Borderlands 4: Everything we know so far

Borderlands 4 is on the way, with a new release date that will see the upcoming looter shooter arrive 11 days earlier than originally planned. 2K revealed the amended launch alongside the news that a dedicated Borderlands 4 Direct will be taking place imminently on April 30, 2025, with the showcase set to bring us a closer look at some of the new weapons, missions, abilities, "and more".

That's right, we're getting a "deep dive" on Borderlands 4, and it's just around the corner. From the sounds of it, we're going to get plenty of fresh details about what's in store, with 20 minutes of developer guided gameplay. First revealed in summer 2024, we've already gotten some insight into some its exciting features, with CEO Randy Pitchford stating that while the upcoming adventure isn't open-world, it is the "most open and free game" developer Gearbox has made. The March 2025 Nintendo Direct showcase also confirmed it will be among the lineup of upcoming Switch 2 games set to come to Nintendo's highly anticipated new-gen console.

Said to feature the same signature humor seen in some of the best Borderlands games - with a wealth of weapons that will hopefully someday see it join the ranks of some of the best shooters - it's certainly shaping up to be the one of the biggest new games for 2025. We've brought together a helpful overview of all of the news and details revealed so far, which you can find below. So read on to get a recap of everything we know so far about Borderlands 4.

Borderlands 4 release date

Gearbox has confirmed that the Borderlands 4 release date is set for September 12, 2025.

2K announced the amended release date, which brings the launch forward by 11 days, with Borderlands 4 originally slated to arrive on September 23. The title will launch across all platforms simultaneously, with news coming as part of the February PlayStation State of Play. With GTA 6 also set to launch in fall 2025, it's great to see the Borderlands 4 release date confirmed.

All that remains to learn now is how much time Take-Two Interactive will give us between the two behemoths.

Borderlands 4 trailer

The first Borderlands 4 trailer doesn't feature any actual gameplay, but it does set the tone for what Gearbox is trying to capture here. You can watch the teaser above, which showcases a fractured planet under siege from the skies. However, below you can also find the latest trailer for Borderlands 4, which was revealed during The Game Awards 2024.

Borderlands 4 | Official First Look - YouTube

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While this new trailer is also mainly cinematics, it does show some gameplay, with players stalking around different environments and shooting at enemies. We also see some platforming in the teaser, as well as some cool abilities being used to crowd-control targets. Hopefully, we'll get another trailer soon that offers some story insights. But for now, this clip is pretty dang impressive and has us excited to see more.

Borderlands 4 platforms

Borderlands 4 will launch on PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series X. 2K Games has confirmed that the title will launch on both the Epic Game Store and Steam storefronts.

While Gearbox hasn't confirmed this firmly, it looks like Borderlands 4 won't be on PS4 or Xbox One, as the platforms were missing from the reveal trailer. Future Switch 2 owners will be in for a treat, as the souped-up next generation of Nintendo's flagship console was confirmed as one of the Borderlands 4 launch platforms we can expect in September.

First Borderlands 4 gameplay details

There are only a few Borderlands 4 gameplay details out there right now, with Gearbox keeping the game tightly under wraps after the reveal. So, what do we know so far?

For starters, the developer won't be drastically altering the structure of this new Borderlands game. You'll "assume the role of a legendary Vault Hunter" as you blast your way through "hordes of enemies in search of new treasures to loot on an all-new planet." And yes, Borderlands 4 will still be a looter shooter.

Gearbox has said that a principal focus for Borderlands 4 is in the balance of approachability and complexity. "I think our RPG side of the game is so important," says creative director Graeme Timmins. "Just like our first-person side, where we're always looking to expand and add depth, we're doing that on the RPG side, but we don't want to do that at the cost of complexity."

In an interview with us here at GamesRadar+, senior project producer Anthony Nicholson detailed that the upcoming entry will play around "the humor and comedic opportunities we explored in Borderlands 2".

Borderlands 4 is also said to boast "the deepest and most diverse skill trees of any Borderlands title yet," with Gearbox aiming to give "an unprecedented level of expression" to players. Plus, the developer also revealed that we can expect "billions of weapons and accessories" to loot and acquire.

Borderlands 4 setting

The Borderlands 4 setting has been confirmed, and it's taking us away from Pandora. Gearbox has confirmed that the new game will be set on an "all-new planet" – a massive shock to the system, given that the original trilogy of games (and Tales from the Borderlands) all featured Pandora. We're still waiting on more info, but the above concept art shows what Gearbox is shooting for this time around.

Borderlands 4 Vault Hunters

Gearbox has confirmed that Borderlands 4 will feature four new Vault Hunters, with the studio continuing its tradition of cycling new playable characters into the fold.

It's yet to be confirmed whether any returning heroes will show up as NPCs, but we do know that the new Borderlands 4 Vault Hunters will fulfill traditional archetypal roles, such as 'soldier' and 'mage' as Gearbox looks for new ways to push the scope of play.

"We think it's important that we switch it up and not do just rote designs, game to game," says creative director Graeme Timmins.

Borderlands 4 development

Borderlands 4 is being developed by Gearbox Software, the studio responsible for all mainline games in the franchise. The Gearbox CEO says that Borderlands 4 has been in development for "several years" – the studio's last game was Tiny Tina's Wonderlands in 2022.

Borderlands 4 will be published by 2K Games – just as it did with the previous titles. This will, however, be the first Borderlands game to release with Gearbox Software operating as an owned and operated 2K studio – the company was acquired by Take-Two Interactive in 2024.

Borderlands 4 has long been teased by both Take-Two and Gearbox. The game appeared on the Linkedin page for a former employee of a Gearbox support studio last year, and the publisher confirmed Borderlands 4 to be in active development back in March 2024.

Randy Pitchford also started name-dropping the game while trying to get out ahead of the film adaptation – our Borderlands movie review didn't paint a glowing picture. Still, Pitchford recently told GamesRadar+ that "I’m confident that our fans are going to be very, very happy with the next video game project," and the studio is certainly on the right track after that recent Game Awards trailer.

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