Randy Pitchford: Borderlands 4 Release Date Set Independently

Randy Pitchford, the development chief at Gearbox, has firmly stated that the decision to advance the release date of Borderlands 4 was not influenced by the launch schedules of other games, such as Marathon or Grand Theft Auto 6. Originally slated for a September 23 release, Borderlands 4 will now hit the shelves on September 12, available across PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and Nintendo Switch 2.

This unexpected 11-day shift has fueled speculation that the move might be a strategic maneuver by Take-Two, the parent company of both Gearbox and GTA developer Rockstar, to avoid clashing with GTA 6, which is set to launch in the fall of 2025. Additionally, there were concerns about a potential conflict with Bungie's Marathon, a co-op focused extraction shooter that was also scheduled for September 23, 2025. Borderlands 4 is set to have its own PlayStation State of Play broadcast on April 30 at 2pm PT / 5pm ET / 11pm CEST.

However, Pitchford took to Twitter to clarify that the early release of Borderlands 4 was solely due to "confidence" and the positive "development trajectory" of the game. He emphasized that the decision had "0% to do with any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date."

While it's uncommon for games to move their release dates forward (delays are more typical), Chris Dring, Editor-In-Chief and Co-Founder of The Game Business, expressed skepticism about the lack of influence from other games' release dates. He noted that the original date for Borderlands 4 was already set and widely publicized, suggesting there must be a strong commercial rationale behind the shift.

In a video message released early, Pitchford shared the surprising news about the new release date for Borderlands 4, stating that the development was going exceptionally well and described it as a "best-case scenario." He excitedly announced, "What?! This never happens you guys! This never happens! We’re moving the launch date forward! You’re gonna get Borderlands 4 earlier!"

It's important to note that Borderlands 4 is published by 2K Games, a subsidiary of Take-Two, which also owns Gearbox and the Borderlands IP. Take-Two is also the parent company of Rockstar, the developer behind GTA 6. At the executive level, including CEO Strauss Zelnick, there's an overarching strategy to ensure all games under the Take-Two umbrella have the best chance of success.

In an interview with IGN in February, Zelnick discussed Take-Two's approach to scheduling game releases to prevent cannibalization, highlighting a focus on respecting consumers' time with hit games. He expressed optimism about timing releases to allow players to fully engage with one game before moving on to another.

Amidst the speculation, there's also talk about potential delays for GTA 6, possibly pushing its release into early winter or even the first quarter of 2026. Zelnick, while optimistic, acknowledged the inherent risks in predicting release dates, suggesting a cautious yet confident outlook on GTA 6's fall 2025 launch.