A big question in the Borderlands community was whether or not Gearbox Software is working on the next installment of the Borderlands franchise, Borderlands 4. Because Borderlands 3 isn’t getting any post-launch content anymore and they also finished working on Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands and New Tales From the Borderlands. The next logical question is whether Borderlands 4 is in development and in this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about the next installment of the franchise.
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Borderlands 4 Confirmed
Gearbox Software and 2K Games have officially announced the next installment in the Borderlands franchise, Borderlands 4, by releasing a teaser trailer during Gamescom 2024.
Randy Pitchford teases Borderlands 4
President of Gearbox Enterprises, Randy Pitchford, actually confirmed that Borderlands 4 is in development at the studio. He stated on May 6, 2021, that they are working on some amazing stuff and asked for skilled people to help them create the next Borderlands game.
if anyone out there has Skills-To-Pay-Bills and wants to get in on some Borderlands action, we’re working on the big one 🙂
Randy Pitchford – Founder Gearbox Entertainment
Here is my breakdown of Randy’s Tweet because there is some clever wording in it that makes it factually correct. Others might see this as Randy being untruthful but here is why it’s creditable.
Previously, Randy Pitchford referred to Borderlands 3 as the BIG ONE but because that game is already released. The Next Big One is Borderlands 4 as he is on the topic of Borderlands throughout his Tweets.
The Tweet Randy is quoting is about a rumor regarding Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. Info was spreading around that Gearbox Software was working on a Borderlands spin-off game.
Factually, Randy’s tweet is correct as he phrases the so-called rumor in a particular way. Yes, it’s true that Gearbox is not assisting or co-developing another Borderlands game. Because they are making the game in-house.
Also, Gearbox Software sees Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands as a new IP and not a spin-off. While the game borrows a lot of elements from Borderlands 3, it also does its own thing and future titles might even push it further from the Borderlands franchise.
But because Gearbox Software sees Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands as a new IP, this also means that getting into some Borderlands action would not refer to Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands.
All in all, this means that Randy Pitchford essentially confirms the next Borderlands game. Yes, Borderlands 4 is in development.
Randy Pitchford Continues
Randy Pitchford talked about Borderlands 4 again while promoting the Borderlands Movie in 2024. He did the same during an IGN interview (Mar 28, 2024), saying they are working on the best thing they ever made. In the GameRader interview, Randy had the following to say.
I haven’t been perfect at hiding the fact that we’re working on many things, and that we’re working on big things, I’m confident that our fans are going to be very, very happy with the next video game project when we are ready to announce it. And I will tell you that we’re not going to be making people wait for a long time before we announce it.
Randy Pitchford (GameRadar Interview: 26 July 2024)
When asked if Gearbox is working on the next mainline Borderlands, Pitchford said, “Of course we are.”
Epic Games Interview (Aug 8, 2024)
Rumors go that GBX has been working on Borderlands 4 since 2019. It isn’t uncommon for a studio to start a small new team that is building the foundation for the next project as the main team pushes the current project over the finish line.
Update Aug 20, 2024: Gearbox Software and 2K Games officially announced Borderlands 4 at Gamescom 2024.
Borderlands 4 Release Date
Gearbox Software and 2K Games have officially announced the next installment in the Borderlands franchise. Borderlands 4 is scheduled to be released in 2025 during Take-Two’s Fiscal Year 2026. This means you can expect the game between April 1 and December 31, 2025.
- Update Nov 6, 2024: Take Two’s Fiscal Q2 2025 Report states Borderlands 4 is scheduled for Fiscal 2026. Noteworthy is that GTA VI is scheduled for “Fall of calendar 2025” and Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick told Variety that they won’t stack BL4 and GTA6 up against each other.
The Borderlands 4 teaser showed several flashing images at the end of the trailer. One of these segments showed “Mon 15”. The first Monday 15th is in September 2025. This date would line up with other main Borderlands releases. However, if you look closely and flip that text, it is actually the WISHLIST NOW text mirrored.
| Game | Release Date |
|---|---|
| Borderlands 1 | October 2009 |
| Borderlands 2 | September 2012 |
| Borderlands the Pre-Sequel | October 2014 |
| Battleborn | May 2016 |
| Borderlands 3 | September 2019 |
| Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands | March 2022 |
| Borderlands 4 | 2025 |
Since the Embracer merger, Gearbox Entertainment has grown a lot. Going from 400 to over 1500 people working at the company. Early 2023, it was stated that the studio is set on releasing 8 AAA games by 2026, however, Embracer underwent heavy restructuring and several smaller projects were canceled at Gearbox Software. This way the studio could focus on the projects that matter.
Halfway through 2023 rumors started that Embracer was willing to sell Gearbox Software and in 2024 a deal was made with Take-Two Interactive. Quickly after the acquisition, a statement was made that the company would double down on the Borderlands franchise.
Borderlands 4 Story
Gearbox Software left us with one giant question at the end of Borderlands 3. After the final battle with Tyreen the Destroyer, we see Lilith take flight and lock Elpis in its place preventing the moon from crashing into Pandora. This brave move leaves a giant Firehawk symbol engraved into Elpis but Lilith is nowhere to be found.
The ending has fans wondering what will happen in Borderlands 4. Gearbox Software has to pay off the mystery surrounding Lilith, with fan theories suggesting that it might be better if we don’t find her.
Fans are also waiting on the premise that Borderlands The Pre-Sequel ended on and is Ava going to lead us in this foretold war.
Personally, I think Gearbox Software needs to start Borderlands 4 with this important detail.
Borderlands 4 Engine
Randy Pitchford did mention that the new Unreal Engine 5 is built for a new kind of next-generation Borderlands game.
While EPIC Games says you can easily transfer your UE4 projects to UE5, there is likely a lot of custom work to be done because Gearbox Software always modifies the engine to their liking. A LinkedIn profile from a former GBX employee stated he worked on UE4 for Borderlands 4. So it’s possible GBX further optimized their current engine instead of upgrading to the newest version.
Seeing that gigantic boss in the unreal engine demo looks promising for the next Borderlands game.
Borderlands 4 Platforms
Borderlands 4 will be released on all major platforms, meaning PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam + Epic).
Borderlands 4 will not be available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. By dropping the support to those platforms the next game in the series can evolve as it isn’t restrained to those hardware specs anymore like Borderlands 3.
FAQ
Gearbox Software has hinted with their Borderlands 3 DLC that we will go on a quest to find Lilith as there is still a big mystery surrounding her.
Borderlands 4 storyline will pick up where Borderlands 3 ended but it will likely fast forward a few years and create a time gap similar to the time between the release of this game and the previous one.
Gearbox Software is working on multiple games, all in various stages of incubation, and one of them is the “BIG ONE” called Borderlands 4.
Yes, Borderlands 4 will be cross-platform as Gearbox Software has built its own cross-play infrastructure.
Nintendo has not officially revealed the Nintendo Switch successor, therefore, 2K Games (and other publishers) cannot announce that their game will be released on Nintendo’s newest platform.
2K Games’ parent company Take-Two doesn’t believe in the day-1 Game Pass model. The Borderlands franchise has had its free weekend events on Microsoft’s Xbox Platform.
Jason Turner
If I don’t see Maya alive in Borderlands 4, my gearbox boycott will be permanent. Borderlands 3 was the worst trash I’ve ever seen, quit playing after 4 hours. Gearbox owes us two sirens, and an apology.
MentalMars
They gotta kill some Sirens if they want to keep adding a new one as a playable character with each game or they need to change the lore so more Sirens can exist in the universe. But did you stop playing because of the story or the gameplay?
Jason Turner
The story. They made my favorite characters look so weak and pathetic. It felt like a part of me died. You kill the characters nobody likes in spectacular fashion, not the characters we love in such a horrible way. Ava will never replace Maya the goddess.
Viro
You know he has nothing to do with that right? This is just a source.
Jason Turner
This is an open forum to say what your thoughts are. I already contacted Danny Homan and Sam Winkler at Gearbox, but they were cowards and never contacted me back. I actually wrote a script and the intro for Borderlands 4 and submitted it to Gearbox with no reply. I went straight to the “source” but Gearbox has too much hate mail, I guess. I’d give anything to save this franchise. Sad, I will have to watch it get ruined by idiot writers who don’t understand character development.
MentalMars
There is no need to taunt developers they did the best with the constrains that they had. The story we got with BL3, wasn’t the complete story they wanted to tell because some segments were cut during development. Then they were left molding a story into the gameplay content they did have. Most people liked the BL3 DLCs but those were written by the same writers they analyzed why some parts worked and others didn’t and applied that to the DLCs. The smaller scope of these projects also allows them to deliver a focused story. If you send them scripts, they cannot look at them because of legal reasons. Danny Homan no longer works at GBX but instead worked on Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, so there is no need to contact him about BL4.
Jason Turner
Thanks for reply. I contacted these specific writers because they need to know they disappointed and hurt a lot of people. They were responsible for a bad storyline and they deserve to hear the raw truth and criticism. BL4 or not, if you had a hand in writing this story than you should hear from the ones you have left angered and betrayed. We trusted Gearbox. We loved Gearbox. I hope BL4 fixes everything. Are there any more of you out there who feel this way?
Erika Perrone
If Tina isn’t playable I’m gonna be so mad lmao she’s literally my favorite character I love her so much
mat
“They were responsible for a bad storyline and they deserve to hear the raw truth and criticism” exactly. Whole story and new characters in BL3 was on under any criticism and just so bad i have no words. It seems like they wrote it for small childs.
Jeanell Chandler
Will timothy be in borderlands 4 please bring him back and give him another chance he deserves it and see how he’s been doing sents the casino we was trapped in
Blaaskaakje
If you feel so hurt that you have to harrass and speak ill of devs for a game, you have some serious issues.
Jason Turner
I call people out for their epic failures. You must be one of the soft gen z people who have no guts when it comes to that. You didn’t say I was wrong by the way.
Rhyleigh Mackenzie
It’s just a fucking game dude.
They aren’t going to redo their game just cos one little crybaby got sad
Alot of us hated Bl3 and what they did
Tough shit life goeson