Borderlands 4 Gets an Action-Packed Gameplay Preview
The latest wave of news on Borderlands 4, unveiled during the PlayStation State of Play, delivers a 19-minute gameplay deep dive that has fans eager for what’s to come.
Released alongside a new launch date of September 12, 2025—11 days earlier than the previously announced September 23—this trailer showcases Gearbox Software’s ambitious looter-shooter sequel set to hit PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store), and Nintendo Switch 2 (later in 2025). Here’s what we learned so far!
Borderlands 4 (2025) | Gearbox Software
Key Visual and Gameplay Elements
The trailer thrusts players into Kairos, a “high-tech but lo-fi” planet revealed after Pandora’s moon, Elpis, crashes through its cloaking shield. Vibrant, cel-shaded visuals depict diverse regions like the Terminus Range, with purple-hued ravines and sprawling sci-fi landscapes. The trailer introduces two of the four new Vault Hunters: Vex the Siren, who summons ghostly shades with a scythe, and Rafa the Exo-Soldier, wielding an experimental mech suit.
Gameplay showcases dynamic movement—grappling hooks, double jumps, midair hovers, and a series-first swimming mechanic—making traversal feel fluid and frenetic. A montage of gunplay, synced to Fontaines D.C.’s “Starburster,” features weapons from eight manufacturers, including newcomers Order, Ripper, and Daedalus. The Licensed Parts System lets guns mix parts from multiple brands, like a Maliwan elemental assault rifle with a Torgue clip, adding depth to the loot chase.
Narrative and Setting Highlights
Borderlands 4 shifts from Pandora to Kairos, ruled by the tyrannical Timekeeper and his synthetic army, the Order. The trailer hints at a resistance against this “ruthless dictator,” with a world-altering catastrophe unleashing chaos. Familiar faces like Claptrap appear, while the narrative teases ties to Borderlands 3’s ending, with Lilith’s Firehawk sigil visible in the sky.
To make fans even more excited, the seamless, near-open-world design eliminates loading screens, offering a sprawling playground for solo or four-player co-op mayhem. But don’t just take our word for it—check out the extensive preview here.
