Borderlands 4 Overview

In this Borderlands 4 Overview, we will cover everything we know so far, including global launch times, playable Vault Hunters, the world of Kairos, weapon systems, co-op features, endgame content, and PC requirements! Borderlands 4 is designed with scalability in mind, offering both high-end visual fidelity and accessible performance for midrange PCs. Learn more in our Borderlands Best Settings guide.

Key Takeaways:

Borderlands 4 is the highly anticipated continuation of the iconic looter-shooter franchise, taking Vault Hunters to the war-torn planet of Kairos to battle the Timekeeper and his Order. Players can expect new regions to explore, new traversal mechanics, and billions of guns with greater part variety.

• Release Date: September 12, 2025 (global simultaneous launch);
• New Vault Hunters: Four classes with unique skill trees and action skills;
• Planet Kairos: Largest Borderlands world yet with hazards, factions, and story-driven side quests;
• Loot System: Billions of guns with hybrid weapon parts and dedicated drop sources;
• New Mechanics: Digirunner vehicle, ECHO-4 drone, dynamic world events;
• Co-op & Endgame: Full crossplay, instanced loot, Chaos Realms, True Vault Hunter Mode, and raids.

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Borderlands 4 Release Date

Borderlands 4’s start date is set to September 12th. It is a true simultaneous global launch, which means that players around the world can begin at roughly the same time!

Console players get midnight local launches, while PC players follow a single coordinated global release window. Here we have prepared a table with release dates and launch times for all platforms and regions:

Want to be fully prepared for the endgame when the game releases? Check out our Campaign Completion service.

Pre-Order Bonus: Gilded Glory Pack

Pre-ordering Borderlands 4 before launch will also unlock the Gilded Glory Pack. This gives early players a head start with cosmetics and strong leveling gear. Here is what’s included in the preorder bonus for Borderlands 4:

• 1 Vault Hunter Head and universal Vault Hunter Skin
• 1 Weapon Skin & matching ECHO-4 Drone Skin
• 4 Legendary Gear pieces, including an early-game SMG and a max-level Daedalus Assault Rifle

Borderlands 4 Characters

Borderlands 4 features four entirely new Vault Hunters with more customization options than ever. Each character has three unique skill trees, multiple Action Skills, Augments, and Capstones that significantly change their playstyle. Here we have prepared a breakdown of each character and their primary abilities. And if you still haven’t decided which character you want to play when the game releases, check out our dedicated Borderlands 4 Class Guide here at Overgear.

Vex – The Siren

Vex uses supernatural phase energy and spectral summons to overwhelm enemies. She can focus on pet builds, AoE control, or self-sustaining damage. Here is the list of her active abilities:

• Dead Ringer (The Fourth Seal): Summons a Phase Clone Minion – either a melee-focused Reaper or a ranged Specter that deals gun damage.
• Incarnate (Vexcalation): Triggers a Phase Explosion, heals Vex to full, and grants Eldritch Blasts that reset cooldowns when hitting enemies.
• Phase Phamiliar (Here Comes Trouble): Summons her companion Trouble, who can be teleported to deal AoE damage and temporarily transform into a Badass.

Rafa – The Exo-Soldier

Rafa is a cybernetic powerhouse who thrives in aggressive combat. His Overdrive mechanic boosts all damage after activating any Action Skill. Here is what he can do:

• Apophis Lance (People Person): Fires charged shock blasts from an arm cannon. Holding charges increases damage and pierce.
• Peacebreaker Cannons (Remote Agent): Deploys shoulder cannons that auto-fire at enemies. Early cancel refunds cooldown for skill rotations.
• Arc-Knives (This Year’s Gimmick): Equips throwable knives that mark targets, leading to a massive Blade Fury finisher.

Amon – The Forgeknight

Amon is a close-range brawler with fire and cryo-infused weaponry, perfect for players who want to get in the enemy’s face. Here are the abilities that he uses in combat:

• Onslaughter (Calamity): Rocket Punch enemies with the Forgefist, staggering and knocking back most foes.
• Scourge (Vengeance): Deploys a Forgeshield that absorbs damage and converts it into a powerful cryo wave.
• Crucible (Cybernetics): Throws forged axes that prime enemies for explosive chain detonations.

Harlowe – The Gravitar

Harlowe excels at battlefield control and ally support through gravity manipulation. Here’s the list of abilities:

• Chroma Accelerator (Creative Bursts): Fires energy pockets that explode for AoE radiation damage.
• Zero-Point (Seize the Day): Suspends enemies in Stasis before slamming them into the ground.
• Flux Generator (Cosmic Brilliance): Creates an energy field that deals cryo damage over time and grants allies Overshield.

Every Vault Hunter plays differently, with their own set of pros and cons. Trying them all out might prove difficult, as it requires Specialization Leveling from scratch each time. However, we can help with just that!

Borderlands 4 World

Kairos is shaping up to be the largest and most diverse planet in the series. Each of its four regions—Fadefields, Carcadia Burn, Terminus Range, and Dominion—offers distinct biomes, enemy factions, and story arcs. Side quests are more story-driven and can have multiple endings that can influence the overall narrative.

Environmental hazards also play a bigger role this time in terms of gameplay. Sandstorms can roll through Carcadia Burn, reducing visibility and spawning rare enemies. Terminus Range has avalanches that can block shortcuts until cleared, and Dominion features patrols that actively hunt the player if too much chaos is caused in a short time. Players are encouraged to liberate Points of Interest, building out the Crimson Resistance network and unlocking fast travel points, safehouses, and access to hidden loot caches.

Borderlands 4 Loot

Borderlands 4 brings back all eight classic weapon manufacturers, but now also enhanced with the Licensed Parts system that allows hybrid weapon behaviors. Players can find Jakobs assault rifles with elemental barrels, or Vladof sniper rifles with burst-fire alt-modes.

Legendary weapons include unique effects such as projectiles that ricochet between Entangled enemies or forge-powered hammers that set the ground ablaze. Dedicated drop sources make farming more predictable, while random world drops keep loot hunts exciting.

Borderlands 4 New Game Mechanics

Borderlands 4 introduces new traversal, companion, and progression mechanics that expand exploration and combat. Here we have prepared a small breakdown of each new mechanic that has been announced for the game:

Digirunner Vehicle System

Your customizable Digirunner can be summoned anywhere. You can swap hover drives, add elemental weapons, and adjust handling to suit your playstyle. The Digirunner is also key for world puzzles, letting you jump gaps, ram barricades, and transport objectives.

ECHO-4 Drone Companion

Your ECHO-4 Drone provides navigation support, on-demand ammo upgrades, and appearance changes anywhere in the world. It can also be upgraded with utility modules such as enemy scanners, loot pings, and portable vending features.

Dynamic World Control

Claim Points of Interest to weaken the Timekeeper’s forces, triggering changing enemy patrol routes and opening secret vaults. Sky Balloons allow aerial scouting and can reveal rare chest locations and fast-travel shortcuts.

Borderlands 4 Crossplay

Co-op remains at the heart of Borderlands 4. Four-player online co-op is fully supported with crossplay between all platforms. Loot and difficulty scaling are instanced, so players of different levels can still enjoy meaningful progress together. Split-screen returns on current-gen consoles with improved UI and smoother performance.

Borderlands 4 Endgame

After finishing the main story, players unlock True Vault Hunter Mode, featuring tougher enemies and better loot. The game also introduces Chaos Realms, replayable challenge arenas with rotating modifiers, scaling difficulty tiers, and leaderboard competitions. Seasonal events and limited-time raids are planned, keeping the game fresh long after launch.

Borderlands 4 Post-Launch Roadmap

After launch, Borderlands 4 will receive a steady stream of free and paid content. Paid Story Packs will add new missions, zones, a Vault Hunter, loot, and cosmetics, with the first pack arriving in Q1 2026. Bounty Packs will bring smaller missions, bosses, Legendary gear, and Vault Cards with repeatable rewards.

Free updates include:

1. Invincible Bosses with top-tier loot
2. Weekly challenges and missions
3. Maurice’s Black Market Machine
4. Seasonal events like Horrors of Kairos
5. Pearlescent loot tier
6. …and more!

Together, these updates will keep Kairos fresh for solo players and co-op teams alike.

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Borderlands 4 is shaping up to be the most feature-rich game in the series, with bigger worlds, deeper skill trees, and a wide range of ways to play. Whether you prefer solo farming or full four-player co-op chaos, Kairos promises to deliver an endless hunt for the next great piece of loot. Stay tuned here at Overgear for future Borderlands 4 guides!