Randy Pitchford, the development chief at Gearbox, has firmly denied that the decision to advance the release date of Borderlands 4 was influenced by the launch schedules of other games, such as Marathon or Grand Theft Auto 6. Originally set for September 23, Borderlands 4 is now slated to launch on September 12 across PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and Nintendo Switch 2.

This 11-day shift has fueled speculation that the move might be related to the anticipated release of GTA 6, which is still scheduled for the fall of 2025. Both Borderlands 4 and GTA 6 are under the umbrella of Take-Two Interactive, leading to theories that the company might be strategically spacing out its releases. Additionally, there was speculation that the shift was to avoid a direct competition with Bungie's Marathon, a co-op focused extraction shooter set to launch on the same initial date as Borderlands 4.

However, Pitchford took to social media to clarify that the decision to move the release date forward was purely based on "confidence" in the game and its development progress. He emphasized that the move had "0% to do with any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date."

Despite Pitchford's assurances, Chris Dring, Editor-In-Chief and Co-Founder of The Game Business, expressed skepticism about the timing change. He pointed out the logistical complexities involved in altering release dates, suggesting there must be a significant commercial rationale behind such a decision.

In a video message, Pitchford excitedly shared the news of the earlier release, highlighting the game's positive development trajectory and the team's high morale. He stressed that moving a release date forward is a rare and positive occurrence in the gaming industry.

It's important to note that Borderlands 4 is published by 2K Games, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, which also owns Gearbox and the Borderlands IP, as well as Rockstar Games, the developer behind GTA 6. At the executive level, including CEO Strauss Zelnick, there is likely a strategic overview of all game releases to ensure optimal market performance and avoid cannibalization.

In a previous interview with IGN, Zelnick discussed Take-Two's approach to scheduling game releases to give consumers ample time to engage with each title. He expressed confidence in avoiding any potential conflicts between releases, while also acknowledging the inherent risks of delays, particularly in relation to GTA 6's projected fall 2025 launch.

Amidst these discussions, there remains the possibility that GTA 6 could be delayed into early winter or the first quarter of 2026, adding another layer of complexity to the scheduling dynamics within the gaming industry.