The team at Gearbox, developers of Borderlands 4, has announced that boosting the game’s performance on PC is their absolute top priority. Players can expect a new patch to address these concerns today, September 18th.
In a recent statement shared on social media, Gearbox acknowledged significant player feedback regarding Borderlands 4’s performance across both PC and console platforms. They confirmed that multiple patches are in the works to improve the overall experience.
Additionally, console players can look forward to a field of view (FOV) slider, which is currently undergoing testing.
The gaming community is closely watching how Gearbox handles the widespread dissatisfaction over Borderlands 4’s performance, despite the game’s strong player count on Steam. A previous PC update released last weekend, notably lacking any patch notes, didn’t seem to make significant improvements. Hopes are high that this upcoming patch will deliver substantial fixes.
Currently, Borderlands 4 holds a mixed review rating on Steam, with the majority of negative feedback centered on its performance issues. Renowned tech analysis group Digital Foundry, in their initial assessment of the PC version, reported considerable stuttering. They specifically cautioned players against using the ‘Badass’ graphics setting, indicating deeper performance challenges with this Unreal Engine 5 title.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that console players are experiencing deteriorating Borderlands 4 performance during extended play sessions, especially on the more powerful PS5 Pro. This issue is suspected by some to be a memory leak. Randy Pitchford, head of Gearbox, has publicly suggested a temporary fix: quitting and restarting the game.
To further assist PC players, Gearbox released an Nvidia Optimization guide on Steam, offering tips to tweak graphics settings for improved performance and framerates when using the Nvidia app. However, player feedback on these optimizations has been inconsistent.
The developer also provided a crucial tip for PC users: after altering any graphics settings, allow at least 15 minutes of gameplay for shaders to recompile before evaluating performance changes. This advice appears to be an attempt to manage player expectations and prevent hasty negative reactions.
Randy Pitchford, known for his outspoken nature, has been a frequent subject of headlines this week due to his direct engagement with player complaints about Borderlands 4 on social media. Following the game’s massive Steam launch, Pitchford has made several controversial statements. These include offering confusing explanations for the absence of a console FOV slider, confidently asserting that Borderlands 4’s servers were unbreakble by player volume, challenging critics to ‘code your own engine and show us how it’s done,’ and boldly proclaiming Borderlands 4 to be ‘a premium game made for premium gamers.’ In a particularly striking move, he has even gone as far as to suggest that dissatisfied players consider refunding the game on Steam.
For those diving into Borderlands 4, a continually updated SHiFT codes list is available, along with a comprehensive interactive map and a powerful planner tool from Maxroll. Additionally, insights from expert players on character selection are provided, showcasing a range of differing opinions.
Wesley Yin-Poole is the Director of News at IGN.