After shadow-dropping its first mobile game, Borderlands publisher 2K explained that it would only be available for a limited time. Known simply as Borderlands Mobile, the game popped up on the Apple App Store on April 9th, featuring the franchise’s chaotic shooting gameplay as players complete missions, as well as its signature comic book-style design.
Borderlands Mobile is a pleasant surprise for many fans, especially after Borderlands 4 lost 93% of its Steam player base just two months after launch. Despite the live-service updates and almost-constant stream of content, the game couldn’t sustain the interest of fans. The sudden launch of Borderlands Mobile gave players the same chaos and fun shooting down enemies around the map, while also enjoying shorter missions, game modes, and even a battle pass on a more portable gaming platform. It’s also free-to-play, which makes it even more accessible to gamers following the controversy surrounding Borderlands 4‘s price.
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Borderlands Mobile’s Surprise Drop is For a Limited-Time
While gamers are already looking forward to Borderlands Mobile‘s upcoming content, publisher 2K clarified that developer Zynga is doing a “limited-time test” as it’s currently only available for iOS devices in the U.S. In a statement to Forbes, a 2K spokesperson said the team is exploring ways to bring the franchise to new audiences, and Borderlands Mobile is their way of getting players’ feedback through this regional test. Additionally, Gearbox Software is still on board to provide creative guidance on Borderlands Mobile‘s lore and overall design.
It is unknown how long Borderlands Mobile will be available to download on the Apple App Store and if players will lose all their progress after some time. It seems like this is Zynga’s way of playtesting the mobile game though there are questions whether or not the developer might expand Borderlands Mobile to Android users, especially if it’s to test the game’s optimization on different phone models. For now, gamers can enjoy Borderlands Mobile‘s current content and wait for Zynga or 2K’s next announcement about the limited-time drop.
Borderlands Continues the Mobile Transition of Big Franchises
There has been a trend of developers creating mobile versions of popular shooting games lately. Following the success of Call of Duty Mobile and PUBG Mobile, even competitive FPS titles like Valorant and Overwatch have joined the fray. The latter, which is called Overwatch Rush, is already out in app stores and features a new Overwatch gameplay experience that’s ideal for mobile. Soon, Borderlands will be joining the pack once Zynga releases the final mobile project.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
Interestingly, Borderlands Mobile doesn’t have a multiplayer mode yet, so it will be exciting to see if Zynga will bring the feature to mobile. There could be an opportunity to tap into the competitive shooting scene with a multiplayer mode. On the other hand, sticking to story-based campaigns that Borderlands is known for and introducing different game modes in the mobile game would also be a great way to stand out among other shooters. Borderlands Mobile already has a good foundation even for a limited-time test, so it’s only a matter of the developer taking player feedback to refine the project further.
- Released
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September 12, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
