April 2025 State of Play Highlights Borderlands 4 Gameplay

The State of Play event for Borderlands 4 provided an in-depth look at the game with a 20-minute gameplay deep dive, showcasing new features and mechanics. Here's a detailed exploration of the new revelations and fan theories about the shifted launch date.

Borderlands 4 State of Play New Details Revealed

20-Minute Gameplay Deep Dive Video

The April 30, 2025, State of Play event from PlayStation offered fans a thrilling glimpse into Borderlands 4, the latest installment in the beloved looter shooter series. The spotlight was on a comprehensive 20-minute gameplay video, which introduced two of the game's four new Vault Hunters: Vex the Siren, who harnesses supernatural phase energy to enhance her abilities and summon deadly minions, and Rafa the Exo-Soldier, a former Tediore trooper equipped with an experimental exo-suit that allows him to digistruct an arsenal of weapons.

The gameplay also unveiled the new planet of Kairos, a volatile world filled with warring factions, lethal fauna, and desperate inhabitants, all under the iron rule of the Timekeeper. Players will embark on a mission to spark a revolution against this oppressive ruler, engaging with unique factions and rallying them to the cause. Returning fan favorites such as Claptrap, Moxxi, and Zane will join players on this epic journey.

Exciting new features showcased include the innovative licensed Parts system, allowing players to customize their weapons by mixing and matching behaviors and abilities. Additional Gear slots offer more options for specialized builds, and the introduction of the Digirunner vehicle promises to enhance the gameplay experience.

Gearbox Denies Launch Date Change is Influenced by Other Games

Prior to the State of Play, Gearbox Software announced an earlier release date for Borderlands 4, moving it forward by two weeks. The studio attributed this change to the "incredible development work" put into the game. Despite this explanation, fans speculated about other potential reasons, particularly in relation to the rumored release plans for Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6).

Both Gearbox Software and Rockstar Games, the developers behind Borderlands and GTA respectively, are subsidiaries of Take-Two Interactive. This connection led fans to theorize that the release date shift might be strategically influenced by corporate decisions, especially following Take-Two's earlier statements about their game release windows.

During a November 2024 earnings call, Take-Two Interactive announced their intention to launch GTA 6 in Fall 2025. CEO Strauss Zelnick clarified that this would not conflict with Borderlands 4's original release window, which was set within the company's 2026 fiscal year (April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026). In a November 2024 interview with Variety, Zelnick emphasized, "I think it’s safe to say that we wouldn’t, and no one would, stack up huge releases unnecessarily."

However, Gearbox Entertainment CEO Randy Pitchford took to Twitter (X) on April 30 to address these speculations directly. He firmly stated that the decision to move up the release date was "literally 0% about any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date," emphasizing the studio's confidence in their product.

Regardless of the reasons behind the date change, fans can look forward to experiencing Borderlands 4 earlier than anticipated. The game is now scheduled for release on September 12, 2025, and will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates and insights by checking out our related articles below!