Borderlands 4: Everything you need to know about the release, story, characters, and cross-play of the loot shooter

Borderlands 4 will be released soon and promises a new setting, unique exterminators, and fresh challenges. You can find all the information about the release in our overview.

Borderlands 4, the latest installment in Gearbox Software’s loot shooter series, will be released in September and promises more action-packed chaos. You can expect a new planet, powerful enemies, fresh classes, and, of course, countless weapons. We’ve compiled all the important information about the release, price, story, characters, and cross-play of the co-op shooter:

• Release: When will Borderlands 4 be released?
• Platforms: What platforms will the new Borderlands be available on?
• Switch 2: How well will Borderlands 4 run on Nintendo’s console?
• Price & Editions: How much will Borderlands 4 cost?
• Story & Setting: What is Borderlands 4 about?
• Characters/Classes: Which Vault Hunters will be available?
• Gameplay: How does the loot shooter play?
• Multiplayer: What do we know about co-op & crossplay?

The most important info about Borderlands 4

Release: When will Borderlands 4 be released?

• PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S: Release on September 12, 2025
• Nintendo Switch 2: Release on October 3, 2025

Borderlands 4 will be released on September 12, 2025, for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. The release date was announced on the official Borderlands X account. The Nintendo Switch 2 version will be released later and will be available on October 3.

STOP SCROLLING! We’re trying to make the news cycle!!!

Borderlands 4 has a 💥 NEW RELEASE DATE 💥 Sep. 12, 2025! https://t.co/Xy0JMcz5X1 pic.twitter.com/iewKcAPpKb

— Borderlands (@Borderlands) April 29, 2025

The loot shooter was originally scheduled for release on September 23, but the release date was moved forward by a few days.

Platforms: On which platforms will the new Borderlands be released?

• PC
• PS5
• Xbox Series X/S
• Nintendo Switch 2

Borderlands 4 will be released for PC, the current PlayStation and Xbox consoles, and the Nintendo Switch 2. The PC version will be available on Steam and in theEpic Games Store.

What about PS4, Xbox One, and Switch 1? Borderlands 4 will not be released on older consoles such as PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or the first Switch.

How well will Borderlands 4 run on the Switch 2?

We already know that Borderlands 4 will be released for the Switch 2 on October 3, 2025. However, fans will have to make some compromises on Nintendo’s console, as Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford announced on X:

• 30FPS:According to this, the loot shooter will only run at 30FPS on the Switch 2. Players should also be prepared for frame rate drops when there is a lot going on or when playing multiplayer in handheld mode.
• Game key card: On the Switch 2, the physical version of Borderlands 4 will only be available on a game key card. The cartridges do not contain the complete game, but merely trigger the download to download the game.

On PS5 and Xbox consoles, however, a smooth 60FPS is expected.

Price & Editions: How much does Borderlands 4 cost?

The Standard Edition of Borderlands 4 costs $70 for PC and $85 for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. As usual, there are also other editions with additional content and DLCs, but these cost more. All prices and editions at a glance:

Can Borderlands 4 be pre-ordered? Yes, Borderlands 4 is now available for pre-order on all available platforms.

Pre-order bonus: Golden Glory Pack

• A Vault Hunter skin
• A weapon skin
• An ECHO-4 drone skin

Story & Setting: What is Borderlands 4 about?

The story of Borderlands 4 picks up where Borderlands 3 left off. In that game, Lilith sacrificed herself to prevent the moon Elpis from crashing into Pandora. Now we know where Lilith teleported to with the moon.

• New planet: The new setting is the planet Kairos, which is said to be very different from Pandora. The game world is divided into four zones.
• New villain: The dangerous antagonist is the Time Keeper, an ancient and powerful being. He rules Kairos as a powerful dictator and oppresses the population with an iron fist.
• A war: A gigantic conflict with galactic implications threatens to break out between the bandits and the Time Keeper’s soldiers.

Characters: Which Vault Hunters will be available?

At launch, there will be four brand-new Vault Hunters, which will serve as playable classes. Here you will find the most important information about the four characters. The complete skill trees can also be viewed on the official website.

• Rafa – The Exo Soldier: Rafa wears a mechanical exoskeleton and carries two fast energy blades or additional weapons mounted on his suit. He is particularly nimble and moves agilely across the battlefield. This is very reminiscent of an assassin class.
• Vex – The Siren: She is the first Siren to focus on kinetic damage and life drain. Depending on her choice of skills, she can also use her powers to summon companions. Vex is the Dark Siren class in Borderlands 4.
• Amon – The Forge Knight: The big muscleman with the mechanical arm focuses primarily on close combat. He can choose to throw elemental axes, strike with his steel gauntlet, or summon a shield. He plays most like a tank class.
• Harlowe – The Gravitar: The fourth hunter is a combat scientist who uses her impressive knowledge directly on the battlefield by utilizing numerous devices. She can also use telekinesis-like powers to hurl enemies to the ground.

After release, two additional classes (Chamber Hunters) are scheduled to be released as DLC. The two Chamber Hunter packs are included in the Super Deluxe Edition (price: $130) and are scheduled to be released sometime after the release of the main game. In addition to the new characters, the DLCs also include new stories, regions, weapons, and customizations.

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Gameplay: How does Borderlands 4 play?

Like its predecessors, Borderlands 4 will be a first-person shooter with role-playing elements, focusing on cooperative gameplay and an overwhelming selection of weapons.

• Combat: The new characters are said to have the most diverse skill trees in the entire series, which, combined with the billions of deadly weapons, will allow for a wide variety of play styles.
• Movement: Grappling hooks, double jumps, and quick dodges make for more dynamic movement. The trailer also shows new vehicles such as fast gliders.
• Game world: The new setting is the planet Kairos. The world is said to be larger than in any other game in the series. It will not be an open world, but the areas will be seamlessly connected.

Multiplayer: What do we know about co-op & crossplay?

• Crossplay between PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch 2
• 4-player co-op in online multiplayer
• 2-player split screen in local multiplayer

Borderlands 4 will support crossplay at launch. PC and console players will be able to team up in co-op without any problems. In addition, a split-screen mode for two players has also been confirmed, so you can even play together on the same device.

Borderlands 4 supports crossplay on the Switch 2, but only runs at 30FPS on the console. Otherwise, the Switch version has all the content of the loot shooter, so players don’t have to worry about any further compromises.

In multiplayer, each player gets their own loot, so you don’t have to fight over the best loot.

Of course, there are still many questions that will be answered before the release in September. As always, we will keep this overview up to date so that you can always find the latest information and details about Borderlands 4 here.

How are you feeling: Are you looking forward to Borderlands 4 and the new planet? With the Time Keeper and the looming war, the loot shooter seems to be taking a more serious tone than its predecessors – do you like this development, or are you skeptical? Feel free to write your thoughts in the comments.