The State of Play for Borderlands 4 provided an exciting 20-minute official gameplay deep dive, showcasing the game's innovative features and mechanics. Dive in to discover the new details unveiled and understand the fan theories surrounding the game's adjusted launch date.
Borderlands 4 State of Play New Details Revealed
20-Minute Gameplay Deep Dive Video
The Borderlands 4 State of Play, streamed on April 30, 2025, by PlayStation, offered a comprehensive look into the upcoming looter shooter game. The featured video highlighted two of the four new Vault Hunters: Vex the Siren, who utilizes supernatural phase energy to enhance her abilities and summon lethal minions, and Rafa the Exo-Soldier, a former Tediore trooper equipped with an experimental exo-suit that can digistruct an arsenal of weapons.
The gameplay deep dive introduced players to the new planet of Kairos, characterized by warring factions, deadly fauna, and desperate inhabitants under the rule of the oppressive Timekeeper. The mission is clear: ignite a revolution against this evil tyrant, ally with unique factions, and recruit them to your cause. Returning fan-favorite characters such as Claptrap, Moxxi, and Zane will assist players in their journey.
Additionally, the presentation showcased new gameplay elements like the innovative Parts system, allowing players to mix and match weapon behaviors and abilities, new Gear slots for more specialized builds, and the introduction of a new vehicle, the Digirunner, among other exciting features.
Gearbox Denies Launch Date Change is Influenced by Other Games
Prior to the State of Play, Gearbox Software announced an earlier release date for Borderlands 4, moving it up by two weeks. The studio attributed this decision to the game's "incredible development work." However, fans speculated that the change might be influenced by the potential release plans of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6), given that both Gearbox Software and Rockstar Games are subsidiaries of Take-Two Interactive.
Take-Two Interactive, during their earnings call in November 2024, highlighted their intention to release GTA 6 in Fall 2025. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick reassured that this would not conflict with Borderlands 4’s release window, initially planned for the 2026 fiscal year (April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026). Zelnick further clarified in a November 2024 interview with Variety that they would avoid stacking major releases unnecessarily.
However, Gearbox Entertainment CEO Randy Pitchford took to Twitter (X) on April 30 to address these speculations. He emphasized that the decision to move up the release date was purely based on their confidence in the product and not influenced by any other game's launch date. "Our decision is literally 0% about any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date," Pitchford stated.
Regardless of the reasons behind the change, fans can look forward to experiencing Borderlands 4 earlier than anticipated. The game is set to launch on September 12, 2025, across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates and insights on this much-anticipated title.
