Summary
- Borderlands 4 has been confirmed to be in active development by 2K Games president David Ismailer.
- Fans have been eagerly awaiting a reveal for Borderlands 4, with speculations surrounding potential announcements.
- The pressure is on Gearbox to reveal and release Borderlands 4 in a timely manner to satisfy eager fans.
It has been nearly five years since the release of Borderlands 3, and while the spin-off title Tiny Tina's Wonderlands has been released since then, there has been no official reveal of Borderlands 4. In fact, Borderlands 4 has arguably missed every one of its potential reveal opportunities, leaving the state of its recently confirmed development entirely up in the air. Thankfully, it has at least been confirmed by David Ismailer, president of 2K Games, that Borderlands' "next installment" is in active development. Whether that means Borderlands 4 remains to be seen, but that will most likely turn out to be the case.
Initially, it was believed that Borderlands 4 would be revealed on the franchise's official X account after a series of recap videos for Borderlands and Borderlands 2 were posted, leading many to believe it would all end in a Borderlands 4 reveal. Unfortunately, shortly after the Borderlands 2 recap video was posted, the first trailer for the Borderlands live-action film was revealed instead of the next Borderlands game. It was then rumored that Borderlands 4 would be revealed during the Summer Games Fest event in June 2024. However, this rumor proved to be false after the event concluded with absolutely no mention of the next mainline Borderlands installment. At this point, Borderlands 4 may want to copy the reveal and release strategy of its mainline predecessor to make sure fans are adequately rewarded for their patience.
Borderlands 4 Needs to Copy Its Predecessor's Reveal and Release Strategy
Borderlands 3 Was Revealed and Then Released Only Six Months Later
Borderlands 4 has experienced a similar story to its predecessors, in that there were a whopping seven years between the releases of Borderlands 2 and Borderlands 3, with the official Borderlands 3 announcement and reveal also not even happening until seven years after the launch of Borderlands 2. However, the series has arguably grown even more popular recently than it was shortly after Borderlands 2's release in 2012, which means the patience of fans has grown thin and is more demanding than ever. That being said, Borderlands 3 made up for that massive time gap by launching within months of its March 2019 reveal.
Borderlands 3 was released on September 13, 2019, only six months after its March 28, 2019, PAX East announcement. As such, fans who had been waiting seven years for the next mainline Borderlands game weren't required to wait even another year for it to launch after it was revealed, which is often the case in many other franchises. The hope is that Borderlands 4 will copy this strategy to prevent its release from feeling too dragged out from its reveal.
Borderlands 4 Needs to Be Released Within Months of Its Reveal
There is immense pressure on Gearbox to reveal Borderlands 4 very soon, as fans continue to hound the developer for more information on its development and release window. If that pressure isn't bravely ignored, Borderlands 4 could end up showing itself far too early. Of course, whether its reveal is "early" would ultimately be determined by its release date.
The brutal and honest truth is that the wait for Borderlands 4 will continue, whether it is revealed soon or not. Nevertheless, once the reveal does happen, Gearbox and Take-Two Interactive need to make sure their ducks are in a row to release Borderlands 4 within months of its first trailer's debut. If Borderlands 4 follows in its predecessor's footsteps, perhaps there will be a reveal in early 2025 and a release in late 2025. That would undoubtedly appease fans who have now been waiting five years for the next Borderlands game after Borderlands 3.
Borderlands 3
- Released
- September 13, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
The original shooter-looter returns, packing bazillions of guns and an all-new mayhem-fueled adventure! Blast through new worlds and enemies as one of four brand new Vault Hunters – the ultimate treasure-seeking badasses of the Borderlands, each with deep skill trees, abilities, and customization. Play solo or join with friends to take on insane enemies, score loads of loot and save your home from the most ruthless cult leaders in the galaxy.
A MAYHEM-FUELED THRILL RIDE
Stop the fanatical Calypso Twins from uniting the bandit clans and claiming the galaxy’s ultimate power. Only you, a thrill-seeking Vault Hunter, have the arsenal and allies to take them down.
YOUR VAULT HUNTER, YOUR PLAYSTYLE
Become one of four extraordinary Vault Hunters, each with unique abilities, playstyles, deep skill trees, and tons of personalization options. All Vault Hunters are capable of awesome mayhem alone, but together they are unstoppable.
LOCK, LOAD, AND LOOT
With bazillions of guns and gadgets, every fight is an opportunity to score new gear. Firearms with self-propelling bullet shields? Check. Rifles that spawn fire-spewing volcanoes? Obviously. Guns that grow legs and chase down enemies while hurling verbal insults? Yeah, got that too.
NEW BORDERLANDS
Discover new worlds beyond Pandora, each featuring unique environments to explore and enemies to destroy. Tear through hostile deserts, battle your way across war-torn cityscapes, navigate deadly bayous, and more! QUICK & SEAMLESS CO-OP ACTION
Play with anyone at any time online or in split-screen co-op, regardless of your level or mission progress. Take down enemies and challenges as a team, but reap rewards that are yours alone – no one misses out on loot.
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Gearbox Software
- Publisher(s)
- 2K Games
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Franchise
- Borderlands
- Number of Players
- 1-4
- Split Screen Orientation
- Vertical or Horizontal
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Stadia, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- How Long To Beat
- 25 Hours
- Metascore
- 91
- Platforms That Support Crossplay
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- Local Co-Op Support
- 1-4 Players
