Borderlands 4 April 2025 Reveal: All Announcements

Gearbox Software recently unveiled exciting details about Borderlands 4 during its State of Play, showcasing 20 minutes of new gameplay and details for the eagerly awaited looter shooter. The presentation dives straight into the action, asserting that the 2025 installment is the studio's most refined and immersive yet, with significant gameplay changes ranging from new traversal abilities to revamped loot drop formulas. Gearbox filled the 20-minute showcase with insights on how Borderlands 4 elevates the series with fresh mechanics and enhanced existing features, and we've compiled all the key highlights for you right here.

Movement Abilities

Each Borderlands game introduces innovative traversal mechanics, and Borderlands 4 is no exception. We've had glimpses of the new tools players will have at their disposal when the game launches this September, but the gameplay footage from today provided a clearer picture of what to expect.

Vault hunters can now utilize a Destiny-inspired midair hover, allowing them to shoot while in the air or reach distant ledges. A grappling hook adds versatility for both combat and exploration, and a dash feature enables last-second evasions. Vehicles remain a crucial element in Borderlands 4, with the new Digirunner among the options players can spawn at their convenience.

Guns and Manufacturers

While previous showcases focused on Vault Hunter traversal, today's State of Play spotlighted the gun manufacturers. Borderlands 4 features eight companies, including three new ones: Order, Ripper, and Daedalus, each bringing unique weapon designs and abilities to the game.

The game introduces the Licensed Parts System, revolutionizing existing gun mechanics. Weapons can now incorporate parts from different manufacturers, such as an assault rifle with Maliwan's elemental components, Torgue's ammo clip, and Hyperion's shield. Higher rarity weapons include more parts, making the pursuit of legendary loot drops more critical than ever.

Borderlands 4 State of Play Gameplay Screenshots

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Story

The Borderlands 4 State of Play follows two Vault Hunters: Vex the Siren and Rafa, a former Tediore soldier in an exosuit. Vex harnesses Siren abilities to summon beings for combat support, while Rafa crafts tools like Ark Knives to dismantle enemies quickly. The gameplay footage showcased the duo navigating cold, open arenas in the Terminus Range, one of four zones on the planet Kairos.

Borderlands 4 continues the series' tradition of blending familiar faces with new ones. Notable characters from the State of Play include Moxxi, Zane, Amara, and Claptrap, with hints of more to come about Lilith. New additions include Rush, a towering armored figure, and Echo 4, a helpful robot that aids players throughout their journey by scanning environments, hacking, and guiding lost Vault Hunters to their objectives.

Multiplayer

Borderlands 4 enhances the multiplayer experience with streamlined co-op processes. Gearbox has introduced "an improved lobby system" for easier friend connections and crossplay at launch, ensuring all loot is instanced and levels dynamically scale for a seamless experience across platforms.

Customization extends to party settings, where each player can set their own difficulty level. Split-screen couch co-op is available from launch, and a fast travel feature helps players reunite if someone gets lost.

Borderlands 4 also introduces a lower chance for Legendary loot drops, new dense skill trees, and more. Players can choose between quick revives and temporary combat buffs with Rep Kit gear, while Ordnances allow filling a cooldown weapons slot with either grenades or unique heavy weapons. Enhancements replace Artifacts, offering bonuses to guns from specific manufacturers.

Borderlands 4 has moved up its release date by 11 days, from September 23 to September 12, for PC via the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is slated for release later in the year.

Despite fan speculation, Gearbox's Randy Pitchford clarified that the date change is not related to the long-awaited release of Take-Two Interactive's Grand Theft Auto 6. Stay tuned for more updates as Gearbox plans to reveal additional details at an upcoming hands-on gameplay event in June.