April 2025 State of Play Highlights Borderlands 4 Gameplay

The April 2025 State of Play showcased an exclusive 20-minute gameplay deep dive into *Borderlands 4*, offering fans a closer look at the game’s new mechanics, characters, and story elements. As one of the most anticipated titles in the looter shooter genre, this latest reveal gave players plenty to be excited about as they gear up for its upcoming launch.

Borderlands 4 Gameplay Deep Dive Highlights

During the State of Play broadcast on April 30, PlayStation unveiled an extended gameplay video that dives into the core experience of *Borderlands 4*. The segment features two of the four playable Vault Hunters—Vex the Siren and Rafa the Exo-Soldier—each bringing unique abilities and playstyles to the battlefield.

• Vex the Siren: Harnesses supernatural phase energy to boost her combat effectiveness and summon deadly minions.
• Rafa the Exo-Soldier: A former Tediore trooper equipped with a powerful exo-suit capable of digistructing a wide arsenal of weapons on the fly.

Players will explore the war-torn planet Kairos, home to clashing factions, dangerous wildlife, and oppressed civilians under the rule of the tyrannical Timekeeper. Your mission? Spark a revolution by rallying allies and taking down the oppressive regime. Familiar faces like Claptrap, Moxxi, and Zane return to support you along the way, adding both humor and strategic value to your journey.

The gameplay demo also revealed several new systems and enhancements, including:

• Licensed Parts System: Customize weapon behaviors and abilities by mixing and matching parts.
• New Gear Slots: Enable more specialized builds and deeper character customization.
• Digirunner: A brand-new vehicle designed for high-speed traversal across the chaotic terrain of Kairos.

Gearbox Addresses Borderlands 4’s Early Launch Date

Shortly before the State of Play event, Gearbox announced that *Borderlands 4* would release two weeks earlier than originally scheduled. While some speculated that the change was made to avoid conflicting with other major releases—particularly Grand Theft Auto 6—Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford clarified that the decision was based purely on confidence in the game's development progress.

“[The early release] is literally 0% about any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date,” Pitchford stated via Twitter (X) on April 30.

This statement comes amid industry-wide speculation, especially given that both Gearbox and Rockstar Games fall under Take-Two Interactive. During an earnings call in November 2024, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick reiterated that there were no plans to overlap major releases, noting that *GTA 6* is expected to launch in Fall 2025, while *Borderlands 4* remains within Take-Two’s 2026 fiscal year window (April 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026).

Regardless of the rumors, fans are thrilled that *Borderlands 4* will arrive sooner than initially planned. The game is now set to launch globally on September 12, 2025, across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC platforms.

Stay tuned for more updates as we approach the release date. For the latest news, guides, and in-depth coverage of *Borderlands 4*, keep checking back right here.