Randy Pitchford Responds to PC Performance Criticism

Gearbox Software's head honcho, Randy Pitchford, is on a mission to defend Borderlands 4 against a flood of complaints about its performance on PC. Pitchford boldly stated that the game is "pretty darn optimal," suggesting players shouldn’t expect it to run flawlessly at high resolutions with max settings.

The Reality of Gaming Hardware vs. Software

In a candid post on X, Pitchford emphasized the delicate balance every PC gamer must accept between their hardware capabilities and the software demands. He passionately declared, "We’ve crafted an amazing looter shooter experience, and the game is operating efficiently, avoiding unnecessary resource drain."

Customize Your Gaming Experience!

Pitchford assured gamers that Borderlands 4 offers a wealth of tools to tailor their gaming experience regarding FPS, resolution, and rendering options. He urged players to tweak settings to meet their preferences if they’re not satisfied with their current setup. "If you can't find the right balance, you're bound to feel disappointed," he cautioned.

Navigating Choices: FPS, Resolution, and Visual Effects

The developer pointed out that aiming for 60 frames per second at recommended settings is a reasonable goal for a game of this type, highlighting that achieving maximum visual fidelity comes at the cost of frame rates, and vice versa.

Ongoing Improvements for PC Performance

When discussing ongoing efforts, Pitchford confirmed that Gearbox is actively working to enhance PC performance, addressing a handful of issues affecting a small subset of players. As a quick fix, he suggested reducing resolution or leveraging dynamic resolution solutions like DLSS for a smoother experience, underlining that the game was engineered to exploit such technologies.

Launch Weekend Chaos: Steam Reviews and Player Count

Borderlands 4's rocky PC launch led to a torrent of negative reviews, landing it in the "Mixed" category on Steam, yet the game saw an impressive launch weekend with over 300,000 concurrent players.

Console Woes and the FOV Controversy

However, the woes extend beyond PC. Console players are grappling with limited control over the game’s field of view (FOV), leading to discomfort for many users. While Pitchford denied the existence of motion blur, he offered baffling reasoning for the lack of an FOV slider, citing concerns about "fairness" in gameplay, without further details. Speculation about possible competitive modes has ignited curiosity among the community.

Players Demand Change!

In an attempt to gauge community sentiment, Pitchford conducted a poll about the need for an FOV slider, which resulted in a resounding message from players: nearly 75% demanded, "FOV slider or GTFO!"

Review Updates Coming Soon!

Despite not having received a review copy before launch, a thorough review of Borderlands 4 is in the pipeline and will be shared as soon as possible.