April 2025 State of Play Highlights Borderlands 4 Gameplay

The State of Play event for Borderlands 4 offered fans an in-depth look at the game through a 20-minute gameplay showcase, highlighting new features and mechanics. Dive into the details revealed and explore 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 Borderlands 4 State of Play, streamed on April 30, 2025, as part of PlayStation's event, provided a detailed look into the upcoming looter shooter. The gameplay 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 video also unveiled the new planet of Kairos, a setting teeming with warring factions, deadly fauna, and desperate inhabitants under the oppressive rule of the Timekeeper. Players will embark on a mission to ignite a revolution, meeting and recruiting unique factions along the way. Returning fan-favorites Claptrap, Moxxi, and Zane will assist in this quest.

New gameplay mechanics were showcased, including the innovative licensed Parts system, which allows players to mix and match weapon behaviors and abilities, new Gear slots for more specialized builds, and the introduction of a new vehicle, the Digirunner, among other exciting additions.

Gearbox Denies Launch Date Change is Influenced by Other Games

Prior to the State of Play, Gearbox Software announced that Borderlands 4 would be released two weeks earlier than initially planned. The studio attributed this change to the "incredible development work" on the game. However, fans speculated that the shift might be influenced by the release plans of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6), especially given that both Gearbox and Rockstar Games are under the Take-Two Interactive umbrella.

Take-Two Interactive had previously announced intentions to release GTA 6 in Fall 2025 during their November 2024 earnings call. CEO Strauss Zelnick assured that this would not conflict with Borderlands 4's release window, set for the company's 2026 fiscal year (April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026).

Gearbox Entertainment CEO Randy Pitchford took to Twitter (X) on April 30 to address these speculations. He emphasized that the decision to move the release date was "literally 0% about any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date," but rather a reflection of their confidence in the game's readiness.

Despite the discussions around the release date, fans are eagerly anticipating the early arrival of Borderlands 4. The game is scheduled to launch on September 12, 2025, across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates and in-depth coverage on this highly anticipated title.