Gearbox Software recently concluded its highly anticipated Borderlands 4 State of Play, showcasing 20 minutes of new gameplay and details for fans eager to dive into the next installment of the beloved looter shooter franchise. The presentation promised that the 2025 release of Borderlands 4 will be Gearbox's most refined and immersive experience to date, featuring significant gameplay enhancements including new traversal mechanics and an updated loot system.
Movement Abilities ------------------Each Borderlands game brings fresh movement mechanics, and Borderlands 4 continues this tradition with innovative features that enhance player mobility and interaction. Highlights from the gameplay footage include a midair hover capability reminiscent of Destiny, enabling players to shoot while in the air or reach distant ledges. Additionally, a versatile grappling hook serves both combat and exploration purposes, while a new dash mechanic allows for last-second evasions. Vehicles remain a staple, with the introduction of the Digirunner, which players can summon at their convenience throughout the expansive world.
Guns and Manufacturers
While previous showcases focused on traversal, the recent State of Play put the spotlight on the game's arsenal. Borderlands 4 introduces three new gun manufacturers - Order, Ripper, and Daedalus - alongside the familiar five, each offering unique weapon designs and abilities. The game introduces a groundbreaking Licensed Parts System, allowing guns to be assembled from components made by different manufacturers. For instance, players might find an assault rifle featuring elemental parts from Maliwan, a Torgue ammo clip, and a Hyperion shield. This system escalates the importance of rare loot drops, as higher rarity weapons boast more diverse parts.
Borderlands 4 State of Play Gameplay Screenshots
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Story
The narrative of Borderlands 4 centers around two Vault Hunters: Vex the Siren and Rafa, an exosuit-wearing former Tediore soldier. Vex harnesses Siren powers to summon allies in combat, while Rafa crafts tools like Ark Knives for devastating attacks. The gameplay footage showcased their journey through the cold expanses of the Terminus Range on the planet Kairos, one of four new zones to explore. The story promises encounters with both familiar characters like Moxxi, Zane, Amara, and Claptrap, and new faces including the imposing Rush and the utility robot Echo 4, which will assist players throughout their adventure by scanning environments, hacking, and guiding them to objectives.
Multiplayer
Borderlands 4 enhances the multiplayer experience with a streamlined co-op system, including an improved lobby system for easier friend connections. Crossplay will be available at launch, ensuring seamless play across platforms with individual loot instances and dynamic level scaling. Players can customize their experience further with separate difficulty settings for each party member. Split-screen couch co-op and a fast travel feature to locate friends make group play more enjoyable and convenient.
Additional features in Borderlands 4 include a reduced chance for Legendary loot drops, expansive new skill trees, and innovative gear options like Rep Kits for quick revives or combat buffs, Ordnances for customizable weapon slots, and Enhancements that provide manufacturer-specific gun bonuses.
Borderlands 4 has moved up its release date by 11 days, now set for September 12 on PC via the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S. A version for Nintendo Switch 2 is slated for later in the year. Despite fan speculation, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford clarified that this date change is unrelated to the release of Take-Two Interactive’s Grand Theft Auto 6. More details about Borderlands 4 are expected to be unveiled at Gearbox's upcoming hands-on gameplay event in June.
