The State of Play for Borderlands 4 offered an exciting 20-minute deep dive into the gameplay, showcasing the game's new features and mechanics. Dive into the details revealed and explore the fan theories surrounding the game's launch date change.

20-Minute Gameplay Deep Dive Video

The Borderlands 4 State of Play, streamed on April 30, 2025, provided an extensive look at the upcoming looter shooter. The gameplay video highlighted two of the four new Vault Hunters: Vex the Siren, who harnesses supernatural phase energy to empower herself and summon deadly minions, and Rafa the Exo-Soldier, a former Tediore trooper equipped with an experimental exo-suit that can digistruct an arsenal of weapons.

The setting for Borderlands 4 is the new planet Kairos, characterized by warring factions, deadly fauna, and desperate inhabitants, all under the oppressive rule of the Timekeeper. Players are tasked with sparking a revolution against this tyrant, engaging with unique factions, and recruiting them to their cause. Returning fan-favorites like Claptrap, Moxxi, and Zane will assist in this epic quest.

New features introduced include the innovative licensed Parts system, allowing players to customize their weapons by mixing and matching behaviors and abilities. Additional Gear slots will enable more specialized builds, and players can now ride a new vehicle, the Digirunner, enhancing the game's dynamic experience.

Gearbox Denies Launch Date Change is Influenced by Other Games

Prior to the State of Play, Gearbox Software announced a two-week advancement of Borderlands 4’s release date, attributing it to "incredible development work." However, fans speculated that this adjustment might be linked to the anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6), especially given that both Gearbox and Rockstar Games are under the Take-Two Interactive umbrella.

Take-Two Interactive's CEO Strauss Zelnick, during an earnings call in November 2024, confirmed GTA 6's planned release in Fall 2025, which falls within Borderlands 4’s fiscal year 2026 launch window. Zelnick reassured that there would be no unnecessary clashing of major releases.

Gearbox Entertainment CEO Randy Pitchford addressed these speculations on Twitter (X) on April 30, 2025, firmly stating that the decision to move up the release date was purely based on confidence in their product and not influenced by any other game's launch schedule. "Our decision is literally 0% about any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date," Pitchford emphasized.

Regardless of the reasons behind the date 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 details on this highly anticipated title.