Borderlands 4 gets explosive gameplay deep dive and a new release date

Gearbox Software has announced that Borderlands 4 will now launch on September 12, 2025, as it reveals a new extended gameplay trailer.

May 1, 2025 - 10:34

Borderlands 4 gets explosive gameplay deep dive and a new release date

Borderlands 4 in now launching on PC and consoles one week early on September 12, 2025
The Borderlands 4 State of Play also revealed a new trailer and extended gameplay footage showcasing two of four Vault Hunters
The looter shooter also has a new co-op multiplayer system

Gearbox Software has announced that Borderlands 4 will release earlier than expected, as it shares an extended, action-packed gameplay trailer.

During the special Borderlands 4 State of Play broadcast, it was revealed that the looter shooter will now launch one week early on September 12, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC, with a Nintendo Switch 2 release to follow in late 2025.

The game was initially scheduled to release on September 23, but was brought forward "after careful consideration", according to the studio in a social media post.

We also received a new gameplay trailer and even 19 minutes of additional footage in a separate video, which offered a first look at two of the four new Vault Hunters that players will meet in Borderlands 4, Vex the Siren and Rafa the Exo-Soldier, as they embark on a mission in a region called the Terminus Range.

"Across the vast and seamlessly connected planet of Kairos, players will face the oppressive Timekeeper," the new game description reads. "For thousands of years, he kept the planet hidden, controlling its inhabitants with cybernetic implants called Bolts and an army of synthetic soldiers known as The Order.

"Players will travel across the planet where they’ll encounter new and returning characters, creatures and inhabitants to battle, and unique factions spread across four distinct regions that seek freedom from the tyranny of the Timekeeper. The friends discovered along the way will be recruited by players to their cause while enemies will experience first-hand the arsenal of weapons and abilities wielded by the Vault Hunters."

It was revealed that Vex can empower herself or manifest deadly shades to fight alongside her, while Rafa utilizes an experimental exo-suit decked with an arsenal of weapons.

Although the two remaining Vault Hunters were not shown off, we do know that each character will offer a unique playstyle and have "the most advanced skill tree system in a Borderlands game to date".

Weapons from across eight new and returning manufacturers will also be accessible in the latest entry, along with gear slots to augment weapons, 'Licensed Parts' that combine behaviours and abilities from multiple manufacturers into a single weapon, a shared slot for grenades and heavy weapons like rocket launchers, and a 'Rep Kit' that allows players to heal themselves or activate temporary buffs.

Borderlands 4 also offers a revised co-op multiplayer system that allows players to form parties online and stay together when switching game modes, featuring instanced loot, dynamic level scaling, and individual difficulty.