Borderlands 4 is headed our way, with a September release date confirmed for the upcoming shooter. First officially revealed in summer 2024, we've since learned a lot more about what's in store, with details on the wealth of weapons it will feature, as well as some light shed on its in-depth skill trees, customization, and more.
As one of the biggest new games for 2025, we've also been hearing more about the direction of the new Borderlands entry, 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. Happily, ahead of its expected release, we'll also be seeing more of Gearbox's shooter with a dedicated "Borderlands 4 State of Play" show this spring.
Said to feature the same humor we've seen in some of the best Borderlands games, there's plenty of reasons for fans to get excited. Many of the games in the series are often regarded as some of the best shooters around, after all, and with so many weapons and accessories in the the next installment, it may very well earn its own spot among them in the future. While we await further news, read on below as we give you an overview 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 23, 2025.
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.
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, 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. Switch players are also out of luck, it seems. However, who knows, now that the Switch 2 has been announced, we could see Borderlands 4 join the list of upcoming Switch 2 games and shock us all.
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.
Why not check out the upcoming PS5 games and upcoming Xbox Series X games we think you should have on your radar right now.
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