# Borderlands 4
**Borderlands 4** is a first-person looter shooter developed by [Gearbox Software](https://www.edgepedia.org/gearbox-software) and published by 2K, released on September 12, 2025 for [PlayStation 5](https://www.edgepedia.org/playstation-5), Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam and the [Epic Games Store](https://www.edgepedia.org/epic-games-store).[1](https://ir.take2games.com/node/31676/pdf) It is the fourth mainline entry in the Borderlands series and moves the franchise to a true open world: players take the role of one of four new Vault Hunters on the prison planet Kairos, breaking free from the Timekeeper, a dictator who rules from above until a world-altering catastrophe unleashes mayhem across his ordered world.[2](https://newsroom.2k.com/games/borderlandsr-4) • [3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlEZzjpEbko)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | September 12, 2025, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store)[1](https://ir.take2games.com/node/31676/pdf) |
| Developer / publisher | Gearbox Software / 2K[2](https://newsroom.2k.com/games/borderlandsr-4) |
| Setting | Kairos, a hidden planet ruled by the Timekeeper[2](https://newsroom.2k.com/games/borderlandsr-4) |
| Vault Hunters | Amon the Forgeknight, Harlowe the Gravitar, Rafa the Exo-Soldier, and Vex the Dark Siren[4](https://game8.co/articles/reviews/borderlands-4-gameplay-and-story-info) |
| Co-op | Up to 4 players, with drop-in/drop-out support, crossplay, and level scaling[5](https://www.borderlands4.wiki/guide/borderlands-4-co-op-guide) |
| Reception | Metacritic 84 on PC from 65 reviews; Take-Two's investor materials cite an 82 Metacritic score[6](https://news.instant-gaming.com/en/articles/14801-the-reviews-for-borderlands-4-are-in-and-gearbox-fps-got-some-great-marks) • [7](https://ir.take2games.com/static-files/0e369b39-2afc-4a88-b917-7799cd6ac566?pubDate=20260530) |
| Price | $69.99 / £59.99[8](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/borderlands-4-review/) |
## Setting and story
The game takes place on Kairos, an all-new planet ruled by the Timekeeper, described by 2K as a ruthless dictator who dominates the masses from on high; a world-altering catastrophe threatens his perfect Order and unleashes mayhem across the planet, which the player joins as a resistance.[2](https://newsroom.2k.com/games/borderlandsr-4) In the story, the Vault Hunters assist a group called the Outbounders in eliminating Idolator Sol, who was developing a bioweapon to wipe them out.[9](https://borderlands.fandom.com/wiki/Borderlands_4)
Reviewers described the story as serviceable and mostly out of the way of the shooting. [PC Gamer](https://www.edgepedia.org/pc-gamer)'s Harvey Randall called it incredibly serviceable with a couple of bright moments and fun character work, and noted the game takes itself somewhat more seriously than earlier entries.[8](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/borderlands-4-review/)
## Vault Hunters and builds
Players choose from four entirely new Vault Hunters: Amon the Forgeknight, Harlowe the Gravitar, Rafa the Exo-Soldier, and Vex the Dark Siren, each with distinct skillsets, mechanics, and playstyles built around active abilities and synergies rather than static skill trees.[4](https://game8.co/articles/reviews/borderlands-4-gameplay-and-story-info) Rafa's run-and-gun style is built around on-demand Digistruct weapons, while Vex's Phase Covenant rewards elemental weapon swapping and melee finishers.[4](https://game8.co/articles/reviews/borderlands-4-gameplay-and-story-info) • [10](https://gamingwithdaopa.ellatha.com/borderlands/bl4-game-features/)
Randomly generated weapons return with a new Licensed Parts system, which lets a gun borrow behaviors from other manufacturers, producing combinations such as a Jakobs core with a Ripper trigger.[9](https://borderlands.fandom.com/wiki/Borderlands_4) • [10](https://gamingwithdaopa.ellatha.com/borderlands/bl4-game-features/)
## Open world and traversal
The biggest structural change is the move from the semi-open zones of earlier games to a single open world without loading times between sections.[11](https://www.tomsguide.com/gaming/borderlands-4-review) It is the largest world in franchise history, and traversal adds double jumping, gliding, dodging, and fixed-point grappling.[12](https://gameinformer.com/review/borderlands-4/cathartic-chaos) • [3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlEZzjpEbko) Critics were divided in emphasis: PC Gamer found the open-world structure married so well to the shoot, loot, repeat loop that it called the change an objective improvement in almost every way, while [Game Informer](https://www.edgepedia.org/game-informer) found the open world laborious at times and noted that stamina is extremely limited and the grappling hook works only on specific grapple points or throwable objects.[8](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/borderlands-4-review/) • [12](https://gameinformer.com/review/borderlands-4/cathartic-chaos) The map carries a long list of activity types, including safehouses, mini-dungeons, two kinds of journal entries, special loot boxes, world bosses, and scavenger hunts.[8](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/borderlands-4-review/)
## Co-op and multiplayer
Co-op remains a core pillar, with up to four players online, improved drop-in/drop-out support, smarter enemy scaling, and crossplay.[4](https://game8.co/articles/reviews/borderlands-4-gameplay-and-story-info) • [5](https://www.borderlands4.wiki/guide/borderlands-4-co-op-guide) 2K added a new system for players to form parties online and stay together when switching game modes.[1](https://ir.take2games.com/node/31676/pdf)
## Performance and technical reception
One PC performance analysis called it the most demanding non-path-traced game its tester had evaluated.[14](https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/borderlands-4-pc-performance-analysis-terrible-optimization-and-technical-issues/)
2K published official graphics-setting recommendations after the criticism; they peg 4K performance with an RTX 5090 at 60 FPS with DLSS and frame generation enabled.[15](https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/pc-gaming/is-borderlands-4-the-new-crysis-official-gpu-setting-recommendations-peg-4k-performance-with-the-rtx-5090-at-60-fps-with-dlss-and-frame-generation-enabled) Gearbox released a patch on the game's first weekend that helped considerably, and Tom's Hardware reported the day-one patch solved plenty of issues.[8](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/borderlands-4-review/) • [13](https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/borderlands-4-launch-marred-by-performance-issues) TechSpot's optimization guide noted that its changes did not fix [Unreal Engine 5](https://www.edgepedia.org/unreal-engine-5) traversal stutter, and that on an RTX 5060 Ti 16GB with DLSS 4 Quality upscaling at 1440p it typically achieved 60 to 70 FPS in open-world gameplay.[16](https://www.techspot.com/guides/3034-borderlands-4-optimization/)
## Reception
At launch the game held a Metacritic average of 84 on PC from 65 reviews, tying the original Borderlands as the second-highest-rated mainline entry behind [Borderlands 2](https://www.edgepedia.org/borderlands-2)'s 89 and ahead of [Borderlands 3](https://www.edgepedia.org/borderlands-3)'s 81.[6](https://news.instant-gaming.com/en/articles/14801-the-reviews-for-borderlands-4-are-in-and-gearbox-fps-got-some-great-marks) • [17](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/borderlands/borderlands-4-metacritic-score-ties-it-as-the-second-highest-rated-entry-in-the-looter-shooters-mainline-series-only-losing-out-to-borderlands-2/) Take-Two's later investor materials cite an 82 Metacritic score for the game.[7](https://ir.take2games.com/static-files/0e369b39-2afc-4a88-b917-7799cd6ac566?pubDate=20260530) [OpenCritic](https://www.edgepedia.org/opencritic) listed an 85 at launch.[18](https://www.pcgamesn.com/borderlands-4/launch-reviews)
Reviewers converged on a consistent picture: strong gameplay and looting undermined by technical problems. TechRadar called it the first mainline game the reviewer had genuinely loved since 2012's Borderlands 2, with a 40-hour first playthrough.[19](https://www.techradar.com/gaming/borderlands-4-review) PC Gamer scored it 82, calling it true looter-shooter greatness in a messy package and criticizing the inventory UI, in which equipped items are not listed first, loot comparison requires a separate button, and sorting defaults to manufacturer.[8](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/borderlands-4-review/) GameSpot's review, titled "Too Much Of An Overcorrection", scored it 7.[20](https://www.gamespot.com/games/borderlands-4/reviews/) Game Informer flagged a steep level spike in the final stretch, some overly prolonged fights, and bosses with too much health.[12](https://gameinformer.com/review/borderlands-4/cathartic-chaos)
## Post-launch content
The launch roadmap includes additional classes and reintroduces the Pearlescent weapon rarity from Borderlands 2, which had been long requested.[18](https://www.pcgamesn.com/borderlands-4/launch-reviews) Paid Bounty Packs followed: Bounty Pack 3, Vault Card 3, released June 25, 2026 with 24 cosmetic items and 4 pieces of rerollable Legendary gear, and a July 30, 2026 update added Bounty Pack 4 alongside Pearlescent weapon drop changes and fixes.[21](https://store.steampowered.com/dlc/1285190/) • [22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhQCJvcyxOQ)
## Marketing timeline
A trailer containing gameplay footage was released at [The Game Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-game-awards) on December 12, 2024.[9](https://borderlands.fandom.com/wiki/Borderlands_4) The official launch date trailer debuted at a PlayStation State of Play in February 2025, announcing a September 23, 2025 release; the game ultimately launched on September 12, 2025.[3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlEZzjpEbko) • [1](https://ir.take2games.com/node/31676/pdf) Pre-launch review code was available only on PC, so no PS5 verdicts appeared at the review embargo.[23](https://www.pushsquare.com/features/round-up-borderlands-4-reviews-all-on-pc-no-ps5-verdicts-anywhere)
## References
1. [Break Free: Borderlands 4 Now Available Worldwide, Take-Two Interactive](https://ir.take2games.com/node/31676/pdf)
2. [Borderlands 4, 2K Newsroom](https://newsroom.2k.com/games/borderlandsr-4)
3. [Borderlands 4 | Official Launch Date Trailer, Gearbox on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlEZzjpEbko)
4. [Borderlands 4 Gameplay and Story, Game8](https://game8.co/articles/reviews/borderlands-4-gameplay-and-story-info)
5. [Borderlands 4 Co-op Guide, Borderlands 4 Wiki](https://www.borderlands4.wiki/guide/borderlands-4-co-op-guide)
6. [The reviews for Borderlands 4 are in, IG News](https://news.instant-gaming.com/en/articles/14801-the-reviews-for-borderlands-4-are-in-and-gearbox-fps-got-some-great-marks)
7. [Take-Two Interactive investor presentation](https://ir.take2games.com/static-files/0e369b39-2afc-4a88-b917-7799cd6ac566?pubDate=20260530)
8. [Borderlands 4 review, PC Gamer (Harvey Randall, 18 September 2025)](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/borderlands-4-review/)
9. [Borderlands 4, Borderlands Wiki (Fandom)](https://borderlands.fandom.com/wiki/Borderlands_4)
10. [Borderlands 4: Game Features, gamingwithdaopa.ellatha.com](https://gamingwithdaopa.ellatha.com/borderlands/bl4-game-features/)
11. [Borderlands 4 review, Tom's Guide](https://www.tomsguide.com/gaming/borderlands-4-review)
12. [Borderlands 4 Review: Cathartic Chaos, Game Informer](https://gameinformer.com/review/borderlands-4/cathartic-chaos)
13. [Borderlands 4 on PC crushing even the most powerful rigs, Tom's Hardware](https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/borderlands-4-launch-marred-by-performance-issues)
14. [Borderlands 4 PC Performance Analysis, DSO Gaming](https://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/borderlands-4-pc-performance-analysis-terrible-optimization-and-technical-issues/)
15. [Is Borderlands 4 the new Crysis?, Tom's Hardware](https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/pc-gaming/is-borderlands-4-the-new-crysis-official-gpu-setting-recommendations-peg-4k-performance-with-the-rtx-5090-at-60-fps-with-dlss-and-frame-generation-enabled)
16. [Borderlands 4 Optimization: Improving a Big Mess, TechSpot](https://www.techspot.com/guides/3034-borderlands-4-optimization/)
17. [Borderlands 4 Metacritic score ties it as the second-highest rated mainline entry, GamesRadar](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/borderlands/borderlands-4-metacritic-score-ties-it-as-the-second-highest-rated-entry-in-the-looter-shooters-mainline-series-only-losing-out-to-borderlands-2/)
18. [Borderlands 4 is here at last, PCGamesN](https://www.pcgamesn.com/borderlands-4/launch-reviews)
19. [Borderlands 4 review, TechRadar](https://www.techradar.com/gaming/borderlands-4-review)
20. [Borderlands 4 Reviews, GameSpot](https://www.gamespot.com/games/borderlands-4/reviews/)
21. [Steam DLC Page: Borderlands 4](https://store.steampowered.com/dlc/1285190/)
22. [NEW DLC TODAY + PATCH NOTES, Moxsy on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhQCJvcyxOQ)
23. [Round Up: Borderlands 4 Reviews All on PC, Push Square](https://www.pushsquare.com/features/round-up-borderlands-4-reviews-all-on-pc-no-ps5-verdicts-anywhere)
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*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license