Borderlands 4 Performance Issues: What Steam Reviews Reveal About the PC Experience

Introduction: Borderlands 4's Rocky PC Launch

Borderlands 4 arrived on Steam with soaring expectations, setting new records for concurrent players. However, beneath the hype, the PC version has struggled significantly with performance issues, leading to a flood of mostly negative reviews from players. From low frame rates and stuttering to frequent crashes, many gamers have found their Vault-hunting experience compromised.

Let’s explore what exactly is going wrong, how it’s impacting players, and what Gearbox is doing to address these challenges.

What Are the Main Performance Issues Reported?

A quick glance at Steam reviews reveals a clear pattern of complaints focused on poor optimization and unstable gameplay performance, even on high-end PCs.

Common Problems Include

Low FPS and stuttering: Many players report frame rates stuck around 20-30 FPS even on low settings, with stuttering that disrupts the fast-paced combat the series is known for.
Frequent crashing: Numerous reviews mention the game crashing during loading screens or gameplay, making it difficult to maintain sessions.
Input lag and zone loading hitches: These issues worsen when many enemies are on screen, undermining the fluidity of gunplay.
Poor optimization on Unreal Engine 5: As a newer engine, Unreal 5 has been blamed for similar issues in other recent AAA PC titles.

For instance, one user with an RX 6900 XT GPU lamented, “Turned it down to Low graphics presets and couldn’t hit 60 FPS, even with FSR upscaling”. Another with a 3080 Ti at 1440p noted the game ran at only 30 FPS on medium to high settings, “and it looks worse than Borderlands 3”.

Impact on the Player Base

These issues have led to:

A mostly negative overall user rating shortly after launch on Steam, dipping below 50% approval in some moments.
Frustration amongst longtime fans who expected a smooth, engaging experience.
Some players labeling the game sarcastically as “Stutterlands 4” due to frequent technical hiccups.

Why Is Borderlands 4 Struggling on PC?

Unreal Engine 5 and Optimization Challenges

Borderlands 4 is built on Unreal Engine 5, an advanced but complex engine that has seen a mixed reception on PC due to high system requirements and optimization hurdles. Several reviews point to Unreal 5 as a culprit behind the performance woes, echoing similar problems seen in other recent titles using the same engine.

Hardware Demands and Expectations

Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford warned before launch that the game would be “unplayable” on anything below minimum specs, setting player expectations about needing a powerful rig. However, even gamers with top-tier GPUs like the RTX 3090 or RTX 4070 Ti Super report subpar frame rates, suggesting optimization issues go beyond minimum hardware requirements.

Early Launch Bugs and Crashes

The game’s launch window featured bugs and crashes that compounded the performance issues. These problems were so prominent they even appeared in promotional content, such as a Conan O’Brien show segment where the game crashed, fueling concerns among the community.

How Has Gearbox Responded?

In response to the backlash, Gearbox has been proactive in addressing the problems:

Nvidia Optimization Guide: Gearbox released an official guide on Steam detailing how PC players can tweak graphics settings through Nvidia’s control panel to improve performance.
Encouraging patience: Developers asked players to test performance for at least 15 minutes after tweaking settings, as some improvements take time to stabilize.
Ongoing patches: Gearbox is reportedly working on patches to fix crashes and improve optimization in upcoming updates.

Despite these efforts, many players remain cautious, feeling the game is still not running up to the standards expected for a AAA release.

Comparison: Borderlands 4 vs. Previous Titles

Aspect	Borderlands 3 (PC)	Borderlands 4 (PC)
Engine	Unreal Engine 4	Unreal Engine 5
Launch Performance	Generally stable	Low FPS, stuttering, crashes
User Steam Rating	Mostly Positive	Mostly Negative / Mixed
Hardware Demand	Moderate	High, even for flagship GPUs
Patch Response	Timely and effective	Ongoing, but slower progress

This comparison highlights the significant step up in technical demands and the challenges Gearbox faces in maintaining smooth performance with the new engine.

What Can Players Do to Improve Performance Now?

If you’re eager to dive into Borderlands 4 but worried about performance, here are some tips from the community and Gearbox:

Lower graphic settings aggressively: Drop resolution, shadows, and texture quality to minimum.
Use FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR): This upscaling can help boost frame rates without a huge hit to visual quality.
Apply Nvidia optimization tweaks: Follow Gearbox’s official optimization guide to adjust driver-level settings.
Update drivers and Windows: Ensure your system is fully updated to avoid compatibility issues.
Close background apps: Free up system resources by closing unnecessary software.
Be patient after changing settings: Performance gains may improve after a few minutes of gameplay.

Despite these steps, some players with high-end rigs report only modest improvements, so the anticipation for official patches remains high.

Looking Ahead: Will Borderlands 4 Get Better on PC?

The Borderlands franchise has a passionate fanbase and Gearbox has historically been responsive to community feedback. While the current state of Borderlands 4 on Steam is disappointing for many, the high concurrent player count and vocal community provide strong incentives for Gearbox to prioritize fixing performance issues.

Key factors to watch:

Upcoming patch notes: Gearbox’s next updates will be critical to restoring player confidence.
Community feedback: Continued dialogue between developers and players can help target the most pressing problems.
Potential engine updates: Unreal Engine 5 is evolving, and future improvements may help smooth out gameplay.

For now, PC players should weigh whether to jump in immediately or wait for further optimization.

Conclusion: A Promising Game Marred by Performance Problems

Borderlands 4 is an exciting new chapter for the franchise, with many critics praising its gameplay and design. However, the PC launch has been overshadowed by significant performance issues, leading to widespread negative feedback on Steam.

While Gearbox is actively working to resolve these problems, the current experience remains frustrating for many players. If you’re a PC gamer eager to explore Borderlands 4, be prepared to tweak settings and possibly wait for future patches to enjoy the game as intended.

Have you experienced Borderlands 4 on PC? What’s your take on the performance so far? Share your thoughts and stay tuned as the story unfolds.

Ready to optimize your gaming setup? Check out NVIDIA’s latest GPUs on Amazon.in and keep your drivers updated for the best Borderlands 4 experience!