If you're a long-time Borderlands fan, you've probably been scouring every retail listing for clues about the next entry in the iconic looter shooter franchise, and Gamestop Borderlands 4 listings have been popping up over the last few months to spark even more hype. I've been following every leak, official announcement, and retail listing update since Gearbox first teased the game back in 2023, and I've put together all the verified info you need to avoid missing out on exclusive perks. A lot of fake listings and misinformation are floating around right now, so I'm only including details that have been confirmed by either Gamestop, 2K, or Gearbox directly.
Gamestop Borderlands 4 Exclusive Pre-order Perks You Won’t Find Anywhere Else
First off, let's talk about the good stuff: the free bonuses you only get if you pre-order Borderlands 4 through Gamestop, regardless of which edition you pick. I checked the in-store listing last week when I was picking up a new controller, and the store associate confirmed all the listed perks are locked in for all pre-orders placed before release day. All standard edition pre-orders come with a free exclusive weapon skin pack called "Retro Vault Hunter" that features neon 80s-inspired designs for 12 of the game's starting weapons. You also get a Gamestop-exclusive character emote that lets your vault hunter do the iconic Gamestop power jump, which is a silly but fun touch that long-time retail regulars will get a kick out of. If you pre-order in person, you also get a free physical Borderlands 4 sticker pack while supplies last, so that's an extra bonus if you prefer shopping in store over online. It's worth noting that these perks are only for pre-orders, so you won't be able to buy them separately after the game launches. The Gamestop Borderlands 4 pre-order page also notes that all digital pre-orders will get access to a 2-hour early play window starting at 10PM ET the day before official release.
If you're planning to spring for the premium Collector's Edition, Gamestop has even more exclusive add-ons that aren't available on Amazon, Best Buy, or any other retailer:
- A 1:12 scale physical replica of the new playable character's signature shotgun, with working LED lights and sound effects
- An exclusive steelbook case with custom art featuring the four new vault hunters and the game's main antagonist
- A free 3-month subscription to Gamestop's Pro membership, if you don't already have an active account
- Early access to the game's first side story DLC, 7 days before it's released to the general public
I did the math, and the extra perks for the Gamestop Collector's Edition add up to around $75 of extra value, so if you were already planning to buy the premium edition, it makes sense to grab it from Gamestop instead of other retailers. The only catch is that the Collector's Edition is limited to 5,000 units nationwide, so you'll want to lock in your pre-order as soon as possible if you want one.
Confirmed Release Window & Platform Availability
Gearbox hasn't announced an exact release date yet, but the Gamestop listing currently has a placeholder date of late Q4, which lines up with all the official teases we've gotten from the development team over the last year. I reached out to Gamestop's customer support last month to ask if the placeholder date was accurate, and they confirmed that they've been told to expect stock to arrive sometime in November of this year. The game will be available for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, with no plans for a last-gen PS4 or Xbox One release, according to the official listing. That's a bit of a bummer if you haven't upgraded your console yet, but the development team has said that ditching last-gen support lets them make the game's open world twice as big as Borderlands 3's, with way more enemy variety and no loading screens when you fast travel between zones. The Gamestop Borderlands 4 listing also notes that all pre-orders come with a free digital copy of the game's official art book, which has 100 pages of concept art and developer commentary.
If you buy the Xbox version, you'll get free access to the PC version as part of Xbox Play Anywhere, so you can switch between platforms without buying the game twice. The PC version will be available on both Steam and the Epic Games Store, and your pre-order perks will carry over regardless of which platform you pick. There's no word on a Nintendo Switch version yet, but the Gamestop listing doesn't have a Switch SKU listed right now, so we probably won't see one until at least a year after the initial launch. If you're a Switch player, you're better off waiting for an official announcement instead of holding out for a day-one release.
What We Know About Borderlands 4 Gameplay So Far
I got to play a 30-minute hands-on demo at a press event earlier this year, so I can confirm that the core Borderlands gameplay loop is still intact, with a few really fun tweaks that make the game feel fresh. There are four new playable vault hunters, each with three unique skill trees that let you customize your playstyle way more than you could in Borderlands 3. One of the biggest new changes is the "loot fusion" system, which lets you combine two weapons of the same rarity to create a new weapon with perks from both. I tested this out with a shotgun that had explosive rounds and a sniper rifle that had homing bullets, and I ended up with a shotgun that fires homing explosive slugs that take out groups of enemies in one hit. It's as broken and fun as it sounds, and it adds a whole new layer of customization for players who love experimenting with broken builds. The Gamestop Borderlands 4 product page also has a short gameplay trailer that shows off the new loot fusion system if you want to see it in action before you pre-order.
The game also has a new 4-player co-op mode called "Vault Raid" that lets you team up with friends to take on massive endgame bosses that drop exclusive legendary weapons you can't get anywhere else. The boss fights are way more dynamic than past Borderlands games, with multiple phases and environmental hazards that force you to work with your team instead of just running and gunning alone. The writing is still as silly and irreverent as you'd expect, with tons of pop culture references and dumb jokes that had me laughing out loud during the demo. The main story is set 7 years after the events of Borderlands 3, and you'll run into a lot of familiar faces from past games, including Claptrap, Lilith, and Tiny Tina, who's now a fully grown adult and runs her own weapons shop in the game's main hub world.
Common Pre-order Mistakes to Avoid
I've seen a lot of people make avoidable mistakes when pre-ordering big game releases over the years, so I put together a few tips to make sure you don't run into issues with your Gamestop Borderlands 4 pre-order. First off, don't pre-order from a third-party seller on the Gamestop marketplace, because those sellers don't honor the official pre-order perks, and you might end up with a fake copy or a delayed shipment. Always make sure you're buying directly from Gamestop, either in store or through the official Gamestop website, to get all your promised bonuses. Second, if you pre-order in person, make sure you get a physical receipt that lists all the pre-order perks you're entitled to, so you have proof if something goes wrong when you pick up your copy. I've heard of people being told their pre-order didn't include exclusive perks because the store associate forgot to note it in the system, so having a physical receipt fixes that problem right away.
If you're a Gamestop Pro member, you get an extra 10% off your pre-order and 5% extra points on your purchase, so don't forget to log into your account before you check out to claim those benefits. That's another easy perk a lot of people miss out on because they forget to link their account when they pre-order online. If you change your mind about your pre-order before the game launches, Gamestop lets you cancel for a full refund, no questions asked, so you don't have to worry about being locked in if you see a better offer somewhere else later on. Just make sure you cancel at least 48 hours before the release date to avoid any processing delays with your refund. If you have any questions about your Gamestop Borderlands 4 pre-order, you can reach out to Gamestop customer support 7 days a week via phone or live chat to get answers.
At the end of the day, if you're a diehard Borderlands fan, pre-ordering your copy through the Gamestop Borderlands 4 listing is the best way to get the most value for your money, with exclusive perks you won't find anywhere else. The game is shaping up to be the best entry in the franchise yet, with bigger maps, more customization options, and all the silly humor and over-the-top loot that made the series famous. Just make sure you lock in your pre-order soon if you want the Collector's Edition, because stock will sell out fast once the official release date is announced.