The State of Play event for Borderlands 4 in April 2025 provided fans with a comprehensive 20-minute gameplay deep dive, showcasing the game's innovative features and mechanics. This article delves into the new details revealed and explores the speculated reasons behind the game's launch date change.
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, introduced fans to an exciting gameplay deep dive video. This 20-minute video highlighted 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 gameplay also introduced the new planet of Kairos, characterized by warring factions, deadly fauna, and desperate inhabitants under the rule of the oppressive Timekeeper. Players' objective is to ignite a revolution against this tyrant, rallying unique factions and recruiting them to their cause. Familiar characters like Claptrap, Moxxi, and Zane are set to return, assisting players in their quest.
The video showcased new gameplay features including the licensed Parts system, allowing players to customize their weapons by mixing and matching behaviors and abilities. Additional new elements include expanded Gear slots for more specialized builds and the introduction of a new vehicle, the Digirunner, promising more thrilling gameplay experiences.
Gearbox Denies Launch Date Change is Influenced by Other Games
Prior to 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 "incredible development work" on the game. However, fans speculated that the decision might be influenced by other game releases, particularly the anticipated launch of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6).
Given that both Gearbox Software and Rockstar Games, the developer of GTA 6, are owned by Take-Two Interactive, some fans believed the companies might be coordinating release dates. This speculation was fueled by Take-Two Interactive's earlier statements during their November 2024 earnings call, where they confirmed plans to release GTA 6 in Fall 2025. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick reassured that this would not conflict with Borderlands 4's intended release within the 2026 fiscal year (April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026).
However, Gearbox Entertainment CEO Randy Pitchford took to Twitter (X) on April 30 to clarify that the decision to move up Borderlands 4's release date was solely based on the studio's confidence in the product. "Our decision is literally 0% about any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date," Pitchford emphasized.
Regardless of the reasons behind the date change, fans are excited to experience Borderlands 4, which is now set to launch on September 12, 2025, across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Stay tuned to our updates for more information on this highly anticipated game!
