Borderlands 4: Everything You Need to Know About the Highly Anticipated Looter Shooter

Sammy Schnor

• 3 min read
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The wait is almost over! Gearbox Software has officially announced that Borderlands 4 will launch on September 12, 2025, bringing the beloved looter shooter franchise to an all-new planet called Kairos. With four brand-new Vault Hunters, revolutionary gameplay mechanics, and the deepest skill trees in franchise history, Borderlands 4 promises to deliver an unprecedented level of mayhem and customization.

Meet the New Vault Hunters

Borderlands 4 introduces four completely new playable characters, each with unique abilities and compelling backstories:

  • Vex: The Siren
  • A cynical yet empathetic Siren who had to survive a rough upbringing complicated by her mysterious powers. Despite her sarcastic demeanor, Vex genuinely cares about helping others and will always stand against oppressive forces. Her Phase Covenant trait allows her to convert all Action Skill and melee damage to match her equipped weapon's elemental type.
  • Rafa: The Exo-Soldier
  • Born in microgravity, Rafa's altered physiology made survival elsewhere impossible until Tediore's military provided him with a specialized exo-suit. When he realized Tediore never intended to release him from service, he went AWOL. Now living on borrowed time with his Tediore Deadframe, Rafa's Overdrive trait boosts his movement speed and damage output whenever he activates an Action Skill.
  • Amon: The Forgeknight
  • The sole survivor of a Vault monster attack on his worshipping cult, Amon has dedicated his life to hunting and destroying these creatures. Despite his hardened appearance and unwavering duty, this warrior-poet maintains a warm attitude and often shares stories and wisdom with fellow fighters.
  • Harlowe: The Gravitar
  • A former Maliwan combat scientist driven by an insatiable need to understand how things work. Initially an outcast among her Traunt relatives, Harlowe has channeled her brilliance into developing cutting-edge battlefield technology. Her enthusiasm for life and sunny disposition make her a formidable ally who brings both advanced gadgets and high spirits to every fight.

Revolutionary Gameplay Features

Borderlands 4 introduces several game-changing mechanics that expand exploration and combat possibilities:

  • Grappling System
  • The energy lash allows players to grapple onto anchor points, reach new heights, and glide through the air. Beyond traversal, you can grab and throw environmental objects at enemies, fish items from water, capture weakened animals, and manipulate obstacles.
  • Enhanced Mobility
  • Players now have access to double jumping, multi-directional dashing, gliding capabilities, and full swimming mechanics including underwater exploration.
  • Digirunner Vehicles
  • Summon your personalized Digirunner almost anywhere on Kairos. These vehicles feature jet-boosting capabilities, front-mounted turrets for combat, and extensive customization options through unlockable Hover Drives and collectible cosmetics.

The Deepest Skill System Ever

Borderlands 4 features the most extensive character progression system in franchise history. Each Vault Hunter has three skill trees containing approximately 387 total skill points - nearly triple the previous games. The innovative branching system includes:

  • Three main Action Skills (one per tree) that can be swapped on the fly
  • Fifteen Action Skill Augments per character (five per tree) for specialized enhancement
  • Nine Capstone Skills offering the most powerful character modifications
  • Unique Vault Hunter traits that work across all Action Skills

Each skill tree features a wide trunk with core abilities and three specialized branches, requiring strategic point investment to unlock deeper tiers. This system ensures excellent synergy between all four Vault Hunters in co-op play.

Welcome to Kairos

The prison planet Kairos serves as Borderlands 4's expansive setting, featuring four seamlessly connected regions under the oppressive rule of the Timekeeper:

  • Fadefields: Deceptively beautiful rolling hills and beaches hiding dark secrets under Idolator Sol's ruthless control
  • Terminus Range: Frigid mountain peaks presenting extreme survival challenges
  • Carcadia Burn: Devastated wastelands scarred by conflict and destruction
  • The Dominion: The Timekeeper's impenetrable fortress city and seat of power

Players will work with the Crimson Resistance to liberate Points of Interest across Kairos, gradually weakening the Timekeeper's grip while expanding fast travel options and uncovering valuable Vault Key Fragments.

Next-Gen Weapons and Loot

The Licensed Parts system revolutionizes weapon variety by allowing guns to combine behaviors and abilities from multiple manufacturers. Eight unique weapon manufacturers contribute to billions of possible combinations, with The Order offering the Timekeeper's advanced military arsenal featuring high-powered burst fire and precision accuracy.

Enhanced Co-op Experience

Borderlands 4 supports up to four-player online co-op across all platforms, plus two-player split-screen on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Cross-platform play ensures you can team up with friends regardless of their gaming platform. The improved lobby system features:

  • Instanced loot ensuring everyone gets their fair share
  • Dynamic level scaling keeping everyone competitive
  • Individual difficulty settings for personalized challenges
  • Fast travel directly to co-op partners

Platform Availability and Release

Borderlands 4 launches September 12, 2025, on:

  • PlayStation 5
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • PC (Steam and Epic Games Store)

Nintendo Switch 2 follows on October 3, 2025, bringing the full Borderlands experience to portable gaming.

Gearbox has confirmed plans for substantial post-launch support including two additional playable Vault Hunters and extended story content, ensuring Borderlands 4 will continue evolving long after release.

With its innovative mechanics, deepest-ever progression systems, and expansive new world to explore, Borderlands 4 is positioned to redefine the looter shooter genre when it arrives in September 2025.