| Borderlands 4 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | Gameplay & Story | Pre-Order & DLC | Review |
Borderlands 4 is Gearbox's foray into a whole new planet, Kairos, 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
November 21
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 is adding a free Takedown activity to its 2026 roadmap, responding to player requests for tougher endgame content. Takedowns are high-difficulty gauntlets built to stress-test player builds with dense enemy waves and new boss encounters.
The updated roadmap highlights upcoming quarterly drops through 2025 and into early 2026, including new story packs, class mods, missions, and weekly events like Mayhem rotations, Wildcard Missions, and Maurice’s Black Market Machine.
October 27
⚫︎ In one of the strangest gaming crossovers yet, Borderlands 4 is invading PGA Tour 2K25 for a “Mayhem on the Greens” event starting October 29. Announced by 2K and Gearbox, the collab brings the chaotic Borderlands flair to the golf sim — complete with teaser art showing a Psycho swinging a wasteland-forged golf club.
October 23
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 will nerf the infamous crit knife build in its upcoming patch. The update will also include the Horror of Kairos in-game event, which features new legendary weapons, a seasonal weather variant, new Pumpkin head cosmetic for all Vault Hunters, and more.
October 12
⚫︎ 2K and Gearbox Software have announced that Borderlands 4’s first post-launch DLC, “Bounty Pack 1: How Rush Saved Mercenary Day,” will release on November 20.
October 1
⚫︎ Thursday patch for Borderlands 4 promises some buffs to the vault hunters. UI improvements and bug fixes however are set to follow after. One significant bug plaguing the UI is the trash bug where the game mistakenly marks some gear as trash items. It is set to be fixed in a future update
September 29
⚫︎ Free Rafa skin can be obtained through a code. The shift code can be found online.
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 reveals first paid DLC while still being plagued with performance issues.
DLC
September 22
⚫︎ Speedrun glitch technique "cricket jumping" has been noticed by the game's creative director Graeme Timmins who has confirmed that the team will be monitoring the glitch.
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 reports 2.5 million copies sold in under two weeks, well on its way to hitting 3 million presumably before the month ends.
September 19
⚫︎[Borderlands 4 addresses the crashes related to the GPU, animations, and collisions. The update also brings small bug-fixes regarding progression.
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 releases patch addressing the game’s optimization, naming it their top priority.
September 18
⚫︎ Randy Pitchford responds to criticism of poor optimization by denying the claims.
September 15
⚫︎ Randy Pitchford responds to lack of FOV slider in Borderlands 4. While fans are very receptive to the idea of an FOV slider, Pitchford brings up issues of fairness in "some dreams"
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 are monitoring the repeating, and seemingly overtuned bleed damage calculation, but will not resort to knee-jerk nerfs.
⚫︎ Randy Pitchford defends Borderlands 4 from criticism of poor performance, stating that the game is "pretty damn optimal"
September 11
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 Steam launch marred by poor performance and launching issues. The review score is currently mixed as of writing this article.
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 releases a chaotic, action-packed trailer for its launch. It features a handheld camera shot from the point-of-view of Claptrap.
September 10
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 reveals recommended system specifications. A 2070 is minimum, while a 3080 is recommended.
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 adds new DLC to pre-order bonus. Namely, a vault hunter head and four pieces of legendary gear.
September 5
⚫︎ In their hands-on experience with Borderlands 4 Video Games Chronicle praised the game as being a more proper sequel to Borderlands 2 than 3 was. The writer praised the toning down of the random, over-the-top humor that was found too often in Borderlands 3. Furthermore, the diversity of builds and items gave them more reason to explore the world.
September 1
⚫︎ Gearbox confirms post-launch support for Borderlands 4 by releasing a roadmap of the content to be added. So far, there are two free updates and two story packs that were confirmed by the content roadmap, with the first story pack coming out on the first quarter of 2026.
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 unveils endgame content, Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode, and specializations.
Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode will not be new game plus, but a post-campaign scenario. Specializations on the other hand are points that can be allotted into skills across four categories that enhance your character.
August 29
⚫︎ Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford compares the game to cooking food, stating that experience helped the team working on the series to get just the right amount of humor, seriousness, new gameplay mechanics, and returning ones. He further states that Borderlands 4 will be moving away from the meme-focused humor of Borderlands 3 in favor of more character based-humor.
August 26
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 narrative director, Sam Winkler, stated that this entry will take a more grounded approach to the story. He said that Borderlands 3 "sometimes felt like a parody" with how the story was presented.
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 will reportedly have an emotional moment with Claptrap that will "hit really hard" according to Gearbox
August 15
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 takes inspiration from other RPG’s for its character writing and variety in gameplay. Character designer Nick Thurston revealed that the games it borrowed and adjusted ideas from were Baldur’s Gate 3, and Path of Exile. Baldur’s Gate 3 gave thoughts on how to write their characters to be more 3-dimensional while Path of Exile’s wealth of character builds inspired Borderlands 4 developers to achieve the same level of end-game variety.
⚫︎ Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford comments on the story of Borderlands 4, stating that the story is being taken more seriously. He also compares it to the sale of Gearbox, and highlights the question of anarchy vs facism.
August 13
⚫︎ Borderlands’ official X account teased a new story trailer, titled "Demons", for the game. The trailer will premier on August 15, 2025.
August 12
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 devs say there will be over 30 billion guns in the game in a recent interview with Epic Games. This is due to procedural generation and the myriad of elements, and attachments available for all the ingame guns.
August 11
On X, formerly twitter, the official Borderlands account announced that they will have all 4 classes playable in their demo. They will be in Gamescom from August 20 until August 24.
August 3
⚫︎ Gearbox Entertainment has revealed new details about Rafa, the Soldier-class Vault Hunter in Borderlands 4. His design trailer offers developer insight into his Tediore-brand toolkit and customizable exo-suit aesthetics. Rafa has 3 distinct Action Skills: Arc Knives, Peacebreaker Cannons, and the Apophis Lance. Players can also customize his appearance with the option to keep his face concealed or unmasked.
July 31
⚫︎ Gearbox Entertainment has released a new cinematic short for Borderlands 4, spotlighting Rafa, the exo-soldier Vault Hunter. Titled You Only Live Twice (YOLT), the short follows Rafa as he severs ties with the morally corrupt Tediore Corporation, whose exo-suit technology forces fallen soldiers to continue fighting even after death.
July 30
⚫︎ New Borderlands 4 gameplay footage released by Game Informer offers an extended look at Carcadia Burn, one of the game's four regions. The video highlights the region’s desolate terrain and includes a detailed sequence featuring returning character Zane, who joins the player in platforming across wide gaps.
July 29
⚫︎ Xbox is bringing 20 playable titles to Gamescom 2025, including Hollow Knight: Silksong, Ninja Gaiden 4, and Grounded 2, which hits early access tomorrow. Third-party highlights include Borderlands 4, Cronos: The New Dawn, Metal Gear Solid Delta, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, and Super Meat Boy 3D. Even Final Fantasy 16, already released on Xbox, will be playable at the event.
July 24
⚫︎ Gearbox has released a new Borderlands 4 gameplay overview trailer highlighting Rafa, the exo-soldier Vault Hunter. The trailer features Rafa in action, wielding his arc knives and powerful Peacebreaker cannons to take down enemies with style and precision.
July 23
⚫︎ Gearbox has announced that Borderlands 4 will launch on Nintendo Switch 2 on October 3, just three weeks after its debut on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The news was confirmed by CEO Randy Pitchford in a video posted on social media.
July 21
⚫︎ Gearbox Entertainment has revealed new details about Vex, the latest Siren in Borderlands 4, highlighting her extensive customization options and unique “Dark Siren” design.
Players will be able to modify Vex’s appearance with various hairstyles—including braids, twin-tails, and short cuts—as well as cyberpunk-inspired facial cyberware and floating horns. Additional cosmetics include a sleek biker helmet designed to complement the new Digirunner class.
July 15
⚫︎ The latest Borderlands 4 trailer shifts focus to Claptrap, highlighting his role as the “last vestige” of the Crimson Resistance—and his signature brand of annoying humor. Gearbox confirms players can adjust or mute his dialogue using a dedicated volume slider.
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 will feature over 200 hidden Marcus bobbleheads when it launches on September 12. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford says most players won’t find them, as they’re tucked into hard-to-reach areas that require full use of the game’s traversal tools.
July 14
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 narrative director Sam Winkler recently opened up about a moment of hesitation during the writing process—and it came with a vivid, if slightly absurd, pop culture comparison. Speaking to GamesRadar+, Winkler admitted that one line in particular had him questioning the script: “The crowd falls apart like that guy in the cube that gets cubed in the movie Cube.”
The reference points to a famously gruesome scene from the cult sci-fi horror film Cube (1997), and Winkler acknowledged the line made him stop and wonder, “Is this too much?” But in true Borderlands fashion, the writing team decided to keep it.
July 11
⚫︎ Gearbox Entertainment CEO Randy Pitchford gets roasted by Devolver Digital once again for his earlier comments about Borderlands 4's pricing. Devolver made this tweet in light of the recent early access release of their sci-fi shooter Mycopunk, which is 4.6x cheaper than Borderlands 4.
⚫︎ Gearbox Entertainment has released a new cinematic short and gameplay trailer for Borderlands 4, spotlighting Vex, one of the game's new Vault Hunters. Formerly an introverted retail worker, Vex gained her Siren powers during Mercenary Day—an event that quickly turned violent.
The trailer highlights Vex’s sarcastic charm and deadly abilities. As a summoner-type Siren, she can summon Phase clones and a companion known as Trouble to attack enemies. Her alternative skill, Incarnate, allows her to trigger Phase Explosions and launch Eldritch Blasts with her off-hand. Known for high elemental damage and flexible skill builds, Vex adds a mystical edge to the Borderlands 4 roster ahead of its launch in two months.
July 9
⚫︎ Gearbox Entertainment is keeping key details about Borderlands 4 under wraps, particularly regarding its endgame. However, in a recent interview with Game Informer, creative director Graeme Timmins described the endgame as “very ambitious,” noting that it has been a major focus during development.
Timmins, who previously oversaw the endgame design for Borderlands 3, emphasized that community expectations have shaped the new game’s structure. He explained that the Action Skill trees were deliberately built with future updates—such as potential level-cap increases—in mind. Reflecting on the 72 Skill Points available in Borderlands 3, Timmins called it “a really high number,” suggesting a more balanced approach for Borderlands 4.
July 8
⚫︎ In the latest Beyond the Borderlands episode, Gearbox revealed new story details for Borderlands 4, calling it a “turning point” for the series. Set on the planet Kairos, the game introduces several new factions.
The Outbounders, led by Rush, crash-land on the planet and ally with the Crimson Resistance. The Augers, descendants of old mining crews, are led by Calder, while Vile Lictor, another Auger, conducts dangerous Eridium experiments.
Idolator Sol rules the Fadefields, seeking the approval of the mysterious Timekeeper, the game’s overarching threat. The exiled Electi, once elites of the Timekeeper’s city, are led by Levain, while the Ripper Queen leads a rebellion in Cadia Burn, tearing out her soldiers' control Bolts.
July 1
⚫︎ New gameplay footage for Borderlands 4 has unveiled the Wastelands, a previously unseen region characterized by sandy terrain, ruined structures, and an industrial aesthetic. The area offers a sharp contrast to the greener Faded Fields and more closely resembles the bandit-infested zones of Pandora from earlier titles.
June 30
⚫︎ Gearbox is giving Borderlands 4 players a free in-game cosmetic—the Hazard Pay weapon skin—available at launch on September 12. However, claiming it requires a few extra steps. To receive the skin, players must sign up for Gearbox's newsletters and digital marketing via a SHiFT account. They must also link their preferred gaming platform to the SHiFT website.
⚫︎ Gearbox is revamping its weapon system in Borderlands 4, introducing new mechanics while keeping the franchise's signature gunplay intact. In an interview with GamesRadar+, executive producer Chris Brock said that while the way we've done guns before is great,
the team is pushing for more opportunity for surprise
with the new system.
The game will feature five returning weapon manufacturers and introduce three new ones. A key addition is the concept of licensed parts,
allowing gun behaviors from various manufacturers to mix and match on a single weapon. According to Brock, this system enables greater unpredictability and depth by giving each part unique behaviors and letting the game's backend generate combinations dynamically.
June 27
⚫︎ Gearbox continues to ramp up Borderlands 4 marketing with new details, revealing one of the game’s bosses—Inceptus—as a response to fan requests for tougher encounters. The studio described Inceptus as a particularly intense fight, highlighting the game's increased difficulty compared to previous entries.
However, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford noted that while Inceptus is pretty hard,
it's not the toughest boss in the game, suggesting that Borderlands 4 will feature even more challenging endgame content for well-equipped players. The comments reinforce the studio's goal of delivering a more intense and demanding experience overall.
June 25
⚫︎ Borderlands 4 Creative Director Graeme Timmins revealed on Twitter (X) that photo mode will be an added feature which will come as part of one of the post-launch updates.
June 20
⚫︎ Gearbox has confirmed that Borderlands 4 will include an optional combat radar, responding to persistent community feedback. CEO Randy Pitchford revealed in a detailed social media thread that the feature was added last week, though it will be off by default at launch.
While the radar won’t appear in the build shown at this weekend’s Borderlands Fan Fest, Pitchford confirmed it is now officially part of the game. The addition follows ongoing fan requests for improved combat awareness and navigation tools.
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.
