Randy Pitchford describes Borderlands 4 as "pretty damn optimal" despite complaints about its performance on PC

Randy Pitchford, the CEO of Gearbox Software, has responded to criticism regarding Borderlands 4's performance on PC, describing it as "pretty damn optimal."

On September 15, 2025, Pitchford took to X, addressing concerns about the game's optimization. He attributed performance challenges to players' hardware, stating PC gamers must acknowledge how their systems impact software performance.

He remarked, "We have crafted a remarkable looter shooter. The software runs optimally without squandering cycles."

Pitchford highlighted the availability of tools in Borderlands 4, allowing gamers to adjust frame rate, resolution, and rendering features to suit their preferences.

The CEO also emphasized the reasonableness of developers targeting 30 fps on minimum and 60 fps on recommended specifications for campaign looter shooters.

He cautioned players against expecting mid-range PCs to achieve high frame rates with maximum settings and resolutions without making trade-offs.

Pitchford added that dissatisfaction might stem from unmet expectations but reiterated the game executes as intended, encouraging users to adjust settings as needed.

While acknowledging persistent technical issues, he assured efforts are ongoing to resolve them and improve PC performance.

Pitchford urged players to consider adjusting resolutions to enhance FPS and use Nvidia's DLSS for better visuals instead of waiting for updates.

Feedback from users highlighted ongoing performance struggles, particularly related to frame rate stability, even at lower settings, as shared in a post.

An assessment by Digital Foundry exposed issues such as stutter, 30 fps cutscenes, and frame rate drops on a high-end PC.

Since its debut on September 11, 2025, Borderlands 4 has received mixed feedback on Steam, with critiques focusing on performance and crashes, affecting its overall rating negatively. However, the game has achieved over 300,000 concurrent players, surpassing titles like Skyrim and Halo Infinite in Steam's all-time chart.