The fourth mainline entry in the Borderlands franchise, developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K Games (under the parent company Take Two Interactive), launched on September 12, 2025 for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The Nintendo Switch 2 version followed shortly thereafter.
Despite some technical hitches (which we’ll cover below), Borderlands 4 posted very impressive early numbers in the U.S. and globally, showing the IP still commands a strong audience.
Launch Metrics & Sales Success
According to analytics firm Alinea Analytics, Borderlands 4 sold over 2 million units across all platforms in its first week.
On Steam alone, it reached over 1 million copies sold in that timeframe, with roughly 750,000 of those being PC units during launch week. Concurrent player numbers peaked at ~304,000 on Steam shortly after launch — the highest for the series on PC.
On U.S. charts, Borderlands 4 debuted at #1 on Steam’s weekly top sellers list and led retail charts in the U.S. and UK during its first week.
The takeaway: Borderlands 4 achieved one of the strongest commercial openings of any AAA looter-shooter this year, especially in the U.S. market.
Why It’s Resonating & What It Means
There are a number of factors behind the strong launch:
The franchise already has strong name recognition (the series had sold over 90 million copies prior to this game).
The marketing built hype around “30 billion guns”, new Vault Hunters, open-world zones, and the core co-op experience returning.
Strong early traction on PC suggests the U.S. core audience (PC + Console) remains engaged.
In the context of 2025’s big releases, delivering high initial units and top-seller status is meaningful for Take-Two’s portfolio too.
For the U.S. market specifically, these results reaffirm that looter-shooter fans still show up at the big budgets and that Borderlands remains a marquee title.
Qualifiers & What Could Temper The Long-Term Impact
Though sales are strong, some reports suggest Borderlands 4 may be selling slower than Borderlands 3 at comparable early periods. One estimate said BL4’s 2 million is less than half of BL3’s launch week totals.
The PC version in particular is facing criticism for performance issues — many users have reports of crashes, stutter and hardware demands. Mixed user reviews on Steam (despite high sales) could impact word-of-mouth and sales momentum in the U.S. beyond week one. SteamDB lists a “Mixed” rating at launch.
The long-term success will depend on end-game content, post-launch support, and whether retention is strong after the initial spike. The announced content roadmap includes free and paid DLC through 2026.
What This Means for Players & U.S. Consumers
If you’re a U.S. gamer thinking about Borderlands 4, here are a few things to keep in mind:
The strong sales mean the game is widely supported — you’ll be joining a large community in co-op and post-launch content.
If you’re playing on PC, make sure your hardware meets recommended specs and check for patches or updates; early performance reports suggest issues.
With the game already achieving top-seller status, pricing may hold strong for a while — although early discounts have appeared in some markets.
The U.S. audience acceptance means console players in the U.S. are likely getting full support, servers, and follow-up events, which is an encouraging sign.
Final Thoughts
Borderlands 4’s U.S. launch is undeniably a success from a commercial standpoint — millions of units sold, top-seller status, strong player numbers. The series remains relevant in 2025. But the full story isn’t just about day-one numbers: performance issues, slower growth relative to previous entries, and retention will test whether this launch was a sustained win or just a strong opening.
For now, for U.S. players—and the broader North American market—Borderlands 4 is a return to form and a safe bet if you enjoy co-op looter-shooters. Just be aware of the PC caveats and wait for the content roadmap to unfold if you’re in it for the long haul.