Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick has insisted writer 2K stays dedicated to Borderlands 4, and that the looter shooter’s business efficiency hasn’t affected plans to help the sport.
Some throughout the Borderlands group are questioning how lengthy developer Gearbox will help Borderlands 4 by way of significant DLC as it approaches the tip of 12 months one. There are questions swirling round about how effectively Borderlands 4 has achieved not simply by way of launch gross sales, however persevering with participant base, and the way that may have an effect on Gearbox’s plans.
Here is what we all know: arriving in early September, Loveless the Hacker would be the latest Vault Hunter coming to Borderlands 4 as a part of the paid DLC of Story Pack 2, which additionally launches that month. Story Pack 2 and Bounty Pack 5 arrive on the identical day alongside the Model 1.10 replace.
However what’s coming in 12 months two, if something? Gearbox has but to announce a roadmap of content material for the remainder of 2026 and past, leaving some to marvel if the developer will transfer on to concentrate on the following sport within the sequence, or maybe one thing else totally. If Year 2 content material is coming, what’s going to it embrace, and, crucially, how a lot will it price?
In a latest interview with Strauss Zelnick, CEO of 2K and Gearbox mum or dad firm Take-Two, I requested if Borderlands 4’s efficiency had affected plans for long-term help for the sport. His reply was a definitive “no.”
“Performance has not affected our plans at all,” he insisted. “We’ve got one other Borderlands [content pack] coming. We proceed to help the title. We have had loads of incremental releases of content material. So no, we’re completely supporting it. We’re thrilled with the efficiency, and thrilled with the critiques and the scores.”
Borderlands 4 Story Pack 1: Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned Screenshots
Zelnick could also be “thrilled” with how Borderlands 4 has achieved, nevertheless it’s honest to say the sport has had a rollercoaster first 12 months. Since launching in September, Borderlands 4 has suffered varied controversies, largely to do with extreme PC efficiency points. Outspoken CEO Randy Pitchford went on the offensive, responding on to complaints on social media to Claptrap again at disgruntled followers. Zelnick beforehand admitted that Borderlands 4 gross sales had suffered “slightly little bit of softness” as a results of the technical points, however expressed confidence “it’ll all be made up” given sufficient time. The Nintendo Change 2 model was scrapped, with Take-Two saying Gearbox had prioritized continued “enhancements” to the sport on its present platforms.
All of the whereas, Borderlands 4 stays on a ‘blended’ consumer evaluate score on Steam. After launching to over 300,000 concurrent gamers on Valve’s platform, Borderlands 4 now averages a concurrent peak within the 4 digits. Steam numbers don’t paint the complete image of a sport’s recognition as it’s additionally on consoles, nevertheless it’s clear Borderlands 4 may do with a shot within the arm.
Will the discharge of Story Pack 2 and a brand new playable character show to be simply that? Story Pack 1, which added playable character, C4SH, earlier this 12 months, didn’t actually transfer the needle by way of Steam concurrents. Gearbox and Take-Two will likely be hoping Loveless the Hacker has a significant impression.
We have got a lot extra from our interview with Zelnick, together with his feedback on the GTA 6 worth factors, his defence of GTA 6 not launching on a disc, and his prediction for when online game streaming will really be good.
Wesley is Director, Information at IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You may attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.