Performance Discussions Surrounding Borderlands 4
Borderlands 4, which launched just days ago, has ignited a fervent dialogue regarding its performance on PC platforms. Critics have largely embraced the title as a commendable revival of the beloved looter shooter series. However, a segment of the gaming community has expressed dissatisfaction, citing issues such as stuttering, frame rate drops, and high system requirements.
In an effort to address these concerns, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford has taken to social media to counter what he perceives as unwarranted criticism. On Twitter/X, Pitchford articulated that the crux of the matter lies not solely within the game but rather in the expectations held by PC gamers. He stated, “Every PC gamer must accept the reality of the relationship between their hardware and what the software they are running is doing.” He further asserted that Borderlands 4 is already “pretty damn optimal,” encouraging players to utilize the tools available to them for balancing resolution, frame rate, and graphical features.
Pitchford defended the studio’s choice to aim for 30 frames per second on minimum hardware specifications and 60 frames per second on recommended specifications, deeming this approach “absolutely reasonable for developers to focus on.” He urged players desiring higher frame rates to consider adjusting visual fidelity or resolution, highlighting the benefits of DLSS technology to enhance gameplay experience. “Use DLSS. It’s great. The game was built to take advantage of it,” he remarked, dismissing concerns regarding input lag as overstated.
In a series of subsequent posts, Pitchford shared internal customer service statistics, revealing that legitimate complaints about PC performance represent less than 0.01 percent of the player base. He noted that the majority of support tickets pertain to SHiFT account issues and console-specific field-of-view controls. “This reality is dramatically different than what you would expect if your only sources of information were, say, certain internet threads,” he commented.
Despite Pitchford’s reassurances, not all players have embraced his perspective. One user pointed out that the process of submitting a support ticket can be cumbersome, implying that many frustrated players may resort to voicing their grievances through Steam reviews instead. Another user highlighted that a significant portion of negative reviews focus on performance-related issues.
Nonetheless, Pitchford remains steadfast in his belief that many of the reported problems can be mitigated through the in-game settings. He even claimed to have assisted some players in elevating their frame rates from 30 to 90 frames per second, showcasing the potential for optimization.
Borderlands 4, developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K, debuted on September 12, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S, with a Nintendo Switch 2 version anticipated to launch on October 3, 2025.
