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

Randy Pitchford, the development chief at Gearbox, has firmly denied that the early release of Borderlands 4 was influenced by the launch dates of other games, such as Marathon or Grand Theft Auto 6. Originally set for a September 23 release, Borderlands 4 will now hit the shelves on September 12, available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and Nintendo Switch 2.

The decision to move the release date forward by 11 days fueled speculation that Take-Two, the parent company of both Gearbox and Rockstar Games (developer of GTA 6), might have adjusted the schedule to avoid competition with GTA 6, which is slated for a fall 2025 release. There were also rumors that the shift could be to dodge a direct competition with Bungie's Marathon, a co-op focused extraction shooter, set to launch on the same day as Borderlands 4's original date.

However, Pitchford took to Twitter to clarify that the decision to advance Borderlands 4's release was purely based on "confidence" in the game and its "development trajectory," and not at all influenced by any other game's release schedule. He emphasized that the move was driven by the team's progress and the game's readiness, stating, "Borderlands 4 shipping early is 100% the result of confidence in the game and development trajectory backed by actual tasks and bug find/fix rates."

This move is unusual, as delays are more common in the gaming industry. Chris Dring, Editor-In-Chief and Co-Founder of The Game Business, expressed his surprise at the decision, noting the logistical challenges of changing a release date that was already widely publicized. He suggested there must be a compelling commercial reason behind the shift.

In a video message, Pitchford shared the news with excitement, highlighting the positive development progress and the team's enthusiasm. He stated, "Everything is going great, actually... The game is awesome, the team is cooking, and so the launch date for Borderlands 4 is changing. We’re moving it forward. The launch date is now September 12."

It's important to note that Borderlands 4 is published by 2K Games, and both Gearbox and the Borderlands IP are owned by Take-Two, which also owns Rockstar Games. At the executive level, including CEO Strauss Zelnick, there is likely a strategic oversight of all game releases to ensure optimal success. Zelnick has previously mentioned to IGN that Take-Two plans its releases to avoid cannibalization, aiming to respect consumers' time and engagement with hit games.

Amidst the speculation, there's also talk about potential delays for GTA 6, possibly into early winter or the first quarter of 2026. Zelnick, however, expressed confidence in Rockstar's ability to meet the fall 2025 target for GTA 6, while acknowledging the inherent risks of delays in game development.