April 2025 State of Play Highlights Borderlands 4 Gameplay Deep Dive

The State of Play event for Borderlands 4, held on April 30, 2025, provided fans with an in-depth look at the upcoming looter shooter through a 20-minute gameplay deep dive. This segment of PlayStation's State of Play was dedicated to unveiling the new features and mechanics of Borderlands 4. Dive in to explore the latest revelations and the speculated reasons behind the game's launch date shift.

Borderlands 4 State of Play: New Details Revealed

20-Minute Gameplay Deep Dive Video

The State of Play showcased a comprehensive gameplay video for Borderlands 4, highlighting 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 a wide array of weapons.

Players were introduced to the new planet, Kairos, characterized by warring factions, lethal wildlife, and desperate inhabitants, all under the iron rule of the Timekeeper. The mission? To spark a revolution against this oppressive ruler, forge alliances with unique factions, and enlist them in your cause. Familiar faces such as Claptrap, Moxxi, and Zane return to support players on this journey.

The gameplay also revealed exciting new features, including the innovative licensed Parts system for customizing weapon behaviors and abilities, additional Gear slots for more specialized builds, and the introduction of the Digirunner vehicle, among other enhancements.

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 originally planned, attributing the change to the game's "incredible development work." However, fans speculated that the decision might be influenced by the anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6).

Given that both Gearbox Software and Rockstar Games, the developers of Borderlands and GTA respectively, are under the Take-Two Interactive umbrella, many believed corporate strategy might be at play, especially following Take-Two's comments on their games' release schedules.

In a November 2024 earnings call, Take-Two Interactive expressed their intention to release GTA 6 in Fall 2025, with CEO Strauss Zelnick assuring that it would not conflict with Borderlands 4's release window, set within the company's 2026 fiscal year.

Gearbox Entertainment CEO Randy Pitchford took to Twitter (X) on April 30 to dispel these speculations, asserting that the early release of Borderlands 4 was solely due to their confidence in the game's quality. "Our decision is literally 0% about any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date," Pitchford emphasized.

Regardless of the rationale behind the date shift, fans can look forward to experiencing Borderlands 4 sooner than anticipated. The game is slated for release on September 12, 2025, across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Stay tuned to our updates for the latest on Borderlands 4!