April 2025 State of Play Highlights Borderlands 4 Gameplay

The State of Play event for Borderlands 4, which took place on April 30, 2025, captivated fans with a 20-minute official gameplay deep dive, showcasing the game's exciting new features and mechanics. Dive in to discover the latest details unveiled and understand the fan theories surrounding the game's adjusted launch date.

Borderlands 4 State of Play: New Details Revealed

20-Minute Gameplay Deep Dive Video

The Borderlands 4 State of Play offered a thrilling glimpse into the upcoming looter shooter. During PlayStation's latest State of Play event, fans were treated to an in-depth look at the game, 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 capable of digistructing an array of weapons.

Players were introduced to the new planet of Kairos, a world teeming with warring factions, dangerous wildlife, and desperate inhabitants, all under the iron rule of the Timekeeper. The mission is clear: ignite a revolution against this oppressive ruler, ally with unique factions, and enlist their support in your quest. Returning fan-favorite characters like Claptrap, Moxxi, and Zane will also assist players in their journey.

The gameplay showcase also revealed new features, including the innovative licensed Parts system, allowing players to mix and match weapon behaviors and abilities, new Gear slots for more specialized builds, and the introduction of the Digirunner vehicle, promising an exhilarating ride through the game's vast landscapes.

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 change to the "incredible development work" on the game. Despite this explanation, fans speculated about other possible reasons, with many pointing to the potential release plans of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6).

Both Gearbox Software and Rockstar Games, the developers of Borderlands and GTA respectively, are owned by Take-Two Interactive. This connection led fans to theorize that the release date adjustment might be a strategic move by the parent company, especially after Take-Two's earlier statements about their game release windows.

During Take-Two Interactive's earnings call in November 2024, the company confirmed plans to release GTA 6 in Fall 2025. CEO Strauss Zelnick emphasized that this would not conflict with Borderlands 4's planned launch within Take-Two's 2026 fiscal year (April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026). In an interview with Variety in November 2024, Zelnick stated, "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 dispel these speculations. He affirmed that the decision to move up the release date was purely based on the studio's confidence in their product, stating, "Our decision is literally 0% about any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date."

Regardless of the reasons behind the date change, fans can look forward to experiencing Borderlands 4 earlier than anticipated. The game is now set to launch on September 12, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Stay tuned to our site for the latest updates and insights on Borderlands 4!