Gearbox president Randy Pitchford has clarified that Borderlands 4's accelerated release schedule was unrelated to competing titles, dismissing rumors linking the shift to Marathon or Grand Theft Auto 6's launch timing.

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

The unexpected 11-day adjustment fueled speculation about Take-Two Interactive reshuffling its release calendar to avoid crowding the fall 2025 window, especially with GTA 6 still targeting autumn 2025.

Additional theories suggested Borderlands 4 moved to avoid overlapping with Bungie's Marathon extraction shooter, which coincidentally shared its original September 23 release date. Borderlands 4 will be showcased during PlayStation's April 30 State of Play event.

Pitchford explicitly stated via Twitter that no external release dates influenced their decision, attributing the change solely to development progress and team confidence.

"Borderlands 4's early launch reflects our confidence in its development momentum and bug resolution pace," Pitchford tweeted. "This decision has zero connection to any other title's announced or speculated release schedule."

Although early releases remain uncommon compared to delays, industry analyst Chris Dring noted the logistical challenges of changing established marketing timelines, stating commercial justification would be necessary.

"Borderlands 4's September 23 date appeared across calendars and promotional materials," Dring observed. "Altering such commitments typically requires substantial business rationale."

Pitchford announced the updated release date enthusiastically, emphasizing the game's progress: "Development exceeds expectations - we're delivering Borderlands 4 on September 12 because we're firing on all cylinders."

The corporate relationship between Borderlands publisher 2K Games and Rockstar Games under Take-Two's umbrella fuels speculation about coordinated release strategies, though leadership maintains each title receives independent consideration.

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick previously told IGN the company carefully staggers releases to prevent market cannibalization: "We schedule launches to respect players' time with our premium titles."

Regarding potential GTA 6 delays beyond fall 2025, Zelnick remained cautiously optimistic: "While development risks always exist, we're confident in Rockstar's current trajectory."