Recommended Free Tools
Randy Pitchford argued that some Borderlands 4 players were asking too much of mid-range or older PC hardware at 4K, and suggested lowering resolution to 1440p. But Gearbox’s own targets and support notices put that defense in context: they set performance expectations, acknowledge reports of trouble, and do not prove that every player’s experience is explained by settings or hardware.
What Randy Pitchford said about Borderlands 4 performance
In comments reported by GameSpot on September 15, 2025, Gearbox founder and president Randy Pitchford described some players as “4K stubborn.” His argument was that Borderlands 4, built with Unreal Engine 5, asks players to balance resolution, graphics settings, and frame rate. For players on mid-range or near-minimum PCs, he suggested trying 1440p rather than insisting on 4K. He also called it “a premium game made for premium gamers.” (GameSpot, September 15, 2025)
GameSpot reported on September 17 that Pitchford continued responding to criticism on social media. In one exchange, he told an unhappy player to seek a Steam refund and used a vehicle analogy to argue that expectations should match hardware. He also offered optimization advice. Those remarks addressed a critic’s complaint; they are separate from a specific console issue he acknowledged in another post. (GameSpot, September 17, 2025)
The PS5 Pro report was a distinct issue
In the same September 17 report, Pitchford acknowledged a performance drop on PS5 Pro after several hours of continuous play. He said restarting the game was a temporary workaround while a patch was pending. This was a reported console-specific problem, not evidence about PC performance or proof that all PS5 Pro players would encounter it.
#1 Best Overall
- BE A BADASS: Become an unstoppable force of battle, blasting through enemies with an all-new arsenal of outrageous weaponry. Move across the Borderlands like never before—double jumping, gliding, dodging, grappling, and more—dealing death from every direction. Explode each encounter with devastating Action Skills that unleash your Vault Hunter's unique abilities. Craft your perfect build with branching skill trees and a deep, rewarding loot chase full of wild weapons and powerful gear.
- FIGHT SOLO OR CO-OP: Wreaking havoc across Kairos is awesome alone and even better with friends in 2-player splitscreen or up to 4-player online co-op.* Borderlands 4 is designed for co-op from the ground up; whether you're hunting for loot, tackling missions, or wandering freely, level scaling and individual difficulty keeps the party together and having fun.
- LESS BORDERS, MORE LANDS: Freely explore a vast and dangerous world rife with warring factions. Hop on your hover bike and ride through lush fields, towering peaks, and deadly deserts full of fearsome enemies, dynamic events, and engaging quests with unforgettable characters. Unite the people of Kairos and ignite a revolution, tackling this adventure however you see fit in a seamless Borderlands experience.
What Gearbox’s PC targets actually promise
Gearbox’s PC requirements page lists expected targets tied to minimum and recommended specifications. The page was published June 17, 2025 and updated May 29, 2026:
| PC tier | Gearbox target |
|---|---|
| Minimum specifications | 1080p at 30 FPS, Low preset |
| Recommended specifications | 1440p at 60 FPS, Medium preset |
These are targets, not guarantees for every scene, driver, configuration, or game patch. The recommended target also helps explain why Pitchford proposed 1440p as a practical compromise for some PCs, but it does not establish that every machine meeting the recommended specifications will achieve the target in all circumstances. Nor does the minimum target mean that a PC should deliver 4K performance. (Borderlands Support, PC System Requirements)
Rank #2
- DELUXE EDITION CONTENT — Includes the Borderlands 4 base game, Firehawk's Fury Weapon Skin, and Bounty Pack Bundle with four separate post-launch DLC packs: Bounty Pack 2, 3, 4, and 5.
- BOUNTY PACK BUNDLE — Explore four unique areas with new missions and a unique boss, plus four Vault Cards, new Vault Hunter cosmetics, four new vehicles with cosmetics, and new Legendary Gear.
- BE A BADASS — Blast through enemies with an arsenal of weapons, use dynamic movement abilities, and unleash your Vault Hunter's Action Skills in intense shooter combat.
- BUILD YOUR VAULT HUNTER — Customize your build with branching skill trees and pursue powerful gear as you take on enemies across Kairos.
- EXPLORE KAIROS — Ride your hover bike across lush fields, towering peaks, and deadly deserts, discovering warring factions, dynamic events, quests, and unforgettable characters.
Resolution is only one part of the comparison. Graphics preset, frame rate, hardware tier, and whether the report concerns PC or console all matter. Gearbox’s PC targets cannot settle a complaint about a different platform, and a target does not invalidate an individual report of poor performance.
What Gearbox acknowledged after the September patch
On September 25, 2025, 2K Support said it had received reports from some players who experienced worse performance after an update intended to improve it. That statement acknowledges player reports; it does not quantify how many were affected or identify a single cause. (2K Support, September 25, 2025)
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsRank #3
- BE A BADASS: Become an unstoppable force of battle, blasting through enemies with an all-new arsenal of outrageous weaponry. Move across the Borderlands like never before—double jumping, gliding, dodging, grappling, and more—dealing death from every direction. Explode each encounter with devastating Action Skills that unleash your Vault Hunter's unique abilities. Craft your perfect build with branching skill trees and a deep, rewarding loot chase full of wild weapons and powerful gear.
- FIGHT SOLO OR CO-OP: Wreaking havoc across Kairos is awesome alone and even better with friends in 2-player splitscreen or up to 4-player online co-op.* Borderlands 4 is designed for co-op from the ground up; whether you're hunting for loot, tackling missions, or wandering freely, level scaling and individual difficulty keeps the party together and having fun.
- LESS BORDERS, MORE LANDS: Freely explore a vast and dangerous world rife with warring factions. Hop on your hover bike and ride through lush fields, towering peaks, and deadly deserts full of fearsome enemies, dynamic events, and engaging quests with unforgettable characters. Unite the people of Kairos and ignite a revolution, tackling this adventure however you see fit in a seamless Borderlands experience.
- Hall Effect Thumbsticks and Triggers – Contact-free magnetic sensors in the thumbsticks and triggers provide a more fluid pro-level feel to help with precision and longevity
- Low Latency Wireless – Play wirelessly on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10/11 using the included Wireless USB Adapter
Gearbox’s September 25 update notes say the patch addressed various instances of hitching, low FPS, and crashes, while the team continued investigating and working on further stability and performance improvements. The notes also warn that raising console field of view above its default could cause performance dips. This is evidence of ongoing support work, not a measurement of how common each problem was or confirmation that one fix resolved every case. (Borderlands Support, September 25 update notes)
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Official PC troubleshooting steps
Gearbox’s PC Troubleshooting and Optimization Guide, updated October 6, 2026, recommends beginning with the game’s requirements and graphics drivers. It also provides several steps for performance or graphics issues. These are Gearbox’s recommendations, not independently verified fixes for every system. (Borderlands Support, PC Troubleshooting and Optimization Guide)
Rank #4
- Includes all four add-on packs released to date (on disc), as well as fold-out gameworld map
- Intense combination of FPS and RPG gameplay with Borderlands' random gun generator provides endless weapon variety
- Tear through the relentless monsters of Pandora with a crew of up to 3 of your friends in multiple modes including split-screen co-op
- Get behind the wheel of and engage in intense vehicle-to-vehicle combat
- Online multiplayer support for up to 4 players
- Check system requirements and update graphics drivers. Compare the PC with Gearbox’s published requirements and confirm that its graphics driver is current.
- Allow shaders to recompile after changing graphics settings. Gearbox estimates that compilation takes “~10 minutes on most PCs.” The guide advises playing for at least 15 minutes before judging the effect of a settings change.
- Clear the shader cache if needed. The guide includes cache clearing as a troubleshooting option; follow its instructions for the relevant graphics setup.
- Verify the game files. Use the file-verification option in the store or launcher where the game is installed.
- Disable overlays as a diagnostic step. Temporarily turn off overlays and check whether the issue changes.
- Try a supported upscaling option. The guide covers DLSS, FSR, TSR, and XeSS where supported. These options can alter the balance between image resolution and performance.
The guide’s shader timing is Gearbox Support’s estimate, not an independent benchmark. A slow or unstable game can have different causes, and the cited support material does not identify one explanation for all player reports.
What the evidence does—and does not—show
The public record supports two points at once: Pitchford argued that some PC players should adjust expectations and settings, while Gearbox and 2K acknowledged performance complaints and ongoing fixes. The cited statements do not provide a representative share of affected players or controlled benchmarks across the reported PC configurations. They therefore cannot establish how widespread the problems were, explain every player’s results, or determine whether a particular PC should run well.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
