Borderlands 4 Breaks Franchise Records with Highest Launch Sales in the U.S.

Borderlands 4 has exploded onto the scene, becoming a commercial juggernaut for both Gearbox Software and publisher 2K Games. According to U.S.

market tracker Circana, the game achieved the highest launch-month dollar sales in the Borderlands franchise’s history – outperforming even the record set by Borderlands 3. That’s a remarkable feat for a series now over a decade old and competing in a more crowded looter-shooter landscape than ever before.

The game’s financial success isn’t just about units sold – it’s about revenue. Borderlands 4 launched at $69.99 for the base version, with deluxe and super deluxe editions climbing to $99.99 and $129.99 respectively. Compared to Borderlands 3’s 2019 pricing tiers ($59.99, $79.99, and $99.99), the increased prices have significantly boosted launch earnings. Circana reports that overall launch month revenue was nearly 30% higher than Borderlands 3’s debut, an astonishing rise that also reflects the title’s simultaneous launch across platforms, including Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation. Borderlands 3, by contrast, had been limited to the Epic Games Store for its first six months, a move that may have hindered early PC sales momentum.

Critically, Borderlands 4 opened as September’s best-selling premium game and the third best-selling title of 2025 so far. On both Xbox and PC, it dominated sales charts, surpassing competitors that had previously ruled the shooter category. While 2K Games hasn’t released specific sales figures, Circana’s report marks this as the first time a Borderlands game has topped its launch month charts outright – a milestone worth celebrating for long-time fans and skeptics alike.

Despite the triumph, not everything has been smooth. Players have reported performance problems – particularly frame-rate drops and stability issues – that have dragged its Steam rating down to a ‘mixed’ status. Still, Gearbox has been quick to respond, rolling out several hotfixes and major patches, with the highly anticipated Day 30 Update scheduled for release later this week. Fans hope it will polish up the experience and stabilize performance once and for all.

Interestingly, while Borderlands 4’s critical reception has been divisive, the general player base seems far more positive. Many gamers highlight that it’s a significant improvement over Borderlands 3, praising smoother combat, improved loot balancing, and a more grounded tone. Others note that the new villain feels a bit too safe compared to the over-the-top antagonists of earlier entries, but still fits narratively after the chaotic ending of BL3.

Beyond the Borderlands universe, NBA 2K26 continues to reign as 2025’s best-selling title overall, followed by Monster Hunter: Wilds, while Helldivers 2 impressively holds steady in the top 10. But among shooters, Borderlands 4 has clearly reclaimed its crown. The looter-shooter pioneer has proven that despite skepticism, and despite controversies surrounding Gearbox leadership, fans still show up for a well-built chaos-fueled adventure when it delivers. As one fan put it bluntly: “Guess the rumors of Borderlands’ demise have been greatly exaggerated.”