2K releases a new video featuring Randy Pitchford in which he explains how Japanese gaming and culture have inspired Borderlands 4. Pitchford shares personal memories of growing up with Japanese games, including the original Donkey Kong arcade cabinet, and discusses other Japanese influences such as magicians that helped shape the game’s design. The full interview is available in the accompanying video.
Borderlands 4 promises the series’ signature mayhem-fueled loot shooting, with billions of weapons, outrageous enemies, and dense co-op action. Players will explore a hidden planet named Kairos as one of four new Vault Hunters. A Switch 2 version is planned for October 3, 2025, available both digitally and physically.
The story pits players against the Timekeeper, a ruthless dictator who maintains a brutal Order. A world-altering catastrophe threatens this regime, igniting a resistance and unleashing mayhem across the planet. Expect fast-paced combat against mechanical monstrosities, bloodthirsty bandits, and vicious beasts, all while new traversal options open up the action with double jumping, gliding, dodging, fixed-point grappling, and more.
Players can choose to fight solo or team up with up to three other players in this expansive sci-fi adventure. The game emphasizes free-form combat and exploration, intense boss battles, and an endlessly varied loot pool, framed by an eclectic cast of both familiar and new characters.
Why this matters: the integration of Japanese cultural inspirations underscores Borderlands’ ongoing commitment to broadening its stylistic palette while preserving the series’ cheeky humor and chaotic energy. The Switch 2 release signals a broader reach for the franchise, potentially expanding its audience and offering new handheld and local co-op play opportunities for fans.
Summary: Borderlands 4 introduces Kairos and four new Vault Hunters, adds ambitious traversal mechanics, emphasizes four-player co-op, and arrives with a Switch 2 version on October 3, 2025. The interview highlights the influence of Japanese gaming culture on the game’s design, adding another layer to the series’ distinctive, over-the-top universe.
Positive note: the combination of a rich new setting, enhanced mobility tools, and cross-platform support gives players more ways to dive into Borderlands’ signature chaos and humor, fueling anticipation for what could be one of the year’s standout looter-shooter experiences.