All About Borderlands 4

Borderlands 4: Everything We Know About Release, Vault Hunters, and Story

A Psycho from Borderlands 4 with a weapon in his hand.

In just a few weeks, you’ll be able to jump into the next adventure with Borderlands 4, featuring brand-new Vault Hunters, an exciting storyline, and tons of loot. We’ve got all the details for you.

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Borderlands 4 marks the return of Gearbox and 2K Games’ legendary looter-shooter series. The sequel not only brings new Vault Hunters and characters but also a brand-new world with the franchise’s signature humor. While not many details are confirmed yet, there are already some hints at what awaits you in this wild new adventure. Here’s everything you need to know about the release date, story, and new Vault Hunters.

  • Update: In the meantime, the Switch version has also been announced with a date. The studio has also revealed Vex and Rafa as Vault Hunters.

When will Borderlands 4 release?

Gearbox and 2K Games originally planned Borderlands 4 for September 23, 2025. During the State of Play on April 30, 2025, the release was moved up. Borderlands 4 now launches on September 12, 2025. Previous Borderlands entries have mostly arrived in the fall, so the studio is sticking to that rhythm. Borderlands 4 will also be available on Switch 2 starting October 3.

Borderlands 4: Release info for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC

You can look forward to playing Borderlands 4 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S at launch. It was also recently confirmed that Borderlands 4 will release on the newly announced Nintendo Switch 2. That puts it alongside Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and other titles as one of the console’s highlights.

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Will Borderlands 4 release on Steam?

Yes, Borderlands 4 will also release on Steam. A store page has already gone live with initial information, which indicates the release on that platform is locked in. Previous entries and the spin-off “Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands” were also released there.

Can you pre-order Borderlands 4?

Borderlands 4 has been available for pre-order since June 16, 2025. There are three editions with different bonuses.

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What Borderlands 4 editions will be available?

There are three editions: Standard, Deluxe, and Super Deluxe. The Standard Edition includes the base game and a Golden Glory Pack with cosmetic extras. The Deluxe Edition adds exclusive skins and the Bounty Pack Bundle with new missions, bosses, maps, and cosmetics. The Super Deluxe Edition expands the offering with the Artistic Order Pack and the Vault Hunter Pack, which contains two new playable characters, story packs, and more content after launch.

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Standard Edition

  • Full version of the base game
  • Pre-order bonus: Golden Glory Pack*
    • 1 Vault Hunter skin
    • 1 weapon skin
    • 1 ECHO-4 drone skin

Deluxe Edition

  • Full version of the base game
  • Pre-order bonus: Golden Glory Pack
    • 1 Vault Hunter skin
    • 1 weapon skin
    • 1 ECHO-4 drone skin
  • “Wrath of the Firehawk” weapon skin
  • Bounty Pack Bundle**
    • Four unique areas with new missions and unique bosses
    • Four Vault Cards with unique challenges and rewards
    • New gear and weapons
    • New Vault Hunter cosmetics
    • Four new vehicles with new cosmetics

Super Deluxe Edition

  • Full version of the base game
  • Pre-order bonus: Golden Glory Pack*
    • 1 Vault Hunter skin
    • 1 weapon skin
    • 1 ECHO-4 drone skin
  • “Wrath of the Firehawk” weapon skin
  • Bounty Pack Bundle**
    • Four unique areas with new missions and unique bosses
    • Four Vault Cards with unique challenges and rewards
    • New gear and weapons
    • New Vault Hunter cosmetics
    • Four new vehicles with new cosmetics
  • Artistic Order Pack
    • 4 Vault Hunter skins
    • 4 Vault Hunter heads
    • 4 Vault Hunter bodies
  • Vault Hunter Pack**
    • 2 new playable Vault Hunters
    • Two new story packs with new main and side missions
    • 2 new map regions
    • New gear and weapons
    • New Vault Hunter cosmetics
    • New ECHO-4 cosmetics

Borderlands 4: All known story details

The story of Borderlands 4 remains largely under wraps. A first teaser suggests the narrative picks up directly after the events of the previous game. After Lilith sacrifices herself to prevent Pandora’s destruction, it’s unclear what happened to her and the moon Elpis.

The Planet Elpis in a blue sky
Elpis disappeared at the end of Borderlands 3 and reappears in the new trailer. © Gearbox

The teaser shows Elpis reappearing in a new location, with debris crashing onto an unknown planet. A mysterious hand picks up a Psycho mask, but it doesn’t seem to belong to Handsome Jack. The silhouette of the new antagonist in the trailer’s center hints at a much bulkier figure.

What planet is the new game set on?

Fans have already uncovered the name of the new planet: “Kairos,” a fully fresh setting. In the trailer shown at The Game Awards 2024, a new faction is also revealed—though no details are shared about who they are.

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Borderlands 4: Who are the four new Vault Hunters?

Borderlands 4 introduces four brand-new Vault Hunters. While specifics are still limited, the dev team has confirmed that each will bring unique combat styles to the game.

Vault Hunters from Borderlands 4
There are four new Vault Hunters with new abilities in Borderlands 4. © Gearbox

At first glance, all appear human, though one may be a Siren thanks to a glowing pink tattoo across her torso. Another Vault Hunter seems focused on brute strength, while a third dual-wields blades. Their exact specializations remain to be seen.

Each Vault Hunter has three action skills with their own skill trees and a special trait. Skills can be reset in hubs, allowing for different builds.

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Vex as the new Siren

Gearbox revealed more details about Vex with a first gameplay video. Known as “the Dark Siren,” Vex is one of the four new Vault Hunters on the prison planet Kairos. The video shows off her companion-focused and elemental-damage-heavy combat style.

Vex’s character and abilities:

  • Uses phase energy to strike enemies with elemental attacks and energy spheres.
  • Can summon aggressive phase-clones or call upon a catlike creature named Phase Phamiliar – Trouble.
  • Combines her arsenal for strong AoE attacks and team support.
  • Perfect for players who enjoy companions and heavy elemental damage.

Rafa the former soldier

Rafa brings serious firepower to Borderlands 4. Equipped with his Deadframe exo-suit, he commands futuristic weaponry suited for close and ranged combat alike. As a former Tediore soldier, Rafa is battle-hardened and lets players experiment with twin bow-blades, devastating Peacebreaker cannons, and the lethal APOPHIS lance.

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Amon the Forge Knight

Amon enters the stage as one of the heaviest hitters. Dubbed the Forge Knight, he wields brutal melee weapons alongside cybernetic drones and a versatile action skill system. Perfect for players who like being on the frontlines—his style demands timing, precision, and smart skill use.

New gameplay footage from Gearbox shows Amon using forge weapons ranging from massive hammers to shield forms. Drones back him up with offensive or defensive support. This makes him both tanky and flexible, with deep build design options—ideal for experienced players who love experimenting.

Borderlands 4: Factions and commanders

Borderlands 4 takes players to the unexplored planet Kairos. A new video from Gearbox showcases the setting and introduces its factions and leaders.

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The factions of Kairos: Four groups, four perspectives

Kairos is home to four factions. The Outbounders are crash survivors who can’t leave the planet, led by Rush. The Augurs, descendants of miners, live isolated in the mountains under Calder.

Then there are the Electi—once privileged city dwellers, now forced into exile under Levain. Finally, the Rippers are a rebel group under the ruthless Callis, fighting against control through cybernetic implants.

Who controls Kairos? The regional commanders

Each Kairos region is ruled by its own commander. Idolator Sol rules the Withered Fields, seeking favor with the Timekeeper. Vile Lictor oversees the Terminus region—an Augur experimenting in secret.

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The wasteland of Carcadia is Callis’ turf, while Dominion is ruled directly by the Timekeeper, who imposes his vision of order across much of the planet.

Co-op mode details

Borderlands 4 features expanded co-op options: play online with up to four players or split-screen with two. A new lobby system streamlines cross-play. Each player gets personal loot, free travel to teammates, and adjustable difficulty. If you stray from your group, fast travel now lets you instantly catch up.

Borderlands 4: Weapons and vehicles

The Game Awards 2024 trailer confirmed both classic firearms and new laser weapons. Some mechanical weapons glow blue, suggesting new energy tech. As usual, weapons come in tiers: white (common), green, blue, purple, and legendary gold. This time, legendary items shimmer faintly with rainbow hues—the meaning of which remains a mystery.

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At State of Play, it was revealed that vehicles no longer require a Catch-a-Ride station. Instead, you can spawn them anywhere. They’re also larger and come with new features. Gameplay is more dynamic with sliding, double jumps, grappling hooks, climbing, and gliding.

There are eight weapon manufacturers, including fan favorites like Jakobs and newcomers like Order. Weapon mods let you mix manufacturer traits. Legendary drop rates have been adjusted to make them feel more special.

Source: Steam, Trailer

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Picture of Ilona Frank

Ilona Frank

Feels most at home in the worlds of horror, adventure, and platformers. Wishes there were trophies for everyday situations in real life, too.