Borderlands 4 Confirmed to Be in Active Development
The next Borderlands game has been confirmed following the purchase of Gearbox!
Earlier today, it was announced that Take-Two Interactive will be purchasing Gearbox Software. The acquisition follows a long standing partnership between the two companies, with Take-Two subsidiary 2K Games having served as the publisher on the Borderlands franchise. During that announcement, 2K president David Ismailer confirmed that the next entry in the series is currently in active development, which will presumably be Borderlands 4. Unfortunately, very few details have been offered, and we don't know exactly how far into development the game might be. Still, this is sure to be exciting news for fans of the series!
"With nearly 20 years of history working together, Gearbox has played an integral role in our success, given their unique ability to create interactive entertainment experiences that feature beloved characters, exciting new worlds, and humorous storytelling," Ismailer said in a press release. "We are thrilled to welcome Randy Pitchford and his team of passionate, talented developers to 2K and we look forward to releasing numerous projects in the future as colleagues. We have loved partnering with Gearbox on every iteration of the Borderlands franchise and are excited to be in active development on the next installment in the series."
While this is the first confirmation that Borderlands 4 is in development, Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford teased the project earlier this year. Speaking to IGN, Pitchford told the outlet that the next game from Gearbox is "the greatest thing we've ever done." Hopefully the finished product lives up to the hype!
Embracer Group's Troubles
Embracer Group purchased Gearbox Software in 2021. At the time, Embracer was on something of an acquisition spree, gobbling up countless companies. However, things took a turn for the company last year when a deal reportedly worth $2 billion fell through. Since then, Embracer has made a number of moves to restructure, closing down entire studios, and selling some off. Reports about Embracer's intent to sell Gearbox first began to circulate last September. With a lot of uncertainty surrounding the future of Embracer Group and its studios, the sale of Gearbox will likely come as a bit of relief for fans of the Borderlands franchise!
The Future of Borderlands
Today's announcement comes just a few months ahead of the Borderlands movie, which is set to arrive in theaters on August 9th. The movie has been in a weird place for several years now, with filming having wrapped all the way back in 2021. Reshoots for the film took place in 2023, with Deadpool director Tim Miller standing in for Eli Roth. Borderlands fans have been anxious about the final product, but the trailer for the movie released last month, and reception has been pretty positive!
With hype around the movie starting to build, it will be interesting to see when Borderlands 4 ends up releasing. If the movie turns out to be a hit, a new game could ride that success, and get newcomers to try out the series. However, with nothing shown of the game so far, there's a chance that it's still a long way from release. Hopefully Gearbox and Take-Two won't keep fans waiting long on more information!
Are you excited for a new Borderlands game? Do you think the company is now in better hands? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!