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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Harlowe – The Gravitar
Harlowe, the new Vault Hunter in Borderlands 4, is a former Maliwan combat scientist who now puts her technical brilliance at the service of the Vault Hunters. Her specialty lies in manipulating energy and elemental effects, allowing her to both control enemies and support allies.
With a mix of Cryo and Radiation damage, she forces enemies to their knees while her gadgets, such as the CHROMA Accelerator and Flux Generator, create deadly synergies in battle.
Through her Action Skills, Harlowe can trap enemies in Stasis, link entire groups together with Entanglement, or drag foes into freezing energy fields to unleash massive area damage. Her strength lies not only in battlefield control but also in team support: with overshields, healing projectiles, and buffs, she boosts the survivability and firepower of her squad.
The Voice Cast of Borderlands 4
To give you a glimpse before release: the new Vault Hunters are brought to life by a strong ensemble of voice actors. Each role has been cast to match the quirks and personalities of the characters:
Amon the Forgeknight – Ray Chase
Harlowe the Gravitar – Kimberly Brooks
Vex the Siren – Judy Alice Lee
Rafa the Exo-Soldier – Alejandro Saab
The supporting cast also features many familiar voices, some brand-new, others returning from previous entries:
The Timekeeper – Dave Fennoy
Rush – Delbert Hunt
Levaine – Erica Luttrell
Defiant Calder – Trevor Devall
Moxxi – Brina Palencia
Claptrap – Jim Foronda
Zane – Cian Barry
Amara – Zehra Fazal
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.
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.
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.
Info on Co-Op, Cross-Save and Cross-Play
Borderlands 4 offers a variety of co-op options: play online with up to four players or in split-screen with two. The revamped lobby system makes cross-platform play easier than ever. Each player receives their own loot, can freely join teammates, and adjust their personal difficulty level. If you get separated from your group, you can now also use the fast travel feature to quickly regroup.
At launch, Borderlands 4 will fully support cross-play, meaning you can team up with your friends regardless of the platform. For clarity: cross-play allows players on different systems to play together seamlessly.
Cross-save refers to the ability to transfer save files between devices, while cross-progression ensures that progress such as loot and unlocks is shared across all platforms.
However, at launch there will be neither cross-save nor cross-progression. The developers know this may be disappointing for some, but they’re already working on it and are taking community feedback seriously. Despite this limitation, you can still expect the full Borderlands 4 experience on every platform – chaotic, smooth, and packed with action.
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.
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.
Extensive DLC Packages: Story and Bounties
Following the launch of Borderlands 4 on September 12, 2025 (consoles and PC) and shortly after on the Switch 2, Gearbox is putting a strong focus on additional content. In 2026, players can look forward to two major Story Packs that bring new main and side missions, entirely new zones, and even two additional Vault Hunters into the game.
Alongside new builds, there will be plenty of cosmetic content such as skins and gear. On top of that, four Bounty Packs will introduce smaller missions featuring new factions, bosses, and legendary items. Combined with so-called Vault Cards, players can work their way toward long-term loot rewards by completing missions.
Items in the first Story Pack:
- 2 Vault Hunter Heads (for all), 2 Heads for the new Hunter
- 4 Vault Hunter Skins (for all)
- 4 Weapon Skins, 2 Vehicle Paintjobs
- 3 ECHO-4 Drone Skins & Attachments + 1 ECHO-4 Frame
Free Content: Bosses, Events, and Endgame
In addition to paid DLCs, a broad range of free content will also be available. This includes powerful Invincible Bosses with unique mechanics and rewards that raise the challenge level. Weekly activities such as Encore Bosses, Wildcard Missions, and Maurice’s Black Market Machine will also be featured. For fans of ultra-rare loot, the legendary Pearlescent items are making a return— coveted treasures that sit above the Legendary tier.
Seasonal Events and Endgame Expansion
Regular mini-events like Horrors of Kairos in fall 2025 will bring limited-time gameplay variations, special weather effects, cosmetics, and gear. In the long run, players can also expect an expansion of the Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode, which introduces progressively tougher difficulty tiers and promises even better loot rolls. With this, Borderlands 4 directly responds to community requests for ongoing endgame challenges and flexible power progression.
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