Gearbox is about to launch Borderlands 4, a new installment in its most lucrative franchise by far. It’s been six years since Borderlands 3, although there were the spin-offs fantasy game Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands and the forgettable adventure game New Tales from the Borderlands, both released in 2021, in between.

Let’s recap everything we have learned about the game from the developers since its unveiling at Gamescom 2024.

Release Date, Platforms, Pricing, Editions

In February, Gearbox announced that Borderlands 4 would debut on September 23. However, in late April, the studio brought it forward to September 12. At the time, most believed that publisher Take-Two Interactive had dictated the move due to the imminent launch of Grand Theft Auto VI, then still scheduled for Fall 2025. However, Gearbox president Randy Pitchford was quick to state that the date change had nothing to do with GTA VI, and he was proven right mere days later, when Rockstar announced GTA VI’s delay to May 26, 2026.

Borderlands 4 will launch on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S|X, and Nintendo Switch 2, although users of the latter platform will have to wait a bit more to play the game. Unlike most games nowadays, there won’t be any ‘early access’ for those wishing to purchase more expensive editions. However, said editions do come with many perks.

The Standard edition is priced at $69.99. The Deluxe Edition costs $99.99 and includes the Firehawk’s Fury Weapon Skin and the Bounty Pack Bundle, which consists of the following post-launch Borderlands 4 content:

• 4 unique areas, featuring new missions and unique bosses
• 4 Vault Cards with unique challenges and rewards
• New gear and weapons
• New Vault Hunter cosmetics
• 4 New vehicles with new cosmetics

The Super Deluxe Edition is priced at $129.99 and adds the following to the above:

Ornate Order Pack

• 4 Vault Hunter Skins
• 4 Vault Hunter Heads
• 4 Vault Hunter Bodies

Vault Hunter Pack

• 2 new playable Vault Hunters
• 2 new Story Packs, featuring all new story and side missions
• 2 new map regions
• New gear and weapons
• New Vault Hunter cosmetics
• New ECHO-4 cosmetics

All editions of Borderlands 4, if pre-ordered, will provide access to the Gilded Glory Pack bundle, which consists of 1 Vault Hunter Skin, 1 ECHO-4 Drone Skin, and 1 Weapon Skin.

Genre, Setting, and Story Premise

The franchise can be considered the original looter shooter, and this new installment will be no exception.

However, the setting is different from the previous titles. Long gone is the planet Pandora, which had been the focus of every game in the series except for New Tales from the Borderlands. This new entry follows directly from the ending of Borderlands 3, where Lilith uses her Siren powers to teleport the moon Elpis away (saving Pandora in the process). An unintended consequence is that Elpis’s arrival in the orbit of the planet Kairos destroys the planet’s protective barrier, making it visible to everyone after a very long time of staying hidden.

Kairos is a planet ruled through fear and oppression by a dictator named The Timekeeper. However, the uncloaking caused by the moon Elpis sparked chaos and uprisings. Players take the role of a Vault Hunter who ends up leading the resistance against The Timekeeper while, of course, seeking various alien artifacts. Borderlands 4 is also going to shift the series’ trademark humor a bit. It will still be there, mostly in side content, but the main storyline will be a bit more serious than fans are used to due to the dictatorship theme.

Gameplay

Like its predecessors, the game will focus heavily on shooting and looting. However, the new installment offers several enhancements. To start with, Gearbox said the map is the biggest and most seamless in the franchise, allowing players to explore freely. There’s a lot more verticality, too, which players will be able to exploit thanks to climbing, the grappling hook, and gliding. Other movement options include dashing, sliding, and double jumping.

Because of the exploration changes, the developers have opted to use a Bethesda-style compass rather than the mini-map seen in previous Borderlands games. They did not completely close the door to adding the feature post-launch if the fans really want it, though. Exploring Kairos will be spiced up by dynamic weather and events. Furthermore, players will be able to command their own vehicle to reach further destinations more quickly.

In terms of combat changes, Borderlands 4 introduces a new ordnance slot, which groups together grenades and heavy weaponry, including rocket launchers. These weapons can be fired or thrown until the ammo is depleted. Then, they possess cooldown timers that refill the ammo and the ability to activate again over a short timeframe. There are also new repair kits that can regenerate health or provide other benefits, such as increased elemental damage, fire rate, and movement speed.

At launch, Borderlands 4 will offer four playable characters to choose from:

Vex the Siren – She had a hard life, fending for herself for her entire life. This perhaps explains her cynical and sarcastic nature, but beneath her rough exterior and general pessimism, she still believes in helping others. If helping means blasting oppressive jerks, all the better.

Rafa the Exo-Soldier – He was born and raised in microgravity, which altered his bone density and musculature so severely that he could not survive anywhere else. However, Rafa was desperate to explore and enlisted in Tediore’s military. In exchange for a tour of duty, his body was modified to fit a new exosuit. However, when it became clear that Tediore never intended to release him from service, he went on the run, planning to enjoy whatever time he has left before his Tediore Deadframe ends him for good.

Harlowe the Gravitar – A former Maliwan combat scientist, she is driven by the need to understand how things work. This initially made her an outcast among her Traunt relatives, but she has used her intellect to bring new technology and gadgets to the battlefield as a Vault Hunter. Her brilliance is evident in everything she does, as is her enthusiasm and love for life.

Amon the Forgeknight – He was raised in a Vault monster-worshipping cult until the Vault opened and the creature turned on everyone he loved. The only survivor of the ensuing carnage, he dedicates his life to finding and killing as many of these beasts as he possibly can. At heart, Amon is a warrior-poet who is introspective and unflinching in his duty. Despite his rugged appearance, he has a warm attitude and often shares stories and advice from his travels with his comrades.

At least two additional playable characters will be introduced to Borderlands 4 at some point after launch. As with previous franchise entries, the game will support cooperative gameplay for up to four players, this time with cross-play between all platforms.

Tech and Specs

The game is powered by Unreal Engine 5. Gearbox has reassured fans that the Nintendo Switch 2 is powerful enough to run the game well.

Indeed, the official PC system requirements aren’t the most taxing we’ve seen for an Unreal Engine 5 game:

Minimum:
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10 / Windows 11
Processor: Intel Core i7-9700 / AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 / AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
Storage: 100 GB available space
Additional Notes: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system. Requires 8 CPU Cores for processor. Requires 8 GB VRAM for graphics. SSD storage required

Recommended:
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10 / Windows 11
Processor: Intel Core i7-12700 / AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
Memory: 32 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 / AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
Storage: 100 GB available space
Additional Notes: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system. Requires 8+ CPU Cores for processor. Requires 12+ GB VRAM for graphics. SSD storage required

So far, Gearbox hasn’t officially partnered with AMD or NVIDIA for Borderlands 4, but that may change before launch. If it does, we’ll update this article.