| Borderlands 4 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | Gameplay & Story | Pre-Order & DLC | Review |
Borderlands 4 is Gearbox's latest foray back into Pandora, with psychos, vault hunters, and loot galore! Read on to learn about the game's latest news and developments!
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Borderlands 4 News
2025
June 18
⚫︎ Following the announcement of Borderlands 4's $69.99 price tag and the opening of pre-orders on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford has confirmed that the game will include extensive post-launch content. In a recent social media post, Pitchford expressed enthusiasm for the game’s September 12 release date and highlighted the absence of paid early access. He emphasized that players can look forward to “a TON of awesome DLC” following launch.
⚫︎ Borderlands has long been praised for its polished gunplay and content-rich gameplay, but its trademark humor has remained a divisive element among fans. In a recent update, Borderlands 4’s narrative director confirmed the series will be moving away from its traditional “meme-style humor.” The change has sparked positive reactions from segments of the fanbase, signaling a potential tonal shift in the upcoming installment.
⚫︎ Borderlands 4's Steam page has officially listed the game's minimum system requirements, highlighting relatively demanding specs for entry-level play. Players will need an 8-core CPU, 8 GB of VRAM, a GPU equivalent to an Nvidia RTX 2070 or AMD Radeon 5700 XT, 16 GB of RAM, and an SSD.
Despite being labeled as minimum,
some analysts suggest the requirements may be more conservative than necessary. For example, the Ryzen 5 9600X—considered a solid budget gaming processor—doesn’t meet the listed CPU core count, though it's unlikely to struggle with the game.
June 17
⚫︎ Borderlands 4's $80 price point rumors have been dispelled as the game's pre-orders goes live, revealing that its Standard edition will cost $70. Different editions for the game include Standard edition, Deluxe edtion, Super Deluxe edtion, and GameStop exclusive Collector's edtion.
June 16
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 is set to launch on September 12 with a standard edition priced at $69.99, avoiding the widely speculated $80 price point. However, the game’s $149.99 Collector’s Edition—available exclusively through GameStop—will not include a copy of the game.
June 1
⚫︎ Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford is facing backlash after doubling down on earlier remarks about Borderlands 4’s price. In a recent social media post, Pitchford addressed cost sensitive
fans by encouraging them to download Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands for FREE,
.
The comment follows earlier controversy in which Pitchford told a user on X/Twitter that real fans
would find a way to afford the game, even at a proposed $80 price point. While he later claimed pricing decisions were not his responsibility, his latest message has reignited criticism from fans.
May 21
⚫︎ Baldur’s Gate 3 publishing director Michael Douse has labelled recent comments by Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford as “gross,” following Pitchford’s defense of a potential $80 price tag for Borderlands 4. Pitchford had stated that “real fans will find a way” to afford the game, prompting backlash online.
Responding via social media, Douse acknowledged that inflation can justify price increases but criticised Pitchford’s phrasing, saying it implied the game should take priority over basic living costs amid an ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
May 21
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 is gearing up towards its release date, as developer Gearbox Software rolls out more information about the game. However, one detail they have yet to unveil is its price point, and fans are anxious about the game possibly costing over $80. In a Twitter (X) post, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford responded to a fan who stated that not a lot of gamers are willing to spend $80 for a game, especially with the industry’s constantly increasing price point. Pitchford said that the pricing is not his call and that real fans will find a way to get the game.
Comparatively, Take-Two Interactive had a more cautious response regarding the game’s price point. During an interview with IGN, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick shared his thoughts about the company possibly putting an $80 price tag on its games.
Real Fans
Says CEO (Game8)
May 20
⚫︎ Borderlands games are getting review-bombed after fans found out that publisher Take-Two Interactive made some changes to their End User License Agreement (EULA). As spotted by Reddit user Noob4Head on May 18, Steam ratings for Borderlands, Borderlands 2, and Borderlands 3 are receiving negative reviews due to these changes.
Based on user allegations, Take-Two’s updated EULA grants root-level access to their machines, masked as an anti-cheat software. These may include collecting personal information such as passwords, contact numbers, and so on. It is important to note that these claims are mere speculations, as Take-Two has yet to release a statement regarding this public outcry.
May 12
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 (BL4) developer Gearbox Software revealed the game’s massive improvements for its loot and co-op features. During PAX East 2025 Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford and other team members explained the changes for their co-op and loot systems. While Borderlands 3 was generally well-received, both players and critics noted areas for refinement.
Additionaly, they revealed that the game will not feature a minimap, a deliberate choice by the development team to encourage players to focus on the game world rather than the map. The upcoming title, which includes the largest Borderlands map to date by far,
aims to shift how players navigate and explore. Pitchford addressed fan concerns during a panel, urging the community to experience the game firsthand before judging the changes made to the HUD.
May 1
⚫︎ The Borderlands 4 State of Play revealed new details about the upcoming looter shooter game. The latest edition of PlayStation’s State of Play unveiled a new 20-minute gameplay deep dive video for Borderlands 4. The video featured 2 of the 4 new Vault Hunters, the new planet of Kairos, and more.
In other news, there have been speculations from fans that the reason for Borderlands 4's launch date change may be linked to GTA 6's possible release plans. However, Gearbox Entertainment CEO Randy Pitchford addressed the speculations behind their decision.
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 has officially revealed the four new Vault Hunter classes players can choose from in the upcoming installment of the popular looter shooter series. The announcement trailer highlights fresh takes on classic Borderlands archetypes, including Vex, a Siren who can summon minions using “Phase Energy” to attack enemies and enhance her elemental weapon damage.
Another class, Rafa, channels the franchise’s traditional Soldier role, deploying auto-turrets and offering a balanced playstyle. Gearbox also provided a first look at the game’s skill trees, confirming that each character will feature three distinct branching paths for customization.
⚫︎ Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford has addressed speculation surrounding Borderlands 4’s newly rescheduled release date, denying any connection to Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto 6. The looter shooter’s release was recently moved up by several weeks, prompting theories that the change was made to avoid overlap with GTA 6, which shares the same parent company, Take-Two.
Pitchford clarified on social media that the earlier launch is entirely due to the team's confidence in the game’s development progress. “Borderlands 4 shipping early is 100% the result of confidence in the game and development trajectory backed by actual tasks and bug find/fix rates,” he wrote. “Our decision is literally 0% about any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date.”
April 30
⚫︎ PlayStation has confirmed that Borderlands 4 will have its dedicated State of Play today. During the live stream, Gearbox Software developers will share more information about the upcoming FPS sequel to the Borderlands series. Following the State of Play announcement, Gearbox Entertainment CEO Randy Pitchford revealed that Borderlands 4 will move up its launch date to September 12.
March 25
⚫︎ In anticipation of Borderlands 4's upcoming september release, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford shares a SHiFT Code for all existing Borderlands games, offering 3 Golden or Skeleton Keys when used. The SHiFT Code, which is usable until March 27, 2025, can be used in each Borderlands game separatley, offering 15 keys in total if the player has all of them.
February 13
⚫︎ After months of teases and anticipation, Gearbox Software finally reveals Borderlands 4's release date, set for September 23, 2025, through an official release date trailer featured on the game's official YouTube Channel. That trailer also included snippets of gameplay footage, including some abilities from the new vault hunters, new weapons, and the classic Psycho enemies.
February 2
⚫︎ In an exclusive interview with GamesRadar, Borderlands senior producer Anthony Nichlson has explained that the humor in Borderlands 4 will be closer to Borderlands 2's, while the game's overall tone will be closer to the original Borderlands', citing that the art of game design evolves over time and that Borderlands 4 will evolve too.
2024
December 13
⚫︎ After a vague title reveal in August 2024, Borderlands 4 is getting a massive content reveal with the release of an Official First Look Trailer, with new Vault Huters, new major antagonists, and the fan-favorite Claptrap featured alongside gameplay footage.
December 10
⚫︎ Gearbox president Randy Pitchford has hinted that Borderlands 4 will showcase “plenty of in-game footage” during its upcoming reveal at The Game Awards later this week. He also mentioned that fans can look forward to a cinematic sequence designed to connect Borderlands 4 with the newest entry in the franchise.
November 28
⚫︎ Caleb McAlpine, a dedicated Borderlands fan currently battling cancer, recently had his dream come true when he got the chance to play the highly anticipated Borderlands 4. In a heartfelt Reddit post shared on November 26, Caleb revealed that he was flown out to Gearbox’s studio, where he met the development team and experienced the upcoming looter shooter firsthand.
