This news item contains spoilers for the fourth installment. Read with caution.
Modder and dataminer EpicNNG discovered references to Ava from Borderlands 3 inside Borderlands 4’s files, but the character was cut before the game’s release.
According to EpicNNG, a substantial amount of Ava-related data was located in the Borderlands 4 build, yet late in development she was completely replaced by the Siren Amara, one of Borderlands 3’s playable characters. Ava was originally planned to team up with Zane, another Borderlands 3 character, for several key events in Borderlands 4.
The dataminer noted that Amara’s abilities in Borderlands 4 — including a defensive barrier used during a segment of the campaign — are strikingly similar to what was attributed to Ava. Still, explicit traces of Ava (character models, textures, and audio) were removed from the released build, leaving only some internal remnants.
Many Borderlands fans view Ava as one of the franchise’s most disliked and grating characters; players took issue with her personality and erratic behavior. Gearbox attempted to shift public opinion through additional missions added to Borderlands 3 after launch, but those efforts largely failed.
Source: iXBT.games