Summary
- Borderlands 4 release date moved up by two weeks to September 12th.
- Rare for games to release earlier due to bug fixes and polish needs.
- Speculation that early release aimed to avoid Grand Theft Auto 6’s buzz and domination.
When a video game changes its release date, it is very rarely adjusted to come out sooner. We’re so used to games being pushed back weeks, months, and years (yes, I’m looking at you, Silksong) that when a game goes the opposite direction, it comes as a genuine surprise.
It’s even more surprising when said title is one of the hottest, most anticipated games of the year. That’s why, when I saw that Borderlands 4 was being released two weeks earlier than the original date, I had to share it. And while the earlier release date may genuinely stem from a good place within Gearbox, there’s a good chance the company is trying its best to escape the oncoming freight train that’s Grand Theft Auto 6’s release date.
Related
I’ve been using the most powerful PC gaming handheld, and it’s not the one you might think
MSI has put its Claw(s) into my soul.
Borderlands 4 will now release on September 12th, two weeks early
As spotted by The Verge, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford posted a video on his X account. In the video, Randy explains that Borderlands 4’s development has been “going great”, adding that “everything’s going, kinda, the best case scenario, the game is awesome, the team is cooking.” As a result, he has decided to release the game two weeks ahead of its original September 23rd release date, now scheduled for the 12th.
Games don’t often release earlier because, even if the developer finishes the game up earlier than expected, that extra time is crucial for additional bug fixes, polish, and ensuring the release date goes smoothly. Now, I don’t want to accuse Randy of not moving the release date out of the kindness of his heart; if things truly are going well, moving the release date earlier is a great service for gamers. However, the fact that the company is willingly sacrificing those two weeks of potential refinement hints that perhaps something else is going on within.
So, what might be the cause? As The Verge notes, Gearbox may have shifted the release date to avoid the gigantic black hole that is Grand Theft Auto 6. Rockstar Games has not revealed when the game will release, but it has hinted at a Fall 2025 release date. And once Grand Theft Auto 6 releases, any other game releasing a month or so afterward will be eclipsed by the excitement and energy around this highly anticipated gargantuan of a game.
However, this is just speculation, and it could just be Randy being a cool dude and getting people to enjoy the fruits of Gearbox’s labor earlier than previously expected. Regardless of their motives, it’s excellent news for people who want to return to the series that popularized the looter shooter genre. In the meantime, why not give Borderlands 3: Ultimate Edition a spin on Xbox Game Pass?
