Borderlands 4's exo-soldier Rafa had a "contentious" design, Gearbox reveals

With Borderlands 4 just one month away now, Gearbox lifts the lid on the design of its playable exo-soldier Rafa, revealing that his look ended up being "contentious" as the team tried to split the difference between expressiveness and looking cool. The former Tediore soldier can stride into the action with dual-wielded arc knives like a Destiny 2 Hunter, obliterate foes from long range with his Apophis Lance, or become a one-man army with the help of automated Peacebreaker Cannons. But just like how he plays, his appearance is also up to you.

As Borderlands 4 rounds the corner, I've very much been leaning towards Vex for my first playthrough, but I've got to say I'm impressed how much all the Borderlands 4 characters have grown on me since their initial reveal. I wasn't particularly wowed at first, but the more I see of their skills and personality, the more I'm looking forward to trying them all out when the long-awaited looter shooter stakes its claim to join the ranks of our best FPS games. Rafa has already won the heart of my fellow newshound Rach, and the more I see of him, the more he's rising the ranks for me as well.

"Rafa is a charming, devil-may-care jack of all trades," Borderlands 4 associate art director Max Davenport remarks. Having cut ties from the Tediore military when he learned that the exo-suit he's been fused with would keep him fighting even beyond death, he retains the company-inflicted augmentation. That means he's basically "a Swiss army knife on legs, straight out of the Tediore playbook - all about versatility, all about mobility, all about getting the job done."

The process has left Rafa with twin prosthetic legs and two exo arms sprouting from his shoulders. These define his look, which is juxtaposed against his preference for more casual clothing. "He's very outgoing, he has an ego to him," lead FX artist Ashley Lyons explains, which is matched in game by large, bombastic, over-the-top visuals and explosions on many of his skills. "Bright lights, bright emissives, things that feel powerful - with the large ego, boom, it's going to have large effects."

Feeling "cool" is a big part of Rafa's design, Davenport says, but notes that this led to a bit of a divide. "Rafa's face and the personality there, it was contentious, we really had a difficult time figuring out how to make him expressive." With Borderlands 4 taking a slightly more serious tone than its predecessors (you can even shut up Claptrap entirely), Gearbox wanted players to feel a close connection to their chosen character. So it decided to put that decision in your hands.

When picking Rafa, you'll be able to start with his mask on or off. "His initial presentation is with the mask and the hood; it's very impactful, it's very cool," Davenport explains. "But as soon as the game starts you can take that off, really buy into all the jokes about his charming smile, make sure that's reflected and that you can see him as a person as well. Rafa's design is a juxtaposition between the military [side] and the world after his service."

Borderlands 4 launches Friday September 12. If you're already waiting to get your hands on all that sweet, sweet loot, be sure to look through the Borderlands 4 system requirements now and make sure you're ready to go on day one.

If you're not quite there, perhaps a GPU upgrade is in order, and we've picked out the best graphics card to suit your budget. For more to keep you busy while we wait, take a look through the best co-op games in 2025.

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