Randy Pitchford: Borderlands 4 Timeline Stands Independent

Gearbox president Randy Pitchford has firmly denied that Borderlands 4's earlier release date relates to competing titles, despite speculation linking the shift to upcoming games like Marathon or Grand Theft Auto VI.

The cooperative shooter Borderlands 4 was originally scheduled for September 23 but will now launch on September 12 across PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2.

This 11-day move fueled theories that Take-Two Interactive (owner of both Gearbox and Rockstar Games) wanted to avoid clashing with GTA VI's anticipated fall 2025 release window.

Other observers suggested Borderlands 4 might be avoiding Bungie's extraction shooter Marathon, which coincidentally shared its original September 23 release date. Today (April 30), Borderlands 4 will receive dedicated PlayStation State of Play coverage at 2pm PT / 5pm ET / 11pm CEST.

Pitchford dismissed these theories on Twitter, insisting the change reflected development confidence: "Borderlands 4 shipping early results entirely from our confidence in the game's progress and bug resolution rates. This decision has absolutely no connection to any other title's launch window."

While games frequently get delayed, early releases remain rare. Chris Dring of The Game Business noted the logistical challenges: "They've already announced the date across marketing materials and store listings. Changing it now suggests significant commercial reasoning beyond simple confidence."

In a leaked video message, Pitchford presented the news enthusiastically: "Development exceeds expectations - Borderlands 4 now launches September 12! This almost never happens in our industry!"

The corporate structure bears noting - Take-Two owns publisher 2K Games (Borderlands), developer Gearbox, and Rockstar Games (GTA). CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged strategic release planning prevents internal competition.

"We carefully stagger releases to respect players' gaming time," Zelnick told IGN earlier this year. "When consumers enjoy quality titles, they seek more great experiences - ideally within our portfolio."

Despite assurances, industry watchers speculate whether GTA VI might still slip beyond its fall 2025 target. When pressed on confidence levels, Zelnick responded: "We're optimistic, but declaring absolute certainty risks tempting fate."