The April 2025 State of Play was a thrilling showcase for fans of the Borderlands series, featuring an extensive 20-minute gameplay deep dive into the highly anticipated Borderlands 4. This deep dive not only highlighted the game's new features and mechanics but also sparked discussions about the game's shifted release date. Let's delve into the exciting new details revealed and explore the reasons behind the launch date change.

20-Minute Gameplay Deep Dive Video

The State of Play event, streamed on April 30, provided fans with an in-depth look at Borderlands 4. 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 can digistruct an arsenal of weapons.

The setting for Borderlands 4 is the new planet of Kairos, a world teeming with warring factions, dangerous wildlife, and desperate inhabitants, all under the iron rule of the Timekeeper. Players will embark on a mission to ignite a revolution against this tyrant, forging alliances with unique factions along the way. Beloved characters like Claptrap, Moxxi, and Zane return to assist in this epic quest.

Among the new features showcased are the innovative licensed Parts system, allowing players to customize their weapons by mixing and matching behaviors and abilities. Additional gear slots enable more specialized builds, and the introduction of the Digirunner vehicle adds a new dimension to exploration and combat.

Gearbox Denies Launch Date Change is Influenced by Other Games

Before the State of Play, Gearbox Software announced that Borderlands 4's release date had been moved up by two weeks. The studio attributed this change to the game's "incredible development work." However, fans speculated that this decision might be influenced by the release plans of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6), especially since both Gearbox and Rockstar Games are owned by Take-Two Interactive.

During Take-Two Interactive’s earnings call in November 2024, the company outlined their intention to release GTA 6 in Fall 2025. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick reassured fans that this would not conflict with Borderlands 4's release window, which was planned for the 2026 fiscal year. In an interview with Variety, Zelnick emphasized that they would not unnecessarily stack major game releases.

Gearbox Entertainment CEO Randy Pitchford took to Twitter (X) on April 30 to address these speculations. He firmly stated that the decision to move up Borderlands 4's release date was solely based on confidence in the game's quality, and not influenced by any other product's launch schedule. "Our decision is literally 0% about any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date," Pitchford declared.

Regardless of the reasons behind the date change, fans can look forward to experiencing Borderlands 4 earlier than expected. 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 more updates and insights by checking out our related articles!