Borderlands 4 sets franchise records on Steam despite increasing negative user reviews

Borderlands 4 Launch Breaks Player Records on Steam

Yesterday marked the exciting release of the fourth installment in the beloved Borderlands series developed by Gearbox Software. The new title, Borderlands 4, quickly shattered player records, attaining remarkable figures on Steam within just an hour of its launch. The game welcomed a staggering 150, 000 concurrent players, eclipsing the previous record set by Borderlands 2, which had 124, 678 players at its peak.

As the day progressed, the player count soared to over 200, 000 concurrent users, an impressive feat given it was not even the weekend yet. This surge marks a significant milestone for the franchise, showcasing its enduring appeal and the anticipation surrounding the latest adventures with the Vault Hunters and their arsenal of “billions”of weapons.

User Reception and Performance Issues

Despite this monumental achievement, an undercurrent of dissatisfaction has emerged among players. Currently, the Steam user review score has taken a downturn, standing at just 62% ‘Mixed’. Many negative reviews are highlighting persistent performance issues experienced by players, even those equipped with high-end graphic cards struggling to achieve stable frame rates.

Reviewers are increasingly pointing fingers at Unreal Engine 5, claiming it’s the culprit behind the performance setbacks. Set minimum system requirements target gameplay at 1080p with 30FPS, while recommended specs aim for 1440p at 60FPS, as noted by the developers.

Performance Optimization Suggestions

Gearbox has acknowledged these issues and released an Nvidia-specific settings guide aimed at optimizing graphics settings for a better experience. Combining the optimization guide with recommended settings—including Very High settings and DLSS—is advised for reaching a satisfactory performance level of “60+ FPS.”Players are also encouraged to install the latest drivers from Nvidia, AMD, or Intel, depending on their system configuration.

Insights from Gearbox Leadership

Randy Pitchford, the CEO of Gearbox, expressed his sentiments regarding performance expectations for modern AAA games in a recent social media post. He noted, “It’s a big, bold, new, seamless world and I’m sorry to say that older hardware may not provide buttery smooth performance for the latest gen AAA games, as has always been the case since the dawn of PC gaming.”

Availability and Future Prospects

Borderlands 4 is readily available on multiple platforms, including PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store), Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. Moreover, gamers can look forward to a release on the anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, slated for 2025.

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