Summary
- Borderlands 4 in 2025 will have split-screen co-op among its features.
- Borderlands 4 will support both 2-player split-screen and 4-player online co-op.
- Borderlands 4 promises new features, new Vault Hunters, a new planet to explore, and a new villain.
It's been confirmed that when Borderlands 4 launches in 2025, it will include split-screen co-op. Split-screen co-op has been a staple of the Borderlands franchise since the original game launched in 2009, but there was never any guarantee that the fan-favorite feature would return in Borderlands 4.
Many franchises have abandoned split-screen and couch co-op features in recent years. The most notorious example is likely Halo Infinite, which launched without any co-op at all for its campaign, let alone split-screen co-op, a first for the series. With other FPS games abandoning split-screen co-op, it's understandable that some fans have been concerned that Borderlands 4 would follow the same path.
Borderlands 4's New Planet Kairos Explained
Borderlands 4’s Kairos is a vast, war-torn planet filled with diverse landscapes, all under the oppressive rule of its dictator, the Timekeeper.
Luckily, Gearbox has confirmed that Borderlands 4 will support split-screen co-op. Borderlands 4 split-screen co-op will allow two players to play through the entire game as one of the four playable Vault Hunters that were shown off in the latest trailer but still have yet to be fully detailed. Up to four players will be able to enjoy Borderlands 4 online as well. Assuming Borderlands 4 is as high quality as previous games in the series, chances are good that it will turn out to be one of the best new co-op games released in all of 2025.
Borderlands 4 Co-Op Details
- 2-player split-screen
- 4-player online
Of course, the jury is still out on exactly how well Borderlands 4 split-screen will work in practice. I ran into all kinds of technical issues when playing Borderlands 3 split-screen, and I'm afraid that the same might hold true for Borderlands 4. Of course, we have no idea how Borderlands 4 split-screen runs and won't know until the game actually launches, so fans should keep that in mind. In any case, I'd still take a somewhat broken split-screen mode to no split-screen at all, so I'm grateful that the feature is in Borderlands 4 regardless of how it ultimately turns out.
In the meantime, the latest Borderlands 4 trailer revealed some exciting new details about the project. While fan reaction to the Vault Hunter designs has been mixed, many have expressed their approval of the game's new features, like the grappling hook, and how vehicles can be more easily summoned while exploring the game world. It's also been confirmed that Borderlands 4 will have minimal loading screens compared to other games in the series, which should make for a big improvement.
Borderlands 4 has also revealed its villain, a new foe known as The Timekeeper. More details on The Timekeeper will have to wait until a later date, but it will be interesting to see how he stacks up to other Borderlands series villains.
Borderlands 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
- Released
- September 12, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Gearbox Software
- Publisher(s)
- 2K
WHERE TO PLAY
Borderlands 4 brings intense action, badass Vault Hunters, and billions of wild and deadly weapons to an all-new planet ruled by a ruthless tyrant.
Crash into Kairos as one of four new Vault Hunters seeking wealth and glory. Wield powerful Action Skills, customize your build with deep skill trees, and dominate enemies with dynamic movement abilities.
Break free from the oppressive Timekeeper, a ruthless dictator who dominates the masses from on high. Now a world-altering catastrophe threatens his perfect Order, unleashing Mayhem across the planet.
- Franchise
- Borderlands
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
