Borderlands 4 April 2025: All Announcements

Gearbox Software recently concluded its Borderlands 4 State of Play, unveiling an exciting 20 minutes of new gameplay and details for the highly anticipated looter shooter. The presentation jumps right into the action, promising that the 2025 installment of Borderlands is the studio's most immersive and refined experience yet, featuring significant gameplay enhancements ranging from new traversal abilities to innovative loot drop mechanics. Gearbox packed the 20-minute showcase with reveals about how Borderlands 4 elevates the series with fresh mechanics and revamped features, and here are all the highlights.

Each Borderlands game introduces new ways to traverse the world, and Borderlands 4 is no exception. We've had glimpses of the new tools players will use when the game launches in September, but the latest gameplay footage provided a clearer picture of what's in store.

Vault hunters can now employ a Destiny-inspired midair hover, allowing for shooting while airborne or accessing distant ledges. Additionally, a grappling hook enhances both combat and exploration capabilities, while a dash feature enables last-second evasions. Vehicles remain a crucial element in Borderlands 4, with players now able to summon their rides, including the new Digirunner, at any location.

Guns and Manufacturers

While previous showcases focused on Vault Hunter traversal, the State of Play highlighted the game's gun manufacturers. With a total of eight companies arming players, three new ones—Order, Ripper, and Daedalus—join the fray with unique weapon designs and abilities. Borderlands 4 takes gun mechanics a step further with the introduction of the Licensed Parts System. This allows guns to be composed of various parts from different manufacturers, such as an assault rifle with Maliwan's elemental components, Torgue's ammo clip, and Hyperion's shield. Higher rarity weapons feature more parts, making the hunt for significant loot drops more exciting than ever.

Borderlands 4 State of Play Gameplay Screenshots

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The Borderlands 4 State of Play follows two Vault Hunters: Vex the Siren and Rafa, a former Tediore soldier in an exosuit. Vex harnesses Siren abilities to summon allies in battle, while Rafa constructs tools like Ark Knives to swiftly dismantle foes. The gameplay showcased the duo navigating cold, expansive arenas in the Terminus Range, one of four zones on the planet Kairos.

Borderlands 4 continues the series' tradition of blending old and new characters. Familiar faces like Moxxi, Zane, Amara, and Claptrap appeared, alongside hints of more information about Lilith. New characters include Rush, a towering armored figure, and Echo 4, a helpful robot that accompanies players throughout the game, aiding in exploration by scanning environments, hacking, and guiding lost Vault Hunters to their next objective.

Multiplayer

Borderlands 4 enhances the co-op experience with an improved lobby system, making it easier to join friends instantly. Crossplay will be available at launch, ensuring all loot is instanced for each player and dynamic level scaling allows for seamless play across different platforms.

Customization extends to difficulty settings, where each player can choose their own level of challenge independently. Split-screen couch co-op will be available at launch, along with a feature that lets players fast travel to their friends if they get separated.

Borderlands 4 has moved up its release date by 11 days, from September 23 to September 12, for PC via the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is expected later in the year.

Despite fan speculation, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford clarified that the release date adjustment has nothing to do with the long-awaited release of Take-Two Interactive's Grand Theft Auto 6. Stay tuned for more information as Gearbox plans to reveal additional details at an upcoming hands-on gameplay event in June.