• Source:JND
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Borderlands 4 has exploded onto the market to a rousing reception, redefining what can be expected from looter-shooters by raising the bar. Launched October 12 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, the game has already broken its own player records and announced itself as one of the biggest Steam launches of 2025.

Record-Breaking Numbers on Steam

Borderlands 4 achieved a peak concurrent player count of 207,479 players in just hours after launch, making it the largest PC release for the franchise thus far as per SteamDB. As of this reporting, over 134,000 players remain in the game, and numbers are expected to go up even more throughout the weekend.

This number dwarfs the 124,678 player-concurrent-peak of Borderlands 2 at launch by an astronomical amount. The game has also already stormed its way into the top five most-played games on Steam just below its highly-anticipated sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong.

Borderlands 4 is now on the top spot of the Steam Top Sellers chart though no official sales numbers have been published by publisher 2K Games.

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Mixed PC Performance, Strong Critical Response

Borderlands 4 has been a commercial success so far, but its launch on PC was not entirely smooth. The game has a ‘Mixed’ rating on Steam after more than 6,000 reviews, many calling out various forms of performance issues such as stuttering and crashes.

On the critical front, however, reception has been far more positive:

  • Metacritic Score: 84
  • OpenCritic Average: 85

This balance suggests that while the game’s core design and narrative are winning fans, technical optimization on PC still needs attention.

What’s New in Borderlands 4

Set on the new planet Kairos, Borderlands 4 introduces players to a world under the control of a tyrant known as The Timekeeper. Vault hunters must lead the resistance against his regime in a campaign that combines the series’ trademark humor with darker political undertones.

Key features include:

  • Four Vault Hunters to choose from, each with unique skill trees.
  • Solo or four-player co-op, maintaining the series’ focus on chaotic multiplayer fun.
  • Endless gun variety, true to the Borderlands legacy.
  • New traversal mechanics, including a grappling hook for more vertical combat and exploration.

Expanding to More Platforms

Borderlands 4(coming soon to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S available) is also announced for the Nintendo Switch 2 on October 3. “For the first time, the ‘The Sims’ franchise will be viewable on Nintendo’s revolution in gaming: their next-generation hardware,” said Stice.

Final Thoughts

With record-breaking numbers, strong reviews, and the promise of post-launch updates to iron out PC issues, Borderlands 4 is shaping up to be one of 2025’s most important releases. Whether playing solo or teaming up in chaotic co-op, players are diving headfirst into Kairos to experience what could be the most ambitious entry in the Borderlands saga.