If you're a fan of first-person shooters, you'll be thrilled to hear that Gearbox's highly anticipated Borderlands 4 is set to release 11 days earlier than originally planned. The news was confirmed by development head Randy Pitchford in a video that appeared to go live prematurely. Initially scheduled for September 23, Borderlands 4 will now launch on September 12 across multiple platforms, including PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and Nintendo Switch.
In the video, Pitchford expressed his excitement, stating, "Everything is going great, actually. In fact, everything is going kind of the best-case scenario. The game is awesome, the team is cooking, and so the launch date for Borderlands 4 is changing. We’re moving it forward. The launch date is now September 12." He further emphasized, "What?! This never happens you guys! This never happens! We’re moving the launch date forward! You’re gonna get Borderlands 4 earlier!"
Pitchford also mentioned that the much-awaited PlayStation State of Play event focusing on Borderlands 4 is imminent.
The sudden change in the release date has naturally sparked curiosity about potential influences from other major titles, such as Grand Theft Auto 6. Set to release sometime in the fall of 2025 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S, GTA 6’s release window could potentially overshadow smaller titles like Borderlands 4. Could the shift in Borderlands 4's release date provide it with additional breathing room amidst GTA 6's looming presence?
It’s important to note that Borderlands 4 is published by 2K Games, which falls under Take-Two Interactive. As Take-Two owns both 2K Games and Rockstar, the parent company likely has a comprehensive understanding of all its games' progress and development stages. It’s plausible that the recent focus on GTA 6’s release schedule prompted the decision to push Borderlands 4 forward by nearly two weeks.
If Borderlands 4 launches on September 12, it might eliminate the possibility of GTA 6 being released in the same month or August. Potential release windows for GTA 6 could extend into October, November, or even December 2025. However, there’s a risk that releasing these major titles too closely together could lead to internal competition, potentially harming sales.
Additionally, Take-Two has another significant title, Mafia: The Old Country, scheduled for release sometime in summer 2025. This raises concerns about whether Take-Two's major releases, particularly GTA 6, could inadvertently hurt each other by launching too close together.
When asked about this potential conflict, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick assured that the company plans its releases carefully to avoid consumer fatigue, emphasizing the importance of respecting players' time to fully enjoy each game before moving on to the next.
Despite these assurances, there remains speculation about the possibility of GTA 6 being delayed until early winter or even into the first quarter of 2026. When questioned about the confidence in Rockstar meeting the fall 2025 deadline, Zelnick replied, "Look, there's always a risk of slippage and I think as soon as you say words like absolutely, you jinx things." He concluded, "So we feel really good about it."
As the gaming world waits with anticipation, fans eagerly await updates on both highly anticipated titles.
