Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford says the patch will improve performance, but outdated PCs won’t suddenly become high-end machines.

Pitchford confirmed that Borderlands 4 will launch with a day-one patch — something that has become standard for modern AAA releases. The update will fix many issues, but it won’t work wonders, and according to Pitchford, players with weaker PCs need to keep their expectations realistic.

“The Day 1 patch does a lot! That said, if you’re using a below minimum spec machine, you should expect the game to be unplayable. The fact that the game runs on your system at all is a miracle. That you can get 55–60 FPS out of heavy combat is actually incredible, given the engine and what’s happening under the hood. Your specs don’t state whether you’re on an SSD or HDD, but that could also explain hitching. It’s a big, bold, new, seamless world, and unfortunately, older hardware may not provide buttery-smooth performance for next-gen AAA games, just as has always been the case in PC gaming,” wrote Pitchford.

The Day 1 patch does a lot! That said, the expectation for using a below min-spec machine should be that the game is unplayable. That the game runs at all on your system is a miracle. That you can get 55 – 60 fps out of heavy combat is actually incredible given how the engine and…

— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) September 6, 2025

He later elaborated, reminding players that hardware ages and eventually needs to be replaced. In a follow-up tweet, he clarified:

“FWIW, I may be conflating recommended specs with required specs. 2K QA, working with our engineering team, sets the standards, and their reports indicate that they’re able to achieve 60 FPS on minimum spec PCs at typically medium settings. Of course, PC configurations vary, and HDD vs. SSD also plays a role in hitching. The Day 1 patch includes important fixes and optimizations. I just want everyone to have realistic performance expectations. This is a big, open AAA game, and lower-end or older hardware won’t match the performance of high-end, modern PCs. I’ve asked for some assets to illustrate performance ranges across different specs and settings, to help players make informed decisions. We’re confident in the game’s performance and optimization — especially considering what the software is doing under the hood,” Pitchford added.

FWIW – I may be conflating “recommended” specs with “required” specs. 2k QA collaborating with our engineering team at Gearbox sets the standard and 2k QA reports indicate that they are able to achieve 60fps average with minimum spec PC on typically medium settings. Different PC…

— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) September 6, 2025

Managing expectations before the release of a massive title like this is crucial. Trying to run a next-gen game on an outdated PC always comes with risks. While minimum specs usually leave some wiggle room, they’re called “minimum” for a reason.

Borderlands 4 launches September 12 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC, with a Nintendo Switch 2 release to follow on October 3.

Source: PCGamer