Borderlands 4 Launch Moved Up: Implications for GTA 6 Release?

Gearbox's highly anticipated first-person shooter, Borderlands 4, is set to launch earlier than expected. Development chief Randy Pitchford announced in a video, which was inadvertently released early, that the game's release has been moved up by 11 days. Originally slated for September 23, Borderlands 4 will now hit the shelves on September 12, available across PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and Nintendo Switch 2.

In the video, Pitchford expressed his excitement, stating, "Everything is going great, actually. In fact, everything is going kind of the best-case scenario. 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." He emphasized the rarity of such an occurrence, saying, "What?! This never happens you guys! This never happens! We’re moving the launch date forward! You’re gonna get Borderlands 4 earlier!"

Pitchford also mentioned that a PlayStation State of Play event dedicated to Borderlands 4 is forthcoming, adding to the anticipation surrounding the game's release.

The decision to advance the release date has sparked speculation about its relation to the looming release of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6). GTA 6, another major title from Take-Two Interactive, is currently slated for a fall 2025 release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. The vague release window of GTA 6 could potentially overshadow other games, including Borderlands 4. Given that both games are under the umbrella of Take-Two, with 2K Games publishing Borderlands 4 and Rockstar developing GTA 6, it's plausible that strategic decisions at the executive level, possibly involving CEO Strauss Zelnick, influenced the earlier release date for Borderlands 4 to ensure its success.

If Borderlands 4 launches on September 12, it might prevent GTA 6 from releasing in the same month or August. This leaves October, November, or December 2025 as potential release dates for GTA 6. However, this strategy raises concerns about potential market cannibalization among Take-Two's major releases, including another 2K game, Mafia: The Old Country, set for a summer 2025 launch.

In a February interview, Strauss Zelnick addressed these concerns, emphasizing that Take-Two plans its releases to avoid cannibalization. He explained, "No, I think we will plan the releases so as not to have that be a problem... And what we found is when you're giving consumers hits, they tend to be interested in pursuing other hits." Zelnick expressed confidence in the company's strategy, noting that they aim to respect consumers' time with each hit game before moving on to the next.

Amidst this, there's speculation that GTA 6 might face delays, potentially shifting to early winter or the first quarter of 2026. When asked about the confidence in hitting the fall 2025 release for GTA 6, Zelnick responded, "Look, there's always a risk of slippage and I think as soon as you say words like absolutely, you jinx things... So we feel really good about it."