The State of Play event in April 2025 brought fans an exciting 20-minute deep dive into the gameplay of Borderlands 4. This showcase was a treasure trove of new details about the eagerly anticipated looter shooter, streamed live on April 30. Dive in to discover the new features, mechanics, and the buzz around the game's adjusted release date.

20-Minute Gameplay Deep Dive Video

The Borderlands 4 segment of PlayStation’s State of Play was packed with fresh insights into the game. The video spotlighted two of the four new Vault Hunters players can choose: Vex the Siren, who harnesses supernatural phase energy to boost her powers and summon deadly minions, and Rafa the Exo-Soldier, a former Tediore trooper equipped with an experimental exo-suit that can digistruct a wide range of weapons.

Players will explore the new planet of Kairos, a world torn by warring factions, lethal wildlife, and desperate inhabitants, all under the oppressive rule of the Timekeeper. Your mission? Spark a revolution against this tyrant, rally unique factions, and recruit them to your cause. Familiar faces like Claptrap, Moxxi, and Zane are back to support you on this epic journey.

The gameplay reveal also introduced innovative features such as the new licensed Parts system, allowing players to customize their weapons by mixing and matching behaviors and abilities. New Gear slots cater to more specialized builds, and players can now ride the new Digirunner vehicle, among other thrilling additions.

Gearbox Denies Launch Date Change is Influenced by Other Games

Prior to the State of Play, Gearbox Software announced that Borderlands 4 would hit the shelves two weeks earlier than originally planned. The studio attributed this shift to the "incredible development work" on the game. Yet, fans speculated that the move might be influenced by the release schedule of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6), especially since both Gearbox and Rockstar Games fall under the Take-Two Interactive umbrella.

During Take-Two Interactive’s earnings call in November 2024, the company confirmed intentions to launch GTA 6 in Fall 2025. CEO Strauss Zelnick assured that this would not conflict with Borderlands 4's planned release window within Take-Two's 2026 fiscal year, spanning from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. In an interview with Variety in the same month, Zelnick emphasized that the company would avoid unnecessarily stacking major game releases.

However, Gearbox Entertainment CEO Randy Pitchford took to Twitter (X) on April 30 to clarify the situation. He firmly stated that the decision to move up Borderlands 4's release was "literally 0% about any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date," emphasizing the studio's confidence in their product.

Regardless of the reasons behind the shift, fans are in for a treat with Borderlands 4 arriving sooner 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 the latest updates by checking out our related articles!