A recent deep dive into the game files of Borderlands 4 by a dedicated dataminer has uncovered compelling evidence: a character many fans loved to hate from Borderlands 3 was seemingly removed and replaced quite late in the game’s development cycle.
Heads up, Vault Hunters! Spoilers for Borderlands 3 are ahead. Proceed with caution if you haven’t finished the previous installment.
Borderlands modder and dataminer EpicNNG recently shared their findings on social media, confidently stating that the Borderlands 3 NPC, Ava, was removed from Borderlands 4. According to EpicNNG’s discoveries, Ava was entirely replaced by the fan-favorite Borderlands 3 playable character, Amara, late in the development process. EpicNNG noted, “This means yes, she was originally going to team up with Zane to help save Lilith.”
Further details from the datamine suggest Ava was intended to be accompanied by Hermes and found around Sanctuary 3 after its crash landing. Interestingly, there are also potential hints within the game itself, such as Amara’s abilities bearing a striking resemblance to Ava’s in Borderlands 3. While references to Ava seem to have been completely purged from the files, including audio and models, EpicNNG believes this decision is final for at least the first year of Borderlands 4’s content, though a DLC return isn’t entirely ruled out.
Alright I guess we’re gonna talk about it:
AVA WAS CUT FROM BORDERLANDS 4
There are numerous files related to her in the game, more specifically outlining that she was completely replaced by Amara late in development. This means yes, she was originally going to team up with…
— EpicNNG (@EpicNNG) October 6, 2025
This potential character swap is particularly noteworthy given that Ava, the young Siren introduced in 2019’s Borderlands 3, quickly became one of the most polarizing figures in the entire franchise.
Fans often criticized Ava as a “forced inclusion” and an “annoying” character, particularly for her role in the death of Maya, a beloved character from Borderlands 2. Redditor Gorotheninja summed it up by stating, “Whenever you hear criticisms of Borderlands 3’s story, Ava is usually one of the key points cited.”
Another user, ArmaMalum, expressed frustration over Ava’s lack of genuine character development, despite her promising start. “She has a great base, angsty kid, simple but tough early life, makes mistakes early in the game. But there’s no moment that says ‘she’s learning.’ She just kind of 180s from I’m angry at the world for my own mistakes!! to wow look at Lilith go, [some sage saying],” ArmaMalum commented, highlighting the jarring shift in her demeanor.
Redditor zeal3000 further elaborated on Ava’s controversial actions, noting, “Ava got Maya killed by being there when she was told not to go… So it was Ava’s fault and then to add more salt to the wound she blames Lilith for it.” This user likened the writing of Ava’s pivotal scenes to the much-debated final season of Game of Thrones, emphasizing dissatisfaction with the “lazy writing and rushed points” rather than the story outcomes themselves.
While 2K Games and Gearbox have not commented on these findings, EpicNNG speculates that Ava’s inclusion in the Borderlands 4 files might have been an “intentional blunder,” implying a developer may have deliberately left them in. EpicNNG noted the game’s otherwise “airtight” datamining prevention, lending credence to the idea of a deliberate leak.
Unsurprisingly, fans have largely applauded the rumored change. One user, Agent-Vermont, praised Gearbox, stating, “Regardless of if this was late or early in development it was the right decision. Amara and Zane have great chemistry together and it’s always good to see previous Vault Hunters return and be badass.”
Game development, especially for large-scale AAA titles like Borderlands 4, is often a complex process involving numerous revisions. It’s possible that the decision to remove Ava was a direct response to anticipated fan backlash, or perhaps it stemmed from other creative considerations.
Notably, Gearbox development chief Randy Pitchford himself polled his social media followers in September 2024, asking for their opinions on Ava—just a year before Borderlands 4’s release. The overwhelming negativity and pleas for her exclusion from the upcoming title suggest this public sentiment may have played a role in the character’s eventual cutting.
As the conversation unfolds, Gearbox continues to roll out updates for Borderlands 4, focusing on performance enhancements and balance adjustments. Fans can also look forward to a new Vault Hunter, C4SH, set to debut next year, along with a wealth of additional content.