Borderlands 4 Gameplay Deep Dive Was Main Focus of April 2025 State of Play
The State of Play for Borderlands 4 provided an in-depth look at the game with a 20-minute official gameplay deep dive, showcasing new features and mechanics. This article delves into the new details revealed and explores the fan theories surrounding the game's launch date adjustment.
Borderlands 4 State of Play New Details Revealed
20-Minute Gameplay Deep Dive Video
The Borderlands 4 State of Play, streamed on April 30, offered fans an exciting 20-minute gameplay deep dive into the upcoming looter shooter. This video showcased two of the 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 can digistruct an array of weapons.
The gameplay also introduced players to the new planet of Kairos, a world teeming with warring factions, deadly wildlife, and desperate inhabitants, all under the oppressive rule of the Timekeeper. The mission is to spark a revolution against this tyrant, aligning with unique factions and recruiting them to your cause. Familiar faces like Claptrap, Moxxi, and Zane return to assist in this epic quest.
New features highlighted include 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, adding to the excitement of the 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 had been moved up by two weeks. The studio attributed this change to the "incredible development work" on the game. However, fans speculated about other potential reasons, particularly in relation to the release 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 to theories that the launch date adjustment was influenced by corporate strategy, especially following Take-Two's statements about their release windows during their November 2024 earnings call. CEO Strauss Zelnick confirmed intentions to release GTA 6 in Fall 2025, within Take-Two's 2026 fiscal year, and reassured that there would be no unnecessary overlap with Borderlands 4.
In response to these speculations, Gearbox Entertainment CEO Randy Pitchford took to Twitter (X) on April 30 to clarify that the decision to ship early was purely based on the studio's confidence in their product. He emphasized, "Our decision is literally 0% about any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date."
Regardless of the motivations behind the change, fans can look forward to experiencing Borderlands 4 earlier than anticipated. The game is set to launch on September 12, 2025, across 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!
