
Borderlands 4 Faces Console Performance Struggles: Experts Push for Urgent Fixes
Borderlands 4 has finally arrived, but early reports reveal the experience isn’t as smooth as players had hoped. According to a detailed technical breakdown from Digital Foundry, the game suffers from steadily worsening performance the longer it is played. Even on powerful consoles like the PlayStation 5 Pro and Xbox Series X, frame rates begin to drop significantly after 30 to 60 minutes of gameplay.
The findings were published in a new video analysis where Digital Foundry highlighted that the dips are frequent enough to become disruptive. Restarting the game temporarily restores smooth performance, but this is hardly a sustainable solution for a AAA release. Gearbox’s chief Randy Pitchford acknowledged the issue on social media, advising console users to restart the game as a short-term fix. However, experts argue this should not be the norm for players who expect stable performance in 2025.
Experts Call Restarting a “Temporary Band-Aid”
Digital Foundry’s Tom Morgan emphasised that resetting Borderlands 4 every hour is not a realistic expectation for players. He noted that each console eventually struggles with severe frame dips below 60fps, forcing players to choose between tolerating sluggish gameplay or restarting to regain fluidity. Morgan has urged Gearbox to deliver an emergency patch as soon as possible.
Gearbox has already rolled out a patch to address PC crashes, but console fixes are still pending. For many fans, this has raised questions about whether the ambitious shift to Unreal Engine 5 may have contributed to the instability at launch.
Unreal Engine 5 and Possible Memory Leaks
The problems seen in Borderlands 4 mirror those of other Unreal Engine 5 games, including The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, which also suffered from degrading performance over extended sessions. Analysts suspect a memory leak or cache management issue may be the root cause, with system memory gradually filling up until gameplay slows dramatically. If this theory is correct, Gearbox will need to address the problem at the engine level rather than with simple optimization tweaks.
PC Players Report Stuttering and Mixed Results
On PC, Borderlands 4 is currently sitting at a mixed rating on Steam. Many reviews cite stuttering and inconsistent performance, particularly when the game is set to its highest “Badass” graphics preset. Digital Foundry’s analysis confirms these reports, advising players to avoid max settings until patches improve stability.
Gearbox has assured players that fixing PC performance is a top priority. They’ve released an Nvidia optimization guide, recommending players adjust their graphics settings using the Nvidia app for better frame rates. However, user feedback has been inconsistent, with some reporting improvements while others see little difference. Gearbox also reminded players that shaders need time to recompile after settings changes, suggesting at least 15 minutes of play before judging the results.
Community Backlash and Gearbox’s Response
Despite the technical setbacks, Borderlands 4 launched to huge numbers on Steam. But frustration over performance issues has sparked backlash across social media. Pitchford has been active in responding to criticism, sometimes in controversial ways. He has defended the console version’s lack of a field of view slider, reassured fans that servers could not have been overloaded, and even challenged critics to “code your own engine” if they believe it could be done better. In a bolder statement, he described Borderlands 4 as “a premium game made for premium gamers.”
Some of his comments have only fueled the debate, with a portion of the fanbase requesting refunds. Others remain optimistic that Gearbox will fix the issues quickly, given the studio’s history of improving its games post-launch.
A Game Worth the Wait—With Caveats
Despite its technical flaws, Borderlands 4 still impresses with significant upgrades brought by Unreal Engine 5. The visuals, lighting effects, and expansive environments showcase why the six-year wait was worthwhile. However, the frequent performance dips, bugs such as broken NPC pathfinding, and lighting glitches leave players hoping for a polished patch to bring the game up to expectations.
As Morgan summarized, “Borderlands 4 justifies its ambition, but right now, performance is struggling if 60fps is the target. Resetting the game every hour should not be part of the Borderlands experience.” With Gearbox already working on updates, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether the game can live up to its hype without technical distractions.
Hi, I’m Waqas, the author behind EisoTech. Gaming has always been more than just a hobby for me—it’s a passion that connects people and cultures. Through this platform, I share updates, reviews, and insights about the latest trending games so fellow gamers can stay ahead of what’s new and exciting.