Randy Pitchford responds to criticism of Borderlands 4 PC engine

Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford has responded to criticism on social media regarding the PC performance of Borderlands 4. Known for stirring controversy, Pitchford faced a new wave of backlash as players voiced frustration over technical issues in the latest installment of Gearbox’s popular looter shooter series. Despite the challenges, Borderlands 4 has had a strong launch overall.

The game reached over 140,000 concurrent players on Steam within an hour of release—significantly higher than the 94,000 Borderlands 3 drew in the same period. However, as more PC gamers jumped in, performance problems started surfacing, sparking heated exchanges between fans and Pitchford.

On September 13, Pitchford took to Twitter to address complaints about poor PC performance. In a sarcastic reply to a user, he challenged them to “code your own engine” and “show us how it’s done,” seemingly defending the development team against accusations of incompetence. He also stated that less than 0.01% of users had filed “valid” customer service tickets regarding these issues. Many players reported frame rates as low as 30 to 40 FPS, despite meeting system requirements.

Pitchford has emphasized that Gearbox is working to assist “everyone who has real issues,” but it’s clear some problems remain unresolved. The CEO has previously attributed PC performance issues to users’ hardware, calling the game “a premium game made for premium gamers.” While the recommended specs are demanding, some players with capable systems still experience difficulties.

Pitchford’s remarks have often drawn criticism. Before release, he stirred controversy by suggesting “real” Borderlands fans would pay $80 for the game, sparking debate over the pricing after Gearbox confirmed a $70 price point. That controversy has mostly died down, but questions about the game’s PC performance persist, and fans are watching closely for future patches and fixes.