Randy Pitchford Fires Back at Borderlands 4 Performance Critics

Lead: Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford took to social media today to clap back at Borderlands 4 PC performance complaints, urging gamers to tweak settings or seek refunds after weekend criticism erupted online.

Nut Graf: Pitchford’s weekend-long online defense of his studio’s blockbuster franchise highlights an escalating PR battle over Borderlands 4’s technical issues and shifting the narrative from widespread glitches to player expectations and hardware limitations.

CEO’s Social Media Offensive

  • Defensive Threads: Pitchford posted multiple messages on X, insisting every PC gamer “must accept the reality of the relationship between their hardware and what the software they are running is doing”.
  • Optimization Guides: He pointed fans to in-game tools like DLSS and frame-rate sliders, encouraging adjustments rather than complaints.
  • Refund Suggestion: For players unable to achieve desired performance, Pitchford bluntly recommended requesting a refund “within an hour” to make a statement.

Performance Data Cited

  • Customer Service Metrics: Pitchford claimed customer support logs show 0.04% of total installs reported valid PC performance issues, framing the problem as statistically minor.
  • Launch Success: Despite criticism, Borderlands 4 set a series-best Steam player record, peaking at over 300,000 concurrent users during its first weekend.

Community and Media Reaction

  • IGN Coverage: IGN’s Daily Fix highlighted the CEO’s aggressive tone, noting that his online sparring has become the weekend’s biggest talking point in gaming news.
  • Mixed Reviews Persist: Steam and third-party forums remain split, with some praising the game’s art style and others demanding technical patches.

Subheadings for Further Reading:

  • “Hardware vs. Software” Debate - Pitchford argues players must balance resolution, FPS, features.
  • “When to Refund” Guide - Executive’s bold recommendation sparks backlash.
  • “Next Steps for Gearbox” - Studio pledges ongoing performance patches and driver updates.

Published September 16, 2025