Borderlands 4 global release times mean some of you can play a day earlier than expected

A psycho in Borderlands 4 stands ready for battle.
(Image credit: Gearbox)

If you requested time off from work ahead of the new Borderlands launch next Friday, consider a last-minute addendum to the ask. Gearbox has revealed its plans to give Borderlands 4 the global release treatment, so some players will technically venture to Kairos a day early.

It's a global release time for Steam and Epic Games Store users, so when Borderlands 4 launches on September 12 at 4 am NZST, it's out for everyone. That's September 11 at 9 am PT for folks on the other side of the world. There's no slow rollout across time zones as everyone waits for the clock to strike midnight in their local time.

(Image credit: Gearbox Software)

To save you any further timezone headaches, here's when Borderlands 4 launches for everyone at the same time globally:

  • September 11 at 9 am PT (San Francisco)
  • September 11 at 11 am PT (Chicago)
  • September 11 at 12 pm ET (New York)
  • September 11 at 5 pm BST (London)
  • September 11 at 6 pm CEST (Berlin)
  • September 12 at 12 am SGT (Singapore)
  • September 12 at 1 am JST (Tokyo)
  • September 12 at 2 am AEST (Sydney)
  • September 12 at 4 am NZST (Wellington)

Despite all the time I've spent monitoring PC releases, I'm disoriented by the idea every time. So to answer your question: No, it's not just you that's confused by the global/midnight differences. Some games roll out by local time, so you're stuck watching friends from the future play while you longingly stare at Steam.

Keep in mind this doesn't work the same across all platforms, so if you're on PC and hoping to play with a console buddy, then you may need to wait. Borderlands 4 supports crossplay, but the PlayStation and Xbox stores don't share the same update time in some regions.

Either way that's a week's wait for more vault hunting, at max. If you need something to do until then, I recommend jumping on the Borderlands 4 Shift code train early and getting your account sorted for a day-one freebie. It's either that or go play the very small and unheard-of indie game, Silksong. I'm assuming a big ol' publisher like 2k isn't worried about Hornet, but I have to wonder how much of my own Steam friends list will make the swap next week.

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Andrea Shearon
Evergreen Writer

Andrea has been covering games for nearly a decade, picking up bylines at IGN, USA Today, Fanbyte, and Destructoid before joining the PC Gamer team in 2025. She's got a soft spot for older RPGs and is willing to try just about anything with a lovey-dovey "I can fix them" romance element. Her weekly to-do always includes a bit of MMO time, endlessly achievement hunting and raiding in Final Fantasy 14. Outside of those staples, she's often got a few survival-crafting games on rotation and loves a good scare in co-op horror games.

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