Borderlands 4: Get Ready for the Next Big Looter-Shooter Adventure

The Borderlands series is known for its wild action, tons of guns, and sharp humor, and Borderlands 4 is shaping up to be the biggest yet. Gearbox Software is dropping players into the dangerous planet of Kairos for a fresh story about fighting back against a brutal regime. Expect smoother movement, deeper customization, and a killer endgame. Let’s break down what’s coming: gameplay details, release info with editions, and system requirements for this looter-shooter sequel.

Release Date and Editions

Borderlands 4 hits shelves on September 12, 2025, for PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The Nintendo Switch 2 version lands a bit later on October 3, 2025. You can pre-order now, and cross-play lets you squad up with friends on any platform from launch day.

The game comes in three editions, each packed with more goodies for fans:

• Standard Edition ($69.99): Gets you the base game plus the Gilded Glory pre-order bonus pack, which tosses in a Vault Hunter skin, a weapon skin, and some cosmetic items like a Ripper-themed Vault Hunter head and legendary gear.
• Deluxe Edition ($99.99): Includes everything in the Standard Edition, plus the Bounty Pack Bundle with four new areas, extra missions, bosses, and loot. You also get early access to post-launch DLC.
• Super Deluxe Edition ($129.99): The big one for hardcore players, adding two extra Vault Hunters via DLC, more story content, and premium cosmetics on top of everything in the Deluxe Edition.

Some retailers, like GameStop, have exclusives like the ECHO-4 Bundle for $149.99, which includes physical collectibles like a coffee box set alongside the digital game. All pre-orders come with an upgraded Gilded Glory Pack, now loaded with extra legendary gear.

Gameplay Features

Borderlands 4 sticks to its looter-shooter roots—think billions of guns and chaotic co-op fun—while adding new twists to keep things fresh. You’ll play as one of four new Vault Hunters, each with unique classes, action skills, and stories tied to the fight against Kairos’ oppressive rulers.

The Vault Hunters are:

• Vex the Siren: A dark witch with a rough past, summoning powerful minions from the Phase for attack, defense, or support.
• Harlowe the Gravitar: A scientist bending physics to trap and smash enemies with custom gear, blending brains and flair.
• Rafa the Exo-Soldier: A tough fighter with high-energy survival and attack skills, inspired by a “live twice” mindset.
• Amon the Forgeknight: A demonic warrior crafting weapons and calling on hellish forces, great for up-close, tanky combat.

Fan-favorite characters like Moxxi, the charming bartender, and Amara, the Tiger of Partali with her pet Hermes, return to mix old with new. The voice cast is packed with big names, giving the story a cinematic punch.

Gameplay keeps the series’ fast-paced action but adds better movement, like smoother traversal mechanics and powerful action skills. A last-minute combat radar was added for better enemy tracking, giving fights more strategy. The open world has seamless events, difficulty scaling for each player, and dedicated loot drops to cut down on grinding.

The endgame is built to last, with:

• Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode for tougher challenges.
• Weekly Big Encore Bosses and Wildcard Missions for new content.
• Firmware gear sets and a Specializations System for custom builds.
• Dedicated Loot Drops to help you snag specific rewards.

Post-launch plans include free updates like events and balance patches, plus paid DLC with new storylines and two additional Vault Hunters to keep the action rolling.

System Requirements

Borderlands 4 pushes hardware with its cel-shaded graphics, ray tracing, and massive battles, so you’ll need a solid setup. Here’s what PC players need:

These specs ensure smooth gameplay, but many Steam users might need upgrades for the best experience. Console versions are optimized for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with features like 4K support for a sharp Borderlands 4 gameplay experience.