In just a few weeks, Borderlands 4 will launch with a brand-new story and fresh Vault Hunters. Here’s how much playtime you can expect from the upcoming loot-shooter.
Gearbox and 2K Games will send you back into chaotic adventures full of loot, Vault Hunters, and crazy enemies with Borderlands 4 in September 2025. While there are no official playtime details yet, we can estimate based on previous entries and first info. Here’s how long you should plan for the main story, side quests, and a 100-percent completion run.
How long does Borderlands 4 take? Estimated playtime at a glance
The new entry is set on the previously unknown planet Kairos, introducing four new Vault Hunters with unique abilities and a completely fresh open world. Based on these features and past experience with the series, here’s a realistic outlook for playtime:
- Main Story: If you focus solely on the campaign, expect around 25 to 35 hours of playtime. This heavily depends on how fast you progress through the story and how easily you get distracted.
- Main Story + Side Missions: If you also dive into side quests, playtime should stretch to around 45 to 55 hours. Borderlands 4 will feature new factions, regions, and Vault Hunter side stories, adding more content to explore.
- 100-Percent Completion: If you aim to explore every zone, complete all missions, defeat every boss, and collect every item, you’ll likely spend 80 to 100 hours – and even more. Additional content like the two story packs included in the Super Deluxe Edition or later updates could push this to well over 110 hours.
- Personal experience: As a big Borderlands 3 fan, I clocked around 190 hours in the previous game. That included all four DLCs and lots of exploration. Depending on your playstyle, you could easily hit 200 hours in Borderlands 4 as well.
Borderlands 4 begins on planet Kairos
Borderlands 4 will launch on September 12, 2025 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The standard edition includes four Vault Hunters, including a returning Siren. The Super Deluxe Edition will add two more Vault Hunters on top.
The fourth entry connects loosely to Borderlands 3 but tells a fresh story, so you don’t need to play the previous game to jump in. Learn more about the story, Vault Hunters Vex, Rafa, Amon, and Harlowe, as well as the four factions and commanders on Kairos in our full Borderlands 4 guide.
Source: HowLongToBeat.com
