Borderlands 4 hasn’t done terribly for itself—some terrible UI design choices and stuttery framerates weren’t enough to stop it from landing a solid critical reception (including from yours truly in my Borderlands 4 review). That’s been reflected in the sales it’s gathered in the US.
Per analyst firm Circana (via Gamesindustry.biz), Borderlands 4 has Gearbox counting stacks for the foreseeable future: It was the number one US best-seller for the month of September (August 31 to October 3, to be specific). Not just that, but it’s sold 30% more than Borderlands 3’s debut, and stands as the fastest-selling game in the franchise’s history.
Exactly how many stacks is a different ballgame. Borderlands 4, according to Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford, had more than twice the budget of Borderlands 3 (assuming he wasn’t just being hyperbolic, which is always possible). Whether or not these nippy sales are enough to categorise it as an unmitigated success for Pitchford are entirely dependent on what his studio’s goals are.
Also raising eyebrows are the fact that Borderlands 4 went on sale earlier this month. Past the cutoff point for Circana’s data, mind, but given Pitchford’s past words warning players it’d take way longer for BL4 to get discounts, it’s enough to cast some doubt. Not to mention, hey—these are just the US markets.
I wouldn’t say Borderlands 4 is a game that’s gonna drop off, though. Just anecdotally, I’ve seen plenty of prospective players saying they’ll be waiting for later sales and DLCs before hopping in with their mates—and this is a series known for hefty DLCs. Heck, they added so many to Borderlands 3 that I unironically recommend playing through ’em, even if you weren’t a fan of the main story. This is a series with a historically long tail, and Gearbox already has a roadmap cooked up.
Either way, that’s none too shabby, and I think the folks at Gearbox do deserve a collective 87 bazillion pats on the back, especially given I’ve rather enjoyed my time romping around Kairos. Even if I agree with our fellow looter-shooter and guides writer Rory Norris that the thing’s endgame could use a little work.
Borderlands 4 Shift codes: The new key connection.
Borderlands 4 Black Market location: New legendaries, no grind.
Borderlands 4 Harlowe builds: The amped-up Gravitar.
Borderlands 4 Rafa builds: The speed-demon Exo-Soldier.
Borderlands 4 Vex builds: The spooky Siren.
Borderlands 4 Amon builds: The fierce Forgeknight.
It’s great to see Borderlands 4 achieving such impressive sales and becoming a standout title this year. While there are some concerns about the UI and performance, it’s clear that many players are enjoying the game. Looking forward to seeing how it evolves in the future!
Absolutely! It’s impressive how well Borderlands 4 has performed despite some criticisms. The combination of its engaging gameplay and unique art style seems to resonate well with fans, which likely contributed to its strong sales. It’ll be interesting to see how the developers address the UI and performance issues in future updates!
You’re right! It’s great to see such strong sales figures, especially for a franchise that has had its ups and downs. The combination of engaging gameplay and the unique art style likely contributed to its success, even with the UI issues. It’ll be interesting to see how the developers address these concerns in future updates.
Absolutely! It’s impressive how Borderlands 4 has captured player interest despite some of its design flaws. The blend of humor and action has always set the series apart, and it seems that many fans appreciate the new content enough to overlook those issues.