Borderlands 4 Reveals Set for April 2025

Gearbox Software recently concluded its Borderlands 4 State of Play presentation, unveiling 20 minutes of fresh gameplay footage and details about the eagerly awaited looter shooter.

The showcase immediately dives into action, highlighting how the 2025 Borderlands installment represents Gearbox's most polished and immersive release yet. Significant gameplay innovations range from enhanced movement mechanics to refined loot systems. During the 20-minute reveal, developers showcased Borderlands 4's upgraded features alongside brand-new gameplay elements – here are the key takeaways.

Enhanced Movement Mechanics

Each Borderlands title evolves its traversal features, and Borderlands 4 continues this tradition. While previous teasers hinted at new mobility options, today's gameplay offers the clearest look yet.

Vault Hunters gain Destiny-inspired aerial hovering capabilities, enabling midair combat and extended platforming reach. New tools include a multi-purpose grappling hook for both exploration and engagements, plus an evasive dash maneuver. Vehicle gameplay remains central, with players now able to summon rides – including the new Digirunner – anywhere in the world.

Weapon Systems Overhaul

While past reveals emphasized character mobility, today's State of Play showcased Borderlands 4's weapon manufacturing ecosystem. Eight manufacturers supply arms this time, introducing three newcomers: Order, Ripper, and Daedalus.

Each manufacturer maintains distinctive weapon traits while introducing breakthrough functionality through the Licensed Parts System. Guns now incorporate modular components across manufacturers – imagine assault rifles with Maliwan elemental tech, Torgue ammunition systems, and Hyperion shielding. Higher-tier weapons feature more interchangeable parts, elevating the loot chase to new heights.

Borderlands 4 State of Play Gameplay Screenshots

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Adventure Across Kairos

The State of Play follows two protagonists: Vex the Siren and Rafa, an ex-Tediore operative in mechanized armor. The Siren summons spectral allies while Rafa crafts devastating implements mid-combat. Gameplay reveals their journey through the frozen Terminus Range, one of four districts on the planet Kairos.

Series veterans will encounter familiar faces including Moxxi, Zane, Amara, and Claptrap, alongside newcomers like the armored enforcer Rush. Players receive constant support from Echo 4, a robotic companion handling environmental scanning, remote hacking, and navigation assistance.

Refined Cooperative Play

Borderlands 4 enhances multiplayer with quality-of-life improvements. Beyond streamlined matchmaking and cross-platform compatibility at launch, Gearbox introduces revolutionary party flexibility. Each player maintains independent difficulty settings while benefiting from universal loot instancing and dynamic level scaling.

Local split-screen returns alongside new quality-of-life features like teammate fast-travel. Cooperative improvements complement other innovations including adjusted Legendary drop rates, expanded skill trees, and customizable gear systems.

The arsenal expands with Ordnance slots (choosing between grenades or heavy weapons) and Enhancements replacing Artifacts – these manufacturer-specific bonuses create deeper gear synergies.

Borderlands 4's launch shifted forward from September 23 to September 12 across PC (Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. A Nintendo Switch 2 version follows later.

Despite fan speculation, Gearbox confirms the adjusted schedule isn't related to another major title's release. Stay tuned for hands-on previews coming this June.