A brand new free-to-play Borderlands game has suddenly launched today on iPhone, and you’d be forgiven for not knowing it was due for release.
The game was quietly published today by mobile giant Zynga, though is developed by British studio NaturalMotion, which previously worked on Star Wars: Hunters.
Right now, Borderlands Mobile currently exists on the App Store as part of a “limited-time test”, according to a statement about the game sent to Gematsu — something that also reveals Borderlands creator Gearbox was involved simply in an advisory role.
Described as a free-to-play “epic looter shooter”, Borderlands Mobile is currently only available on iPhone (there’s no Android version, yet) and only in the US. We’ve tried accessing the game from elsewhere, but simply get an error message stating that it’s unavailable in the region.
“Create Mayhem YOUR way!” reads an official blurb. “Loot wild weapons and blast enemies in this mobile Borderlands experience. Join other Vault Hunters in an ever-evolving universe to fight greedy corporations and open legendary Vaults. This action-packed looter shooter brings the signature chaos, art style, and gun-slinging adventure to mobile for the first time!
“Hunt down legendary loot drops and power up your abilities to customize the way you play,” the blurb continues. “Use everything from pistols to rocket launchers to make your enemies wish they never crossed your path! Master devastating action gameplay that’s been fully optimized for mobile. Fight skags, bandits, and bosses as you battle through a variety of exciting mission types, including Campaign Missions, Tower of Terror, and Circle of Slaughter.”
Right now, there’s little else announced about the game. There’s no trailer, and curiously no mention of its existence at all from any of Borderlands’ official social media accounts, which seem busy posting about Borderlands 4 updates instead. After a turbulent first six months, it just got its first big DLC, and Gearbox has high hopes it’ll be enough to draw back fans.
In the meantime, if you give Borderlands Mobile a go, let us know what you think.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
