The Central Question: Why Tolerate This?
Randy Pitchford, the CEO of Gearbox, is at it again. Borderlands 4 is unoptimized to the point of absurdity. The question players need to ask is simple: why should we accept this?
Let’s take a concrete example. Shroud, one of the best FPS players in the world, former professional, and millionaire streamer, owns a dream setup. His 5090 graphics card alone costs more than $2,000. That kind of hardware normally brute forces its way through sloppy code. Yet, during a Borderlands 4 stream, just as he was about to pick up legendary loot, the game crashed. That’s not just embarrassing. It’s unacceptable.
Other streamers, some “sponsored” by Nvidia and also using RTX 5090s, are struggling to get 40 frames per second (FPS) with DLSS on. Cutscenes are locked at 30 FPS. To put this in perspective, at the time I’m writing this, more people are playing Silksong on Twitch than Borderlands 4.
Randy’s Own Words
Instead of setting expectations early, Gearbox and Take-Two let Randy Pitchford loose on social media. He had plenty to say:
- “Code your own engine and show us how it’s done, please.” – Sept. 13
- “Borderlands 4 is a premium game made for premium gamers.” – Sept. 13
- “If you’re not 4k stubborn… please consider running at 1440p resolution.” – Sept. 13
- “Every PC gamer must accept the reality of the relationship between their hardware and what the software they are running is doing.” – Sept. 14
- “Please get a refund from Steam if you aren’t happy with it.” – Sept. 14
On top of that, Gearbox admitted they’re still working on “stability.”
That could have been said on day one. Instead, the CEO mocked the very players who invested in the best hardware available. When a 5090 can’t save your game, that’s not on the player. That’s on the developer.
The Battlefield 6 (Beta) Comparison
Developers at DICE have been upfront about their focus this time: optimized code. They said directly that their goal was to ensure Battlefield 6 runs well across a wide range of hardware. Not just on ultra settings, not just with NVIDIA’s latest tricks, but out of the box. They leaned on their own Frostbite engine, which has historically had problems, and spent years reworking how it handles large maps, particle effects, and physics.
The payoff? Testers in the open beta reported Battlefield 6 running shockingly well. Smooth frame rates on mid-range cards. Stable performance without DLSS. Even at 4K, Battlefield 6 wasn’t straining high-end GPUs in the same way Borderlands 4 is. When DLSS was enabled, it acted like it should: an optional performance boost, not a requirement just to get through a session.
That’s a night-and-day difference. Gearbox tells players they need to “accept the reality” of their hardware, even if they’ve spent $2,000+ on a GPU. DICE told players, “we optimized so your hardware won’t get in the way.”
The irony here is that EA, I can’t believe I’m typing this… the company gamers usually criticize for greed, treats optimization as a matter of respect. Gearbox, on the other hand, treated it as an inconvenience.
Why Refunds Matter
The problem isn’t just Randy’s attitude. It’s Take-Two allowing this pattern to continue for years. Borderlands 4 proves this won’t change unless players push back.
It isn’t unreasonable for gamers with $2,000 GPUs to expect smooth performance natively. If top-end users are struggling, what does that mean for everyone else? DLSS should be a boost, not a requirement. When it becomes a crutch, it exposes the weakness of the underlying code.
Pitchford’s infamous “code your own engine” comment misses the point. EA already did. Battlefield 6 (beta) proves it. The work can be done. Gearbox simply chose not to.
The Takeaway
Randy himself said it: “Please get a refund from Steam if you aren’t happy with it.” Players should take him up on that offer. This isn’t about hate mail, or console wars, or brand loyalty. It’s about respect.
The win/win situation is simple. A company releases a quality product. Customers buy it, happily. Everyone wins. That won’t happen as long as Gearbox and Take-Two feel justified in releasing broken games at launch.
Buy Borderlands 4 when it’s playable, not now. Request your refund. No more preorders. No more day-one purchases. If you don’t demand change now, your GTA 6 launch experience will be just as miserable.
