April 2025 State of Play Highlights Borderlands 4 Gameplay

The State of Play event for Borderlands 4, held on April 30, 2025, delivered an exciting 20-minute gameplay deep dive, showcasing the game's innovative features and mechanics. This deep dive into the world of Borderlands 4 has sparked considerable interest among fans, especially with the recent announcement of a change in the game's launch date. Let's delve into the new details revealed and explore the fan theories surrounding the date shift.

20-Minute Gameplay Deep Dive Video

The Borderlands 4 State of Play provided a comprehensive look at the upcoming looter shooter, featuring a detailed gameplay video. The video introduced 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 showcased the new planet of Kairos, characterized by warring factions, deadly wildlife, and desperate inhabitants, all under the oppressive rule of the Timekeeper. Players' mission is to ignite a revolution against this tyrant, collaborating with unique factions and enlisting their support. Beloved characters like Claptrap, Moxxi, and Zane are set to return, assisting players in their quest.

Additional features highlighted include the new licensed Parts system, allowing players to customize weapon behaviors and abilities, new Gear slots for more specialized builds, and the introduction of the Digirunner vehicle, adding new dimensions to gameplay.

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 would be moved up by two weeks. The studio attributed this decision to the "incredible development work" on the game. However, fans have speculated that the change might be influenced by the release plans of other major titles, particularly Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6).

The connection stems from the fact that both Gearbox Software and Rockstar Games, the developer of GTA 6, are owned by Take-Two Interactive. Fans point to Take-Two's earlier statements about their release windows, especially after the company's CEO, Strauss Zelnick, emphasized in a November 2024 earnings call that GTA 6 was planned for a Fall 2025 release, which would not conflict with Borderlands 4's original window within Take-Two's 2026 fiscal year.

Despite these speculations, Gearbox Entertainment CEO Randy Pitchford took to Twitter (X) on April 30 to clarify that the decision to move up the release date was purely based on confidence in their product. "Our decision is literally 0% about any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date," Pitchford asserted.

Regardless of the reasons behind the date change, fans are eagerly anticipating the early release of Borderlands 4, set for September 12, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates and insights into this highly anticipated game!