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The rumored fall release ofGrand Theft Auto 6is not the reasonBorderlands 4’s release date got moved up, according to a Gearbox Software executive.
There has been a lot of speculation that the decision tomove up theBorderlands 4release datewas due to potentially stiff competition in the later part of the year from the juggernautGTAIP.
The game was originally intended to be released on September 23, but it is now releasing 11 days sooner.
According to CEO of Gearbox SoftwareRandy Pitchfordon X,the decision to move Borderlands 4’s release date forward to September 12 has nothing to do with other games or studios and was simply a decision made out of confidencein the game, saying:“Borderlands 4 shipping early is 100% the result of confidence in the game and development trajectory backed by actual tasks and bug find/fix rates.
“He continued,“Our decision is literally 0% about any other products actual or theoretical launch date.”
Gearbox’s Randy Pitchford Says New Date Is “0%” Because Of Other Games
Instead, It’s The Result Of “Confidence”
Progress on thedevelopment ofBorderlands 4has apparently been progressing so well that it has given Gearbox Software a lot of confidencein the newest entry to the popular looter-shooter franchise.Pitchford just announced the change in release dateyesterday, and the internet has been swarming with rumors and speculation regarding whether Pitchford or other developers and publishers know a potential release date forGTA 6, a game most studios want to avoid being in the same release window as.
Borderlands 4 got a release date at the State of Play, which some fans think could be a hint towards GTA 6s because of their shared parent company.
Even with an official statement from Pitchford, the speculation is likely to continue, and it’s not justGTA 6that the game may be attempting to avoid.Ghost of Yotei’s release datewas recently announced for October 2, which would put it mere days after the original date forBorderlands 4.
Of course, this is just speculation and theories, andthere is no concrete reason to doubt Pitchford’s stated reason for moving the releaseofBorderlands 4up.
Our Take: There Are Probably Multiple Reasons For Moving Borderlands 4 Up
Hopefully, The Game Releases In A Good State
Choosing to change the release date of any product, but especially a video game, is a huge decision.
There is no reason to doubt the sincerity of Pitchford or Gearbox Software, butthere are usually several factors that come into play when deciding to change a game’s announced release date.
A date change could create misinformation, expose the product to changing market trends, or even make some fans lose interest.
Custom image by Katarina Cimbaljevic
But with the game being moved up and away from other games, it might give the game a bigger chance to shine, even if that isn’t the main reason.
No matter the exact reason (or reasons) for the date change, we don’t have much longer to wait to learn 4.
The dedicated State of Play is scheduled for 5 p.m. EST/2 p.m. PST later today, where we will get a lot more details aboutBorderlands 4and the dive back to Pandora.
Source:Randy Pitchford/X
