open for creative builds and never-before-seen chaotic synergies. You’re not just looting for damage numbers anymore, you’re looting for the ultimate combo of parts that culminate in your perfect weapon.

And because you can’t control the drops, the loot grind feels exciting again. Every pickup is a surprise. Every gun is a gamble. And you’ll find yourself trying weapons you’d usually ignore, just to see what weird combo of parts landed this time.

The Licensed Parts System isn’t just a fun addition. It’s the beating heart of Borderlands 4’s promise of chaos and creativity. Whether you’re a hardcore min-maxer theorycrafting the ultimate loadout or a loot goblin sprinting toward every shiny drop, this system is built to keep you experimenting, laughing, and never quite knowing what’s coming next.

One thing’s for sure: Borderlands 4 is about to drop the most unpredictable, customized arsenal the series has ever seen.

Now, who’s ready to find a gun with legs, homing rockets, a riot shield, and sticky bombs? No jokes, it probably exists!

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