Borderlands 4 Release Date Moved Up to September 12, 2025 – Is GTA 6 the Reason?

Borderlands 4 Release Date Moved Up to September 12, 2025 – Is GTA 6 the Reason?
Photo Credits: Wesley Yin-Poole

Hold onto your Vault Hunters, folks! The release date for Borderlands 4 has been accelerated, moving from September 23rd to a thrillingly earlier date of September 12th, 2025. The news arrived via a video from Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford, which, in a bit of a chaotic turn, was briefly deleted but is now being widely reposted. It’s a welcome surprise for fans eager to dive back into the mayhem!

Why the Rush?

Pitchford explained that everything with the game’s development is going "kinda the best-case scenario," and the team is feeling incredibly confident about the final product. But this swift change in plans has sparked a whole lot of speculation within the gaming community.

Many are wondering if this shift has anything to do with the impending arrival of Grand Theft Auto 6, currently slated for a Fall 2025 release. The timing is certainly…interesting. It almost feels like Gearbox and 2K Games, the publishers of Borderlands 4 (who are owned by Take-Two Interactive - the same parent company as Rockstar, developers of GTA 6) are maneuvering to get their looter-shooter into players' hands before GTA 6 potentially dominates the gaming landscape. After all, a fall release for both titles could create a competitive clash for player attention.

Take-Two's CEO, Strauss Zelnick, has previously addressed concerns about potential cannibalization of sales between their own big titles, emphasizing their plan to space releases to allow players ample time to enjoy each game. While Zelnick expressed confidence in avoiding this issue, the Borderlands 4 date shift suggests some strategic adjustments are in play.

Competition and Potential Impacts

The adjustment also throws a slight curveball into the release schedules of other upcoming games. Bungie’s cooperative extraction shooter, Marathon, was originally set to launch on the same day as the previously announced Borderlands 4 date. Some suggest the original September 23rd date was chosen with the expectation of this potential movement. This situation is a reminder of the careful dance developers perform when timing game releases, aiming to find the sweet spot between maximizing visibility and avoiding direct competition.

PlayStation's Ghost of Yotei, scheduled for an October 2nd release, could also find itself in a more crowded market depending on when GTA 6 eventually lands. Other publishers are reportedly holding back on announcing release dates, perhaps waiting to see what Rockstar reveals.

What We Know About Borderlands 4 So Far

Beyond the release date, fans have a major event to look forward to: a 20-minute State of Play presentation hosted by Randy Pitchford and Anthony Nicholson, Senior Project Producer. This deep dive, scheduled for April 30th, will showcase developer-guided gameplay, including missions, weapons, action skills, and reintroduced (and new!) characters.

  • Date of State of Play: April 30th
  • Time: 2pm PT / 5pm ET / 10pm BST / 11pm CEST
  • Where to Watch: PlayStation’s Twitch and YouTube channels

The State of Play follows the initial Launch Date Trailer from February, which offered a sneak peek at the chaos and loot to come. Plus, the game’s key art has been recently revealed, and wishlisting is now available on the PlayStation Store.

Platforms

Borderlands 4 is set to launch on:

  • PC
  • PlayStation 5
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Nintendo Switch 2

Yes, you read that right - the next generation Nintendo Switch!

This is all quite exciting, isn't it? A surprise early release date, anticipation for a detailed showcase, and the looming shadow (and potential competition!) of GTA 6. It’s a thrilling time to be a gamer, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on all the developments.