Gearbox Software recently concluded its Borderlands 4 State of Play, showcasing 20 minutes of new gameplay and details from the eagerly awaited looter shooter. The presentation dives straight into the action, promising that the 2025 installment is the studio's most refined and immersive experience yet, with significant gameplay enhancements ranging from new traversal abilities to revamped loot drop mechanics. Gearbox packed the 20-minute showcase with insights into how Borderlands 4 elevates the series with fresh mechanics and updated features, and we've compiled all the key highlights for you here.
Movement Abilities ------------------Each Borderlands game introduces new ways to navigate the world, and Borderlands 4 is no exception. We've had glimpses of the innovative tools players will use when the game launches in September, but today's gameplay footage provided a more detailed look at what's in store.
Vault hunters can now utilize a midair hover reminiscent of Destiny, allowing for shooting while airborne or reaching distant ledges. Additionally, a grappling hook serves dual purposes in combat and exploration, and a dash ability enables last-second evasions. Vehicles remain a crucial element in Borderlands 4, with the new Digirunner and the ability to spawn rides at will enhancing player freedom.
Guns and Manufacturers
While previous showcases highlighted Vault Hunter traversal mechanics, today's State of Play focused on the gun manufacturers. Eight companies will arm players in this adventure, introducing three new ones: Order, Ripper, and Daedalus, each with unique weapon designs and abilities.
Borderlands 4 introduces the Licensed Parts System, a novel approach to gun mechanics. Weapons can now incorporate parts from various manufacturers, such as an assault rifle with Maliwan's elemental components, Torgue's ammo clip, and Hyperion's shield. Higher rarity weapons feature more parts, intensifying the importance of the loot hunt.
Borderlands 4 State of Play Gameplay Screenshots
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Story
The Borderlands 4 State of Play follows two Vault Hunters: Vex the Siren and Rafa, a former Tediore soldier in an exosuit. Vex uses Siren abilities to summon allies in battle, while Rafa crafts tools like Ark Knives for rapid enemy takedowns. The gameplay showcased the duo navigating the cold, expansive arenas of the Terminus Range, one of four zones on the planet Kairos.
Borderlands 4 continues the tradition of blending familiar faces with new ones. Returning characters include Moxxi, Zane, Amara, and Claptrap, with hints of more to come about Lilith. New additions include Rush, a towering armored figure, and Echo 4, a helpful robot that assists players throughout the game by scanning environments, hacking, and guiding lost Vault Hunters to their objectives.
Multiplayer
Borderlands 4 enhances the co-op experience with a streamlined process. Gearbox has introduced "an improved lobby system" to facilitate quick connections with friends. Crossplay will be available at launch, ensuring all loot is instanced and levels dynamically scale, allowing seamless play across platforms.
Party customization is further enhanced, allowing individual difficulty settings for each player. Split-screen couch co-op will be available at launch, and a new feature enables fast travel to friends if someone gets lost.
Borderlands 4 also introduces a reduced chance for Legendary loot drops, expansive new skill trees, and more. Rep Kit gear offers choices between quick revives and temporary combat buffs, while Ordnances allow players to equip either grenades or unique heavy weapons in a cooldown slot. Enhancements replace Artifacts, providing bonuses to guns from specific manufacturers.Borderlands 4 has moved up its release date by 11 days, from September 23 to September 12, for PC via the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is slated for later in the year.
Despite fan speculation, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford clarified that the date change is not related to the long-awaited release of Take-Two Interactive's Grand Theft Auto 6. Stay tuned for more updates as Gearbox prepares to unveil additional details at its upcoming hands-on gameplay event in June.
