Randy Pitchford: Borderlands 4's Early Release Not Tied to Other Game Launches

Randy Pitchford, the development chief at Gearbox, has firmly stated that the decision to release Borderlands 4 earlier than anticipated was not influenced by the release schedules of other games. This statement comes in response to speculation that the move might be connected to the release dates of games like Marathon or Grand Theft Auto 6.

Borderlands 4, a cooperative first-person shooter, was initially set to launch on September 23 but has now been rescheduled for September 12. The game will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and Nintendo Switch 2. This 11-day shift led to rumors that the decision might have been influenced by the release of Grand Theft Auto 6, which is expected to launch in the fall of 2025 and is also published by Take-Two, the parent company of both Gearbox and Rockstar Games.

There was also speculation that Borderlands 4's release date was changed to avoid a direct clash with Bungie's Marathon, another cooperative-focused extraction shooter. Marathon, a pivotal title for Bungie, which is owned by Sony, was scheduled for the same release date, September 23, 2025. Borderlands 4 is set to have its own PlayStation State of Play broadcast on April 30 at 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET / 11 PM CEST.

However, Pitchford took to Twitter to clarify that the decision to advance the release of Borderlands 4 was solely based on "confidence" in the game and its development trajectory, emphasizing that it had "0% to do with any other product's actual or theoretical launch date."

While it's common for game release dates to be delayed, moving a release date forward is less typical. Chris Dring, Editor-In-Chief and Co-Founder of The Game Business, expressed his surprise at the move, noting that if the decision was truly unrelated to other game releases, it seemed "a bit odd." He pointed out that the original date was already publicized across various platforms and materials.

In a video message released early, Pitchford shared the news of the new release date for Borderlands 4, expressing excitement about the game's progress and the team's performance. He described the early release as a "best-case scenario" and a rare occurrence in the industry.

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 Games, the developer behind Grand Theft Auto 6. At the executive level, including CEO Strauss Zelnick, there is an awareness of all projects and a strategic approach to their release to maximize success.

In a February interview with IGN, Zelnick discussed Take-Two's strategy to avoid release date conflicts that could lead to "cannibalization" of sales. He emphasized that the company aims to respect consumers' time and interest in playing hit games before moving on to new titles.

Amidst the speculation about Borderlands 4's release date, there are also concerns about potential delays for Grand Theft Auto 6, which might shift to early winter or even into the first quarter of 2026. Zelnick acknowledged the inherent risks of delays but expressed confidence in Rockstar's ability to meet the fall 2025 target for Grand Theft Auto 6.