Though it launched three months ago, the Nintendo Switch 2 is still a new console in the grand scheme of things, and that's evident when fans take a look at the games currently available for it. There are some truly great experiences on the Switch 2, ranging from first-party titles like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza to third-party ports like Cyberpunk 2077 and Street Fighter 6. But early adopters are desperate for something new, and Borderlands 4 is promising to scratch that itch.
Set to release on October 3, Borderlands 4's Nintendo Switch 2 version will arrive just three weeks after its PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X counterparts, and it's a hotly anticipated title for the hybrid console. Borderlands 4 is set to be one of the first major third-party launches for the Switch 2 that isn't a port of a game that initially released over a year ago. And if that wasn't enough to draw attention to the looter shooter, the state of its PC launch is sure to put all eyes on the upcoming handheld port.
Borderlands 4 Is Having a Rough Launch Week
PC Players Are Having a Tough Time With Borderlands 4
As anyone who's been on the internet this past week has seen, Borderlands 4 has had a rather controversial launch, especially on PC. While many fans have praised large swathes of the new entry's story and gameplay, Borderlands 4's technical performance has been the subject of constant criticism online, with many PC players reporting a wealth of issues ranging from severe FPS drops, to blurry textures, to a plethora of both minor and severe bugs that routinely get in the way of the game's high-octane action.
Due to some poor optimization, even those running the most powerful graphics cards and processors are struggling to play Borderlands 4 how Gearbox intended. Thankfully, Gearbox has started to roll out some updates to improve Borderlands 4's stability on PC, but the latest entry in the long-running looter shooter franchise still has a long way to go.
Borderlands 4's launch woes certainly haven't been helped by Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford, who has replied to numerous fans over the last few days to defend the state of Borderlands 4, often in ways some could consider a little blunt. One of the best examples of this was Pitchford's Twitter post on September 13 that began with "Code your own engine and show us how it's done, please."
Borderlands 4 Isn't Free of Issues on Console
While Borderlands 4 seems to have fewer technical issues on PS5 and Xbox Series X, it's still far from a perfect experience, with stutters and bugs being a common occurrence. Some players who have finished Borderlands 4's main story and are deep into its endgame grind have reported more severe issues, however, such as the game breaking under the weight of Harlowe's endgame abilities on Xbox Series X.
All Eyes Are Now on Borderlands 4's Nintendo Switch 2 Launch
Though it's a surprisingly powerful device, the Nintendo Switch 2 is obviously less powerful than the PS5 and Xbox Series X, and significantly less beefy than the high-end PCs that are struggling to run Borderlands 4 on anything higher than minimum settings. Naturally, many fans are curious as to how the Nintendo Switch 2 is going to handle Borderlands 4.
While Randy Pitchford has claimed that Borderlands 4's issues on PC are due to the team's inability to "prevent a PC player with sub optimal hardware for the game [trying] to play it," there are some clear technical issues across all platforms. That includes the Steam Deck, where Borderlands 4 is reportedly unplayable due to severe FPS issues on even minimum settings.
Gearbox is charging the full $70 for Borderlands 4's Nintendo Switch 2 version, so fans are rightfully expecting a comparable experience that runs without too many compromises.
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
