Key Takeaways
1. Borderlands 4’s initial sales were softer than expected, attributed to performance issues on PC, but it still topped U.S. sales charts after its release.
2. The game received critical acclaim, with Zelnick expressing optimism for its long-term performance despite early sales challenges.
3. In its first two weeks, Borderlands 4 sold 2.5 million copies and generated $150 million in revenue, but fell short of the five million copies sold in five days achieved by Borderlands 3.
4. Gearbox is actively addressing PC performance issues through patches, which are a top priority, despite some updates causing further problems.
5. Content updates for Borderlands 4 have faced criticism, with players feeling that recent releases, like the “Horrors of Kairos” Halloween event, were disappointing compared to past content.
Take-Two Interactive’s CEO, Strauss Zelnick, recently talked about the launch of Borderlands 4, mentioning that its sales didn’t meet expectations, describing them as “a little softer than we would have liked.” This might be linked to performance issues the game has faced on PC.
Praise Amidst Criticism
In a discussion with The Game Business, Zelnick acknowledged the harsh criticism from the gaming community but still praised the game’s reception, saying:
“The critical acclaim for Borderlands 4 was superb, and we’re really happy with the release.”
He also highlighted some challenges with the Steam launch. Gearbox is working on resolving these issues and will keep doing so. While the initial sales were softer than anticipated, Zelnick believes that over time, the game will perform well.
Sales Performance
Even though Borderlands 4 had “soft” sales worldwide, it still led the U.S. sales charts after its release on September 15, 2025. According to Mat Piscatella from Circana, Borderlands 4 became the best-selling “premium” game in the U.S. for September 2025, surpassing other titles like EA Sports FC 26 and NBA 2K26.
The game also set records for the series, achieving the highest launch month sales for Gearbox, which was 30% higher than Borderlands 3, and becoming the third-best-selling game in the U.S. for 2025 so far, just behind Monster Hunter Wilds and NBA 2K26.
Revenue and Lifetime Sales
Estimates indicate that Borderlands 4 sold 2.5 million copies in its first two weeks, generating $150 million in revenue, yet it didn’t reach the five million copies sold in only five days like Borderlands 3 did.
Reports show that the Borderlands franchise has now exceeded 94 million sales lifetime, with Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford optimistic that Borderlands 4 will help the series surpass 100 million units sold globally.
Ongoing Support and Updates
Gearbox is recognized for its post-launch support and is currently addressing PC performance issues with several patches. They have stated these problems are their “top priority.” However, some updates have even made stuttering worse on various PC configurations.
Nevertheless, Take-Two’s Zelnick remains positive about Borderlands 4’s long-term success, drawing parallels to Borderlands 3, which also had a rough launch but received strong post-launch support.
Content Concerns
On the flip side, Borderlands 4 is facing challenges with content updates. Recently, Gearbox released the “Horrors of Kairos” Halloween event towards the end of October, but players criticized it as a “huge step down,” labeling it the worst content drop in the series.
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