The next installment in the Borderlands series – Borderlands 4 – is confirmed to be releasing on the Nintendo Switch 2 shortly after its launch on other consoles. Owners of the Switch 2 console won’t need to wait long after September 12, 2025 to loot and shoot their way through Borderlands 4 on the new system.
The recent push for the franchise to be available on Nintendo hardware shows promise for the future. Fans of the franchise needed to wait over 4 years for the Switch version of Borderlands 3 to release, so Borderlands 4 releasing so soon after other platforms proves that it has become a priority. This could establish a trend for other games to follow.
Borderlands 4 Looks Less Mad Max, More Mass Effect
Based on what has been revealed so far, Borderlands 4 may be largely leaving behind its dystopian western feel for something more akin to Mass Effect.
Borderlands 4 Could Open the Door to More Shooters
The Entire Series on One System
Borderlands 4 making its way to the Switch 2 shows promise for the series on Nintendo hardware. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford has shared his excitement about the system, sharing that the Switch 2 is the perfect platform for Borderlands 4. This could open the floodgates for future games in the series to be available on the Switch 2, but could also benefit its past titles too.
If the Switch 2 is the ideal system for the next Borderlands title, players might be able to expect the past games to be refined for the new console. With a Switch 2 Edition upgrade pack or a free update for the new system, the Borderlands titles available on the original Switch could be improved by the new hardware. Borderlands 3 on Switch faced performance issues at first, so a Switch 2 update for these titles could be welcomed by the community.
In spite of the performance problems, the Switch version of Borderlands 3 was an impressive feat. However, players noticed that the game omitted a staple Borderlands feature with its limited co-op capabilities. Though it was a worthy sacrifice to get the game running on the console, a Switch 2 release could add this missing feature back thanks to its more powerful hardware.
It’s possible that the entire collection could be re-released for the Switch 2. With Borderlands 4 seemingly moving away from the familiar setting of Pandora, releasing the Borderlands Collection: Pandora’s Box could mark the end of this era for Switch 2 players, designed around the capabilities of the new console. Doing this could truly mark the Switch 2 as the home of Borderlands, giving long-time fans a new experience and introducing the series to a new audience.
Other FPS Games Could Follow
Borderlands is a relatively high-profile first-person shooter series. If the launch of Borderlands 4 solidifies the console as the perfect platform for the franchise, other shooter series may follow. Though the original Switch had some great FPS games available, these were very scarce when compared to other next-gen consoles. Borderlands 4 making its way to the console early may be an indicator that other popular FPS titles could find their way to the Switch 2.
One new feature of the Switch 2 might make the system more appealing for developers of shooter games, that being the Joy-Con 2’s mouse functionality. With this, console players can get the best of both worlds, switching their control scheme on the fly for precision. It’s likely that Borderlands 4 will use the mouse features, giving this version a major benefit over other console releases. As a result, players may be able to expect other franchises to pop up on the platform in the future.
It hasn’t been long since the Borderlands games made their first appearance on a Nintendo platform, but Borderlands 4’s release shows that the Switch family of consoles is ideal for the genre. With Gearbox’s lead, it might not be long before more first-person shooter series make their way to the Switch 2. The Joy-Con 2 mouse feature removes the limits of analog stick aiming in FPS games, so if Borderlands 4 makes use of this, it could set the console up as the perfect shooter platform.
Borderlands 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
- Released
- September 12, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Gearbox Software
- Publisher(s)
- 2K
