Key Highlights:
- Borderlands 2 on the Nintendo Switch 2 system has been delayed indefinitely.
- The game is being pulled for additional fixes and optimizations for the system.
- This has sparked performance related concerns.
Gearbox’s Software’s Borderlands 4 launched to bombastic reviews across the board, with many calling it a return to form for the franchise, with a bit less toilet humor being thrown around as well.
The game was intended to launch for the Nintendo Switch 2 system next month, but Gearbox Software has decided to delay the port indefinitely, which sparked concerns of optimization and poor performance.
Borderlands 4 Switch 2 Port Delayed Indefinitely
The official X account for Borderlands has confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 port of the game has been delayed indefinitely. They do mention not ‘taking this decision lightly’, and that Borderlands 4 on the Nintendo Switch 2 needs a bit more polish and ‘additional development’ before it is ready for shipping.
Greetings, Vault Hunters – We need to share that the release of Borderlands 4 on Nintendo Switch 2 is being delayed. We do not take this decision lightly, but are committed to ensuring we deliver the best possible experience to our fans, and the game needs additional development…
— Borderlands (@Borderlands) September 23, 2025
Which is a lot of words to say that the game is not ready yet, and will require some work to be deemed a playable experience on Switch 2 hardware.
Gearbox has also confirmed that it has canceled all digital pre-orders made to date, in accordance with Nintendo’s policies. Those affected will have their refunds initiated starting September 26, 2025 automatically. No word on physical pre-orders though.
Gloom aside, there is a bit of a silver lining here. The delayed release will help incorporate the cross save functionality on Switch 2, which should be a game-changer once it’s out.
Performance Concerns for an Already Troubled Game and Weak Console
Borderlands 4 has not been without its fair share of controversy. The game launched to scathing reviews on Steam, and still holds an overall Mixed rating. Most of this can be attributed to the horrible performance exhibited when trying to run the game.
To make matters worse, the game is built using the dreaded Unreal Engine 5 game engine, which has also been marred in controversy thanks to its abysmally poor performance and minuscule generational improvements.
Almost all of Unreal Engine 5’s titles have had massive performance issues, especially on platforms like the PC. Borderlands 4 is no exception, and might be the worst one yet. The game requires heavy upscaling to maintain a stable 30 FPS. To hit those sweet 60 plus frames, you will almost always have to enable frame generation.
Frame generation might boost your frame rates, but its implementation is a wonky mess. Games will appear smoothened out, exhibiting a massive amount of ghosting. This is in addition to doubling your latency as well, which is a much more important factor.
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Combine that with Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford’s remarks on the game being optimized and ‘players needing better hardware’, and you have an explosive situation. Players were understandably not amused, and the game has been stirring the pot since.
This brings us to the Nintendo Switch 2, which is somewhere close to a Steam Deck in terms of performance. While the Switch 2 can make use of its version of DLSS to outperform the Deck, it is clearly limited in its overall capabilities when compared to a PS5.
This is a power constrained device, and no number of technical workarounds can change it. Borderlands 4 already runs quite poorly on even the highest end PCs, and it’s obvious that the Switch 2 stood no chance.
For reference, the game runs sub 30 FPS on the Steam Deck, with very frequent dips and stutters. The Switch 2 likely couldn’t hit its 30 FPS target, and the version was pulled as a result, until the team at Gearbox Software manage to fix their game.
