If you’ve sunk hundreds of hours into hunting legendary weapons, messing around with chaotic co-op runs, and laughing at the Borderlands franchise’s absurd, crude humor, you’ve almost certainly found yourself asking is Borderlands 4 out at some point over the last few years. The series has sold over 75 million copies worldwide, and Borderlands 3’s massive commercial success made a fourth mainline entry all but inevitable. Fans have been picking apart every small tease from developer Gearbox Software for clues about when they can jump back into the chaotic world of Pandora and beyond. For now, most of the information floating around is a mix of official confirmation, unsubstantiated leaks, and straight-up misinformation, so we’re breaking down everything you actually need to know.
Is Borderlands 4 Out? Breaking Down Official Confirmation Status
The short answer to this question is no, Borderlands 4 is not available to purchase or play as of now. Gearbox officially confirmed that the fourth mainline Borderlands game was in active development back in 2022, during an investor presentation for parent company Embracer Group. Since that initial confirmation, the studio has shared very few concrete details about the project, opting to keep most development plans under wraps to avoid spoiling surprises for fans. Never click on unvetted links or social media posts promising early access to Borderlands 4, as these are almost always phishing scams, malware, or attempts to steal your personal information. The only place you’ll get official download or purchase links is directly from Gearbox, console platform stores, or authorized PC game sellers. Many of these fake posts claim Borderlands 4 is available for early access right now, but that’s not true, and falling for these scams can put your accounts and devices at risk.
What We Know About Borderlands 4 Gameplay So Far
While Gearbox has kept most gameplay details secret, devs have dropped small teases in interviews and social media posts over the last two years. They’ve repeatedly stated that they’re building Borderlands 4 around the core elements that made the franchise a hit: infinite customizable loot, over-the-top weapon variety, four-player co-op, and the series’ signature silly, dark humor. The franchise’s signature crude, absurd humor will remain front and center in the new game, per comments from lead writers, who have said they’re working to make the story feel both fresh and familiar for long-time fans. So far, the following features have been either officially confirmed or heavily teased by credible dev sources:
Devs have also mentioned they’re addressing one of the biggest complaints from Borderlands 3: duplicate legendary drops. The new loot system will reduce the number of repeated high-tier drops you get, and add more ways to reroll or customize existing legendaries to fit your build. Devs have explicitly stated that cross-progression will be available for all players, no matter what platform you buy the game on, which solves one of the biggest pain points from the previous entry’s launch.
Common Borderlands 4 Release Rumors (and Which Are Worth Believing)
With so little official information available, it’s no surprise that hundreds of rumors have popped up online about Borderlands 4’s release window, platform support, and story. Some of these rumors come from credible industry insiders, while others are completely made up by fan accounts trying to get clicks. Any rumor that gives a specific exact release date for Borderlands 4 is unconfirmed as of now, because Gearbox has not shared any public timeline for launch, even internally according to recent reports. One of the most persistent rumors is that Borderlands 4 will be a next-gen exclusive, only launching on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, with no support for last-gen PS4 and Xbox One consoles. This rumor is fairly credible, as devs have mentioned they’re pushing the limits of current hardware to make the game run at 60 FPS with 4K graphics even during chaotic co-op fights with dozens of enemies on screen. Another common rumor is that fan favorite characters like Tiny Tina, Claptrap, and even Handsome Jack will appear in the new game’s story. This one is mostly unconfirmed, but it’s safe to assume that at least a few iconic returning characters will make an appearance, as that’s a staple of the franchise.
What You Can Do While You Wait for Borderlands 4 to Launch
Since we don’t have a concrete launch date yet, you don’t have to sit around refreshing social media for updates every day. There’s plenty of Borderlands content to enjoy in the meantime, and simple steps you can take to make sure you’re first in line when the game finally does launch. If you want to get your looter-shooter fix, you can go back to Borderlands 3 and play through the post-launch DLCs that added new story content and endgame raids, or try out Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, a spin-off game with the same core loot loop and fantasy-themed twists. You can also play through the Borderlands Legendary Collection to catch up on all the franchise lore if you’re a newer fan who hasn’t played the first two games. If you want to be first in line for pre-orders, sign up for the official Borderlands newsletter to get notified the second pre-orders go live, plus you’ll get exclusive in-game bonuses for early buyers that won’t be available after launch. You can also create custom build ideas for past vault hunters to practice for when Borderlands 4 launches, so you know exactly what playstyle you want to try first. Many long-time fans also join community Discord servers or Reddit groups to share theories about the new game’s story, swap custom build ideas for past entries, and connect with other players who are just as excited for the next release.
At the end of the day, if you’re asking is Borderlands 4 out, you still have a bit of waiting to do before you can jump into a new vault hunting adventure. But the game is definitely in active development, and Gearbox is putting in the work to make it the biggest, most polished entry in the franchise so far. We’ll update this page as soon as any official announcements, release dates, or gameplay trailers drop, so you can check back regularly for the latest accurate information. I’ve been playing Borderlands since the first game launched in 2009, and I’m just as hyped as everyone else to see what weird new weapons, ridiculous characters, and chaotic missions Gearbox has in store for us.