The State of Play event in April 2025 provided an exciting 20-minute deep dive into the gameplay of the highly anticipated Borderlands 4. This looter shooter's new features and mechanics were showcased, sparking enthusiasm among fans and revealing the reasons behind the game's revised launch schedule.
20-Minute Gameplay Deep Dive Video
The Borderlands 4 State of Play, streamed on April 30, offered a comprehensive look at the game's latest developments. The gameplay video introduced 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 allows him to digistruct an arsenal of weapons.
The gameplay also unveiled the new planet of Kairos, a setting teeming with warring factions, dangerous wildlife, and desperate inhabitants, all under the iron grip of the Timekeeper. Players will embark on a quest to ignite a revolution against this oppressive ruler, encountering unique factions and recruiting them to their cause. Familiar faces like Claptrap, Moxxi, and Zane return to assist in this epic adventure.
New features introduced include the innovative licensed Parts system, allowing players to mix and match weapon behaviors and abilities, new Gear slots for more specialized builds, and the introduction of the Digirunner, a new vehicle that adds excitement to exploration and combat.
Gearbox Denies Launch Date Change is Influenced by Other Games
Prior to the State of Play, Gearbox Software announced that Borderlands 4 would be released two weeks earlier than initially planned. The studio attributed this shift to the "incredible development work" on the game. However, fans speculated that this decision might be influenced by the release plans of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6), given that both Gearbox and Rockstar Games are under the Take-Two Interactive umbrella.
During Take-Two Interactive’s earnings call in November 2024, CEO Strauss Zelnick emphasized that GTA 6 is slated for a Fall 2025 release, which would not conflict with Borderlands 4’s planned launch in the 2026 fiscal year (April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026). Zelnick assured that the company would not unnecessarily stack major releases.
Addressing the speculation, Gearbox Entertainment CEO Randy Pitchford took to Twitter (X) on April 30 to clarify that the decision to move up the release date was purely based on confidence in the game's quality, stating, "Our decision is literally 0% about any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date."
Regardless of the reasons, fans can look forward to experiencing Borderlands 4 sooner than expected, with the game 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 thrilling new addition to the Borderlands series.
