The State of Play event for Borderlands 4 provided fans with an in-depth look at the game through a 20-minute gameplay deep dive, showcasing new features and mechanics. Below, we delve into the exciting details revealed and discuss the speculated reasons behind the game's launch date adjustment.

Borderlands 4 State of Play New Details Revealed

20-Minute Gameplay Deep Dive Video

The Borderlands 4 State of Play, streamed on April 30, 2025, offered a comprehensive look at the game. The showcased 20-minute gameplay video highlighted two of the four new Vault Hunters: Vex the Siren, who harnesses supernatural phase energy and conjures deadly minions, and Rafa the Exo-Soldier, a former Tediore trooper equipped with an experimental exo-suit capable of digistructing a wide array of weapons.

The gameplay also introduced the new planet of Kairos, a world fraught with warring factions, dangerous wildlife, and desperate inhabitants, all under the oppressive rule of the Timekeeper. Players will embark on a mission to spark a revolution against this tyrant, engaging with unique factions and enlisting their support. Familiar faces like Claptrap, Moxxi, and Zane return to assist players on their journey.

New features unveiled include the innovative licensed Parts system, allowing players to customize weapon behaviors and abilities, new Gear slots for more specialized builds, and the introduction of the Digirunner, a new vehicle for traversing the expansive game world.

Gearbox Denies Launch Date Change is Influenced by Other Games

Prior to the State of Play, Gearbox Software announced that Borderlands 4 would launch two weeks earlier than initially planned. The studio attributed this change to the "incredible development work" on the game. However, fans speculated that the decision might be influenced by the release plans of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6), especially given that both Gearbox and Rockstar Games are subsidiaries of Take-Two Interactive.

During Take-Two Interactive's earnings call in November 2024, the company confirmed intentions to release GTA 6 in Fall 2025. CEO Strauss Zelnick emphasized that this would not conflict with Borderlands 4's release window, set within Take-Two's 2026 fiscal year (April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026). In a November 2024 interview with Variety, Zelnick stated, "I think it’s safe to say that we wouldn’t, and no one would, stack up huge releases unnecessarily."

Gearbox Entertainment CEO Randy Pitchford addressed these speculations on Twitter (X) on April 30, asserting that the decision to move up the release date was solely based on confidence in the game's quality. "Our decision is literally 0% about any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date," Pitchford clarified.

Regardless of the reasons behind the change, fans can look forward to experiencing Borderlands 4 earlier than anticipated. The game is scheduled for release on September 12, 2025, across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates and insights on Borderlands 4 by checking out our related articles.