Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has acknowledged that Borderlands 4's sales were 'a little softer than we would have liked' despite a record launch on September 15, 2025. The game faced performance challenges on PC, which Gearbox is addressing through ongoing patches. Even so, it became the best-selling premium title in the U.S. for September 2025.
Launch Performance and Sales
Borderlands 4 launched on September 15, 2025, and quickly topped U.S. sales charts, according to Circana data analyst Mat Piscatella. It outsold major releases like EA Sports FC 26 and NBA 2K26, marking the highest launch month sales in Gearbox's history—nearly 30% greater than Borderlands 3. For 2025 year-to-date, it ranks as the third-best-selling game in the U.S., behind Monster Hunter Wilds and NBA 2K26.
Estimates indicate 2.5 million copies sold in the first two weeks, generating $150 million in revenue. This falls short of Borderlands 3's five million units in five days, contributing to Zelnick's comments on softer initial sales.
CEO's Perspective
In an interview with The Game Business, Zelnick praised the game's reception: "The critical acclaim for Borderlands 4 was superb, and we’re really happy with the release." He noted PC challenges on Steam, adding, "Equally, as you know, there were some challenges with the Steam release. Gearbox has been addressing those challenges and will continue to do so. So, in terms of units sold out of the gate, the numbers were a little softer than we would have liked. In the fullness of time, we think it’s going to do great."
Zelnick expressed confidence in its long-term success, comparing it to Borderlands 3's recovery after a rocky start.
PC Issues and Content Updates
Gearbox has prioritized fixes for PC performance problems, including stuttering, with multiple patches released. However, some updates worsened issues on certain configurations. The Borderlands series has now surpassed 94 million lifetime sales, and Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford believes Borderlands 4 will push it past 100 million.
Post-launch content has drawn criticism, particularly the late-October 'Horrors of Kairos' Halloween event, which players described as a 'huge step down' and the worst in the series.