Gearbox’s upcoming sci-fi open-world looter shooter Borderlands 4 will now launch on September 12, a full 11 days earlier than its originally announced release date of September 23. This unexpected schedule change was initially revealed through a social media video that was later deleted.
In the video announcement, the Gearbox CEO shared what at first appeared to be bad news about the upcoming shooter, but quickly revealed it was actually positive information. He explained that development was proceeding exceptionally well, stating that the team was “cooking” and everything was going according to “best-case scenario.” He emphasized how rare it is for a game’s release date to be moved forward rather than delayed. “The team has been working very hard and everything is going great actually. In fact, everything is kinda going the best-case-scenario. The game is awesome,” he stated in the video.
After removing the initial post, the executive followed up with a message suggesting he had jumped the gun on the announcement due to time zone confusion. The news has since been officially confirmed through the official Borderlands social media channels.
What This Means for the Fall Gaming Season
Borderlands 4, announced in summer 2024, represents the next major installment in the wildly popular looter shooter franchise from Gearbox and 2K. The game is being developed for PC, Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Gaming enthusiasts will have an opportunity to see more of Borderlands 4 during an upcoming Sony State of Play on April 30. The presentation will run approximately 20 minutes and provide an in-depth look at the shooter’s gameplay mechanics and world.
Potential Impact on Grand Theft Auto 6’s Release Window
While this schedule change brings excitement for Borderlands fans, it also raises questions about what this might mean for Grand Theft Auto 6’s release timeline. Borderlands 4 was among the first major AAA titles to secure a specific fall release date while GTA 6 still lacks an official launch date.
Given that both games are published by companies under the Take-Two Interactive umbrella (Rockstar Games and 2K), many industry observers had speculated that Borderlands 4’s original late September release was strategically chosen to provide adequate separation from GTA 6’s rumored October launch.
With Borderlands 4 now launching earlier, this could indicate several possibilities. It might simply reflect the smooth development progress allowing for an earlier release without any connection to GTA 6’s timeline. Alternatively, it could suggest that GTA 6’s internal release date has also shifted, potentially prompting Take-Two to adjust other game releases to minimize overlap between their major titles.