Gearbox Software recently concluded its Borderlands 4 State of Play, showcasing an exciting 20 minutes of new gameplay and details from their eagerly awaited looter shooter. The presentation dives straight into the action, promising that the 2025 Borderlands installment will be the studio's most immersive and innovative yet, with significant gameplay enhancements spanning new traversal abilities to revised loot drop mechanics. Gearbox packed the 20-minute showcase with revelations about how Borderlands 4 raises the bar with fresh mechanics and revamped features, and we've captured all the key highlights right here.
Movement Abilities ------------------Each Borderlands game introduces new traversal mechanics, and Borderlands 4 is no exception. While previous teasers offered glimpses of the upcoming looter-shooter's tools, today's gameplay footage provided a clearer vision of what's in store for players.
Vault hunters in Borderlands 4 will benefit from a Destiny-like midair hover, allowing for shooting while airborne and reaching distant ledges. Additionally, a grappling hook adds versatility for both combat and exploration, and a dash ability enables last-second dodges. Vehicles remain a crucial element in Borderlands 4, with players now able to spawn their rides, including the new Digirunner, at their convenience.
Guns and Manufacturers
While earlier showcases focused on Vault Hunter traversal, today's State of Play spotlighted the gun manufacturers. Borderlands 4 features eight companies, introducing three new ones: Order, Ripper, and Daedalus, each with unique weapon designs and abilities.
Borderlands 4 introduces the Licensed Parts System, revolutionizing gun mechanics by allowing weapons to combine parts from various manufacturers. This means players could encounter an assault rifle with Maliwan's elemental components, Torgue's ammo clip, and Hyperion's shield. Rarer weapons boast more parts, intensifying the thrill of hunting for those coveted loot drops.
Borderlands 4 State of Play Gameplay Screenshots
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Story
The Borderlands 4 State of Play follows two Vault Hunters: Vex the Siren and Rafa, an exosuit-wearing former Tediore soldier. Vex utilizes Siren powers to summon allies in combat, while Rafa crafts tools like Ark Knives for rapid enemy takedowns. The gameplay showcases the duo navigating the cold, open arenas of the Terminus Range on the planet Kairos, one of four zones to explore.
Borderlands 4 continues the series' tradition of blending familiar faces with new characters. Today's reveal included Moxxi, Zane, Amara, and Claptrap, with hints at more about Lilith. Newcomers include Rush, a towering armored figure, and Echo 4, a helpful robot that assists players throughout their journey by scanning environments, hacking, and guiding lost Vault Hunters to their next objective.
Multiplayer
Borderlands 4 enhances the multiplayer experience with streamlined co-op features. Gearbox introduces an "improved lobby system" for easier friend connections, alongside crossplay at launch. Loot remains instanced for each player, and dynamic level scaling ensures seamless play across platforms.
Party customization extends to individual difficulty settings, allowing each player to tailor their experience. Split-screen couch co-op is available from day one, and a new feature lets players fast travel to their friends if separated.
Borderlands 4 also introduces a lower chance for Legendary loot drops, enriched skill trees, and more. Players can choose between quick revives or temporary combat buffs with Rep Kit gear, and Ordnances allow filling a cooldown weapons slot with either grenades or unique heavy weapons. Enhancements replace Artifacts, providing bonuses to guns from specific manufacturers.Borderlands 4 has moved up its release date by 11 days, from September 23 to September 12, for PC via the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is slated for later in the year.
Despite fan speculation, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford clarified that the date change is unrelated to the anticipated release of Take-Two Interactive's Grand Theft Auto 6. Stay tuned for more information as Gearbox prepares to unveil additional details at their upcoming hands-on gameplay event in June.
