Borderlands 4 logged 3.1 million downloads in September, analyst says it could still build a long tail with discounts

Alinea market analysis head Rhys Elliott reports Borderlands 4 logged 3.1 million downloads across all platforms in September, and said the launch was “not as explosive as its predecessors.” He flagged strong Steam uptake and steady console sales as reasons the game could see lasting momentum once discounts start flowing.

Elliott laid out the numbers in a Substack post that ranked September’s most-downloaded games. Hollow Knight: Silksong pulled an impressive 6 million downloads in four weeks, while Skate 4 took the top spot for the period. Specifically, for Borderlands 4, Elliott wrote that the title cracked the top five most-downloaded games for the month. “While not as explosive as its predecessors, Borderlands 4’s strong Steam uptake and steady console sales suggest it’s positioned for long legs – once the discounts start coming in, that is,” he said.

Borderlands entries historically get steep price cuts within months of release, and a pre-release Reddit poll showed many players would rather wait for a discount than pay the $70 base price at launch. If a sizable share of players holds out, waves of discounted sales could continue to attract new players over time. Of course, discounts alone won’t carry a live service. The game will need a healthy endgame and post-launch roster to keep its core audience engaged between price drops.

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