Borderlands 4's free Raid Boss 2 content update arrives on May 28

by Mikhail Madnani on 14 May, 2026

2K and Gearbox Software have shared new details for the upcoming Subjugator and Thol the Invincible Raid Boss encounter in Borderlands 4. This will be available on May 28 as a part of the 1.7 update, free for all players.

Version 1.8 is planned for release in late June bringing in a free Takedown and the paid Bounty Pack 3 DLC. You can read about the different editions across all platforms here and general post-launch support plans here. Borderlands 4 is now available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam and Epic Games Store). Read my Steam Deck and ROG Ally impressions here and my PS5 Pro impressions here.

You can find more details about this Raid Boss encounter from 2K and Gearbox Software below:

Today, 2K and Gearbox Software shared new details regarding the upcoming Raid Boss encounter for Borderlands 4, Subjugator and Thol the Invincible. Starting May 28, any Vault Hunters looking for a new endgame challenge can take on these formidable foes as part of the Version 1.7 update, which is free for all players.
Subjugator and Thol the Invincible live in service to the Timekeeper, isolated on an island off the coast of the Fadefields where they await challengers. This encounter begins as a tag team battle against the hovering Subjugator and the hulking Thol. Once one is eliminated, the remaining boss will retreat to a distinct arena to reach full power in an ascended form, triggering a life-or-death duel.
Vault Hunters who manage to defeat this duo will have the chance to earn powerful new rewards:

One New Pearlescent Weapon:

Jail-Broken Gatling (Order SMG): For each hit on an enemy, gain a buff that increases fire rate, damage, weapon recoil, and the chance to fire additional projectiles.

Four New Legendary Items:

Lockjaw (Torgue Assault Rifle): Fires explosive projectiles that will bounce between multiple targets.

Shammy Kablammy (Tediore Pistol): Douses enemies in hot Moonshine, then throws an explosive projectile when reloading that burns doused enemies with Incendiary damage, scaling with how many targets are lit ablaze.

Flak Cannon (Vladof Heavy Weapon Ordnance): Shreds enemies with a hail of bullets.

Collector (Order Shield): Weathers any storm with a huge capacity and a quick recharge rate, offset by a longer recharge delay.

Five New Class Mods: A unique Class Mod will be available for each current Vault Hunter. A sixth Class Mod will be added to this loot pool in Q3 2026 when the next Vault Hunter arrives in Story Pack 2.

New Firmware:

Active Fire: At Tier 3, unleashing a charge weapon's full-charge shot the moment it's available will deal bonus damage, providing increased lethality as a reward for precision timing.

As a reminder, players must beat the main campaign before they can take on Subjugator and Thol the Invincible. Be sure to tune in to the Gearbox DevCast on May 26 deep-diving into the design, lore behind this fearsome dual boss fight, and offering a look at the battle arena of the Raid 2 encounter.
For dedicated Vaulter Hunters pushing the highest Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode (UVHM) levels, Version 1.7 will also raise the level cap to UVHM Level 7. Additionally, this update includes a community-requested Shared Character Progression toggle. Previously introduced in Version 1.5, players are able to share progress for SDUs, collectibles, and more, and this new toggle allows players to roll a new Vault Hunter with a completely clean slate to rediscover Kairos as if for the first time.
Update 1.7, including Subjugator and Thol the Invincible, is the latest free drop outlined in the Upcoming Content Roadmap. Looking ahead, Version 1.8 is scheduled for late June, introducing a free Takedown and the paid Bounty Pack 3 DLC on the same day.