Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford, a man never shy of finding himself in hot water due to his past remarks, has found himself under the spotlight once again. The catalyst this time is a recent controversy involving 'Borderlands 4' and his comments regarding its PC optimization.

 

Borderlands 4 launched on the 12th as the latest title in the looter-shooter franchise. With a Metacritic critic score of 84, it is receiving the warmest reception since Borderlands 2, the series' biggest commercial hit. However, the Steam user reviews currently sit at 'Mixed (69% Positive)', thanks largely to issues with PC optimization. Players are reporting frequent stuttering, frame drops, high CPU temperatures, and unexpected crashes.

 

Naturally, many gamers took to the official X account of Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford to vent their frustrations. In response, Randy Pitchford posted a lengthy statement on the 15th explaining the current situation and offering what he considers the solution to the Borderlands 4 PC optimization woes.

 

Randy Pitchford started by saying, "All PC players need to face the reality of the hardware they are using and the game they are running." He then added, "We have built a massive, wonderful, and fun new game, and the game is highly optimized, which means it performs exactly as intended without wasting resources on unnecessary processes."

He continued, "Borderlands 4 comes with various graphics settings, so please adjust the provided tools to fit your preferences," adding, "Accept that the game is running in an optimized state, and if you aren't willing to compromise on FPS, features, or resolution, you will continue to be disappointed."

 

DLSS was also highly recommended. Randy Pitchford noted, "The game was designed to utilize DLSS, and it is excellent, so I recommend it," and continued, "If you are obsessed with the idea that DLSS is bad for your gaming experience because of something you read on the internet, then I am sorry, but please use the technology designed to provide the experience you want. Borderlands 4 is not a competitive FPS and input lag is hardly detectable."

 

Furthermore, he remarked, "If this final post causes a negative reaction, it is because gamers have feelings and expectations that are not being met," "Everyone is free to believe what they want, and it is easy to find passionate people online who are certain about all sorts of things, whether true or not," and "You stick to your ways, and we will continue with our improvements."

Meanwhile, on the 14th, when a user pointed out an over-reliance on AI upscaling technology, Randy Pitchford retorted, "If you build your own engine and succeed, we will be your customers," adding, "It seems that either the people working on this right now do not know what they are doing, or the professional graphics engine developers who are supported and consulted by the best hardware and technology companies do not know what you know."