Randy Pitchford Fires Back at Borderlands 4 Performance Complaints
Gearbox co-founder and CEO Randy Pitchford isn’t holding back when it comes to criticism over Borderlands 4’s performance. With fans voicing frustration about frame rate drops, missing options, and inconsistent optimization, Pitchford took to social media to set the record straight… and in typical Randy fashion, sparked even more controversy.
According to Pitchford, reports of widespread issues are being exaggerated. “Less than one percent of one percent reported real issues,” he apparently claimed, stressing that the majority of players are experiencing stable gameplay. He even pointed to his own hands-on fixes: “I’ve personally helped players go from 30 FPS to 90 FPS.”
But that didn’t stop him from taking a sharper tone with some of the criticism. On the subject of players insisting on ultra-high settings, Pitchford was blunt: “If you’re 4K stubborn, that’s on you.” He followed up by saying that fan expectations may be part of the problem, not the game itself: “Expectations are too high — this isn’t bad performance.”
Pitchford also reminded fans that running Borderlands 4 on ultra doesn’t guarantee a flawless experience across every setup. “Ultra settings don’t mean guaranteed smooth gameplay,” he said, highlighting that even older hardware can’t always keep up with ambitious demands.
Still, some of the fan frustration isn’t just about raw performance numbers. Missing features like a simple console FOV slider and a motion blur toggle remain hot topics, leaving parts of the community feeling unheard despite Pitchford’s reassurances.
Whether his words help ease concerns or fuel the fire further remains to be seen. One thing is clear: Pitchford is standing firm on his belief that Borderlands 4 is performing as intended and that it's player expectations that may need to adjust. Just a reminder, this is the same guy who believes Borderlands 4 could be worth $200. Keep dreaming, Randy.
With Borderlands 4 now under the microscope, Gearbox finds itself at a crossroads between technical delivery and fan demand. Pitchford’s comments will likely stir debate in the days ahead, but they also draw a line in the sand: Gearbox isn’t backing down from its confidence in the game’s performance.
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