If you’re a diehard Borderlands fan counting down the days until the next looter-shooter entry drops, one of your first questions is probably what the Borderlands 4 cost will be across different platforms and editions. Gearbox hasn’t dropped official pricing details yet, but we can draw on decades of franchise release history, current AAA game pricing trends, and pre-order leak snippets to give you a super accurate breakdown of what you can expect to pay, plus ways to avoid overspending when the game finally launches. I’ve bought every Borderlands game at launch, including all the special editions, and I still have my Borderlands 2 Psycho class figurine from the collector’s edition sitting on my desk, so I know exactly which add-ons are worth the extra cash and which ones you can safely skip to save money.
Borderlands 4 Cost Breakdown by Edition
First, let’s cover the base version of the game, which is what most casual players will pick up. Current AAA first-party releases sit at $69.99 USD for next-gen consoles (PS5, Xbox Series X/S) and PC, so we expect the standard Borderlands 4 edition to land at that same price point for all platforms. Standard edition only includes the base game, no extra content or pre-order bonuses unless you buy from a participating retailer during the pre-order window. If you only plan to play through the main story once and don’t care about extra skins, side content, or early access, this is the best option for you.
The deluxe editions for past Borderlands games usually cost $20-$30 more than the base game, so we can expect Borderlands 4 deluxe to be priced at $89.99 to $99.99 USD. What do you get for that extra cash? Usually, you get a season pass with 4-6 DLC campaign packs, exclusive character skins, weapon skins, a starter pack of in-game currency, and sometimes 72 hours of early access to the full game before the official release date. If you’re a regular player who will sink 50+ hours into the game after launch, the deluxe edition almost always works out cheaper than buying the base game and season pass separately.
For super fans, collector’s editions for big franchise releases usually run between $149.99 and $249.99 USD, depending on the physical items included. Past Borderlands collector’s editions have come with things like replica figurines of playable characters, physical art books, steelbook cases, exclusive in-game content packs, and even replica weapons from the game. Collector’s editions are almost always limited run, so if you want one, you’ll need to pre-order as soon as they go live to avoid missing out. Regional pricing will vary too, with standard edition prices sitting around €79.99 in the EU and £69.99 in the UK for next-gen platforms.
Factors That Impact Borderlands 4 Pricing Across Platforms
You might be wondering if you’ll pay less for the game on PC vs. console, and the short answer is it depends on where you buy it. For official first-party storefronts (PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, Steam, Epic Games Store), pricing will be almost identical across all platforms at launch. That said, there are a few factors that can make the game cheaper on one platform over another:
- PC key sellers often offer 10-20% off pre-orders for AAA games a few weeks after pre-orders go live, as long as you buy an official, region-locked key
- Console subscription services like PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass sometimes offer 10% off pre-orders for active subscribers
- Used physical copies will drop to 50-70% of the launch price 2-3 months after release, if you don’t mind waiting to play and don’t care about pre-order bonuses
One thing to note: if you buy a physical copy of the game for PS5 or Xbox Series X/S, you usually won’t get any extra pre-order digital bonuses unless you buy directly from the console manufacturer’s official store. Third-party retailers like Amazon or GameStop sometimes offer their own exclusive bonuses, though, so it’s worth shopping around before you lock in your pre-order. Never buy keys from unlicensed third-party sellers, even if the price seems too good to be true, because you risk getting a revoked key or a scammed copy that won’t activate.
Is the Extra Cost for Premium Borderlands 4 Editions Worth It?
I’ve bought both standard and deluxe editions for every Borderlands game released so far, so I can give you a straight answer based on my own play habits. If you only play single-player, beat the main story in 15-20 hours, and then move on to another game, the premium editions are absolutely not worth the extra cost. You’ll never get around to playing the DLC content, so you’re just wasting money on skins you won’t even use. That’s why it’s important to weigh how much you’ll actually play the game before you pay the higher Borderlands 4 cost for premium editions.
But if you’re like me and sink 100+ hours into every Borderlands game, play co-op with friends regularly, and love running endgame builds and raids, the deluxe edition is a no-brainer. The season pass for Borderlands 3 added almost 30 hours of new campaign content, plus new playable characters, endgame raids, and exclusive weapons that you couldn’t get in the base game. Buying the season pass separately cost $49.99, so getting it bundled with the base game for only $20 extra saved me a ton of cash.
If you’re a collector or a super fan of the franchise, the collector’s edition can be a fun purchase, but don’t expect it to hold its value over time. Most special edition physical items drop in value after the game’s release hype dies down, so only buy it if you want to display the items for yourself, not as an investment. Wait for official Gearbox announcements of what’s included in each edition before you pre-order a premium version, because sometimes the extra content is not worth the added cost.
Easy Tips to Save Money on Your Borderlands 4 Purchase
You don’t have to pay full price for Borderlands 4 if you’re willing to wait a little bit or shop around. First, wait for the first post-launch sale, which usually happens 2-3 months after release. Most AAA games get a 20-30% off sale during the first big seasonal sale after launch, so you can save $20-$30 just by waiting a couple of months to play. I did this with Borderlands 3’s second DLC pack and saved $15 with no real downside, since I was still busy playing the base game content when the sale went live.
If you want to play at launch, look for bundle deals that include the game and a console accessory, or a bundle with another recent game. Retailers often offer these bundles during launch windows to encourage buyers, and you can end up getting extra items for only $10-$15 more than the cost of the base game alone. I once got a Borderlands 3 bundle that included an extra controller for only $20 more than the base game price, which was a way better deal than buying the controller separately.
Another easy way to save is to share the cost of the deluxe edition with a friend if you play on the same console platform. Most consoles allow you to game share with one other person, so you can split the cost of the deluxe edition and both get access to the full game, season pass, and all exclusive content for half the price. Just make sure you trust the person you’re sharing with, since you’ll have to link your accounts temporarily to set up game sharing.
Just make sure you don’t fall for fake pre-order scams that pop up on social media and unlicensed websites before the game’s official release. Only buy from official storefronts or licensed retailers to make sure you get a valid copy of the game, and don’t send money to random people offering “discounted pre-order codes” no matter how legitimate their post looks.
At the end of the day, the exact Borderlands 4 cost will depend on which edition you pick, which platform you play on, and whether you pre-order or wait for a sale. For most players, the standard edition will be more than enough to enjoy the full chaotic looter-shooter experience Borderlands is known for, but long-time fans will get plenty of value out of the deluxe edition’s extra content. Keep an eye on official Gearbox announcements in the coming months for exact pricing details, and don’t rush into a pre-order until you know exactly what’s included in each edition.