Borderlands 4 Release Date Moved Up — State of Play Showcase Set for Tomorrow

In a surprise shift just months ahead of its scheduled launch, Borderlands 4 is officially arriving earlier than expected. Gearbox Software has confirmed the game’s release date has been moved up to September 12, 2025, shaving nearly two weeks off its previously announced September 23 launch.

The announcement came via Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford, who shared a video update on social media late Monday afternoon. In the clip, Pitchford thanked fans for their continued support and noted that the game is “content complete” and entering the final stages of polish.

“The team is ahead of schedule and firing on all cylinders,” Pitchford said. “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built, and we just couldn’t wait any longer to get it into your hands.”

Strategic Timing

While Gearbox is presenting the move as a reward for fans, industry watchers suspect a more calculated motive: avoiding a clash with Grand Theft Auto VI. Take-Two Interactive—parent company of both Rockstar Games and Gearbox—has been quietly rearranging its fall lineup, and shifting Borderlands 4 forward gives GTA VI more breathing room ahead of its rumored October reveal and early 2026 release window.

Sources close to the situation told Insider Gaming that Take-Two “wants a clean runway” for GTA VI marketing and doesn’t want Borderlands 4 caught in its shadow.

State of Play: A Deeper Look Coming Tomorrow

In tandem with the release date announcement, Sony has confirmed that a special State of Play dedicated to Borderlands 4 is set to air tomorrow, April 30, at 07:00am AEST. The roughly 20-minute showcase will stream live on the official PlayStation YouTube and Twitch channels.

The presentation promises the first extended look at gameplay, including never-before-seen missions, gun mechanics, and new Vault Hunter abilities. Developer commentary will also dive into the game’s setting, “Promethea Reborn,” and tease the return of fan-favorite characters like Tiny Tina and Zer0.

Sources familiar with the State of Play content say it will also confirm four-player crossplay support at launch and a brand-new loot scaling system designed to reduce the power creep that plagued previous titles.

Multiple sources within Gearbox say that internal playtesting has been “extremely positive,” with some developers calling Borderlands 4 the “tightest and most repayable” entry in the franchise to date.

The game is built in Unreal Engine 5 and marks the first mainline installment since 2019’s Borderlands 3. While some fans were skeptical after the lukewarm reception of Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Gearbox leadership reportedly made significant changes to development structure, bringing back key creatives from Borderlands 2 and emphasizing tighter narrative cohesion.

For now, mark your calendars: Borderlands 4 drops September 12, 2025—and tomorrow’s State of Play could be the best look yet at one of this year’s biggest shooters.

AUSTRALIAN BORDERLANDS 4 STATE OF PLAY TIMES