Borderlands 4's optional radar display is a game-changer, so it's a good idea to turn it on before doing much else in the looter shooter. Gearbox revealed many changes to the Borderlands formula leading up to the fourth mainline entry as it tried to restore the franchise's image after the third installment fell flat for some users. Some of those adjustments Borderlands 4 makes pertain to its navigation and combat visibility, and players will want to take advantage of them to get more out of the game.
While there was plenty of controversy surrounding the latest Borderlands game throughout its dev and marketing cycle, it's already become a hit in its first days post-launch. In just one hour after releasing, Borderlands 4 surpassed 148,000 concurrent players on Steam, breaking the franchise record Borderlands 2 had set by over 20,000 users. Whether people play it on Steam or another platform, though, one simple change makes all the difference in the game.
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Borderlands 4's Radar Streamlines Combat While Decluttering the Compass
One of the biggest easy tweaks Borderlands 4 players can make to improve their experience is turning on the radar. As Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford explained when he announced Borderlands 4 would have an optional combat radar in June, the feature is off by default. However, players can turn it on in a few easy steps. First, pause the game or boot it up to get to the main load screen. Go into Settings, then find the Gameplay tab before scrolling to the bottom to "Toggle Radar Display." Switching this option from the default "Compass" to "Radar" will make enemy positions display on a new HUD element in the top-right corner of the screen instead of placing them along the compass at the top.
The radar doesn't have all the information of past games' mini-maps, but it can work together with the compass to provide everything players need to get around and fight without cluttering the top display. Gearbox's decision to forgo the mini-map was a choice to make Borderlands 4's seamless world more immersive, as the compass and Echo-4 take up less room on screen. So, taking away all the red dots that would otherwise crowd the compass during a firefight and putting them in their own corner helps gamers lean in to that experience. It also makes it easier to pinpoint enemies in the open world, which can be helpful.
More handy features like the combat radar could be on the way, too. A recent Twitter poll from Pitchford suggests Borderlands 4 could get an FOV slider on consoles in a future update. So far, it's looking like that adjustable setting will make its way into the game, given the demand for it reflected in the poll. Ultimately, though, fans will have to wait and see what Gearbox does in future patches to know for sure how the game will evolve.
Borderlands 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
- Released
- September 12, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Gearbox Software
- Publisher(s)
- 2K
