Borderlands 4 – Gameplay, release date, cross-play, and everything you need to know

Borderlands 4 key art
What new over-the-top and world-shattering adventures await Vault Hunters in Borderlands 4? (Image credit: 2K)

Ever since the Borderlands series made its debut in 2009, this critically acclaimed looter-shooter franchise has blazed a trail of cathartic destruction in the gaming industry for over 16 years and brought millions of fans along for the ride.

With several games, spin-offs, and even a movie under its belt, Borderlands is now looking to take next-gen gaming by storm with its newest installment – Borderlands 4. Like previous games, Borderlands 4 will have players assume the role of Vault Hunters traversing the galaxy to loot the legendary Vaults while blowing up monsters, raiders, and any other bad guys dumb enough to get in your way.

Here’s everything you need to know about Borderlands 4.

Borderlands 4 – Release date and platforms

When is Borderlands 4’s release date and what platforms will it launch on?

Answer: Borderlands will launch on September 12, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Windows and Steam.

Borderlands 4 - Official Launch Date Trailer - YouTube Borderlands 4 - Official Launch Date Trailer - YouTube
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On February 12, 2025, 2K released a gameplay trailer for Borderlands 4, which revealed the game was originally going to release on September 23, 2025. But then on April 29, 2025, 2K announced that it had changed Borderlands 4's release date to September 12, 2025.

Additionally, the game will launch on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Windows and Steam.

Borderlands 4 – What is it?

What is Borderlands 4?

Answer: Borderlands 4 is a first-person looter-shooter developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K. You play as Vault Hunters looking to plunder the legendary Vaults while at the same sparking a revolution to free the planet Kairo from its evil tyrant, The Timekeeper.

The evil Timekeeper stands in your way of obtaining eternal fame, fortune, and freedom. (Image credit: 2K)

Borderlands 4 is a first-person looter-shooter developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K. In this game, you assume the role of Vault Hunters, a group of hardened soldiers of fortune searching the galaxy to plunder legendary Vaults for their ancient alien artifacts.

On your journey to the Vaults, you crash-land on a planet called Kairos, which is currently ruled by an evil dictator known as The Timekeeper. Trapped on Kairos with no way out, the only course left is to start a resistance movement to take down The Timekeeper and free the planet so you can continue your journey to find the Vaults.

Borderlands 4 – Multiplayer and cross-play

Will Borderlands 4 feature multiplayer and cross-play support?

Answer: Borderlands 4 can be played solo or in 4-player co-op both online and offline. It’s also been confirmed Borderlands 4 will feature cross-play support between Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

The bloodthirsty Psychos make their return with news of dealing death in Borderlands 4. (Image credit: 2K)

Borderlands 4 can be played solo or with fellow Vault Hunters in 4-player online co-op or 2-player, split-screen offline couch co-op modes.

What’s even better is that Gearbox Software’s president, Randy Pitchford, has confirmed in an interview with Famitsu that Borderlands 4 will feature cross-play support between Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. This will allow players on these systems can play co-op together online.

In addition, co-op will feature instanced loot for each player, dynamic level scaling, individual difficulty settings, and the ability to Fast Travel directly to your teammate's location.

However, there’s been no word so far if cross-play support will apply for the Nintendo Switch 2 port of Borderlands 4.

Borderlands 4 – Gameplay

What will Borderlands 4’s gameplay be like?

Answer: Borderlands 4’s gameplay will have you explore the world of Kairos as one of four classes, killing and looting hordes of enemies with over-the-top guns, and upgrading your character’s abilities so you can take on bigger bad buys.

Borderlands 4 - Official First Look - YouTube Borderlands 4 - Official First Look - YouTube
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Borderlands 4’s gameplay will task players with exploring the vast, alien world of Kairos for powerful guns to grab so they can shoot down The Timekeeper’s armies as well as other baddies like raiders, monsters, etc.

As per Borderlands tradition, this upcoming Xbox title/upcoming PC title will allow you to play as one of four Vault Hunters, each with their unique combat styles and abilities:

Amon the Forgeknight

Borderlands 4 - Official Gameplay Overview - Amon - YouTube Borderlands 4 - Official Gameplay Overview - Amon - YouTube
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Amon is a cyborg warrior (a.k.a. Forgeknight) raised by a Vault-worshipping cult on a quest to avenge his family after they slaughtered by a monster living in a Vault Amon's cult prayed to.

As a Forgeknight, Amon has a massive arsenal weapons built into his cybernetic body ready to be deployed and slaughter his enemies at moment's notice.

These weapons include elemental Forgeaxes, a Forgeshield to block incoming damage, a Forgehammer that causes massive explosions on impact, a giant Forgefist to punch enemies in the face, and much more.

Vex The Siren

Borderlands 4 - Official Gameplay Overview - Vex - YouTube Borderlands 4 - Official Gameplay Overview - Vex - YouTube
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Vex is a Siren, a rare group of women gifted (or cursed, depending on your perspective) with an otherworldly power that lets them warp reality to their will.

Sirens are feared and hated throughout the universe, for their power brings nothing but destruction wherever they go. As a result, Vex had a horrible childhood growing up.

Despite the universe rejecting her, Vex is willing to risk her life to protect others who can't defend themselves, especially from oppressive tyrants like The Timekeeper.

Vex's Siren powers are unique among her kind. She has the ability to summon Phase clones of herself, unleash powerful Eldritch Blasts and Phase Explosions, and conjure a giant Phase Phamiliar cat nicknamed Trouble to maul Vex's enemies to death.

Harlow the Gravitar

Where does she get all those wonderful toys? (Image credit: 2K)

Harlow is a former Maliwan combat scientist who supports allies with her gadgets and attacks enemies by activating a heavily-armed exosuit.

Rafa The Exo-Soldier

Borderlands 4 - Official Gameplay Overview - Rafa - YouTube Borderlands 4 - Official Gameplay Overview - Rafa - YouTube
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Rafa is a former Tediore soldier who went AWOL after being tricked into signing up for endless wars and having his body cybernetically altered with a Deadframe exo-suit that will slowly kill him should he disobey Tediore.

Now Rafa's on the run and planning to live his life to his fullest before his new exo-suit dies out on him.

Rafa is a jack-of-all-trades Vault Hunter who attacks enemies by running circles around them and chopping them to pieces with his energy blades called Arc Knives.

If his enemies are out of melee range, Rafa can use his exo-suit's long-ranged weapons to reduce them to smouldering ashes.

These include the shoulder-mounted Peacemaker Cannons, which can fire a hail of rockets, and the Apophis Lance arm-cannon, which fires plasma beams that can pierce through the toughest armor plating.

Meet the next generation of Vault Hunters in Borderlands 4. (Image credit: 2K)

Each Vault Hunter class also features skill trees that augment or alter certain aspects of their abilities so they can be customized to a player’s preferred play style, whether it's frontal assault, long-range, or supporting allies.

Your character’s abilities can be enhanced even further with the over-the-top guns you can collect in this game, and there are billions of them to find. These guns often feature passive or active abilities that cause widespread destruction on top of their already devastating firepower.

Borderlands 4 will also feature a higher emphasis on mobility than previous games, as gameplay trailers have shown players wield all kinds of insane movement abilities and tools in battle. These include grappling hooks, dashing and sliding across the battlefield, leaping huge distances and even gliding in midair.

You will need all these tools, guns, and powers at your disposal as Borderlands 4 will pit you up against some of the toughest, meanest, and deadliest bosses in the franchise to date.

Borderlands 4

Borderlands 4

Lock and load to take down evil tyrants, blow up building-sized monsters, and loot the planet for the biggest guns in the universe in Borderlands 4.

Buy at: Amazon (Xbox) | Best Buy (Xbox) | Walmart (Xbox) | CDKeys (PC) | GreenManGaming (Steam)

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Alexander Cope
Contributor — Gaming

Alexander Cope is a gaming veteran of 30-plus years, primarily covering PC and Xbox games here on Windows Central. Gaming since the 8-bit era, Alexander's expertise revolves around gaming guides and news, with a particular focus on Japanese titles from the likes of Elden Ring to Final Fantasy. Alexander is always on deck to help our readers conquer the industry's most difficult games — when he can pry himself away from Monster Hunter that is! 

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