Borderlands 4 had a lot of trouble on PC even months after its September 12, 2025 launch date – and some players still complain about its lack of optimization – but it still sold well, so parent company Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick isn't concerned for the future of Gearbox's looter shooter franchise.
Zelnick tells IGN plainly that the game's commercial "performance has not affected our plans at all." He references Borderlands 4's ongoing Bounty Pack launches, its paid DLC with cosmetics and missions that are sometimes unpopular for how brief they are, proving "we continue to support the title. We've had plenty of incremental releases of content."
It's true – the $5.99 Bounty Pack 4: Murders and Acquisitions just came out on July 30. It includes a new Vault Hunter Skin featuring a pair of yellow, plaid pants, a new Pearlescent sniper rifle, and a mission centered on Electi faction leader Levaine – which has so far won fans over with its apparent return to vintage Borderlands style. Bounty Pack 5 launches on September 10, says Gearbox, along with a new Vault Hunter with perfect abs called Loveless, and the paid expansion Story Pack 2: FL4K and the Last Resort.
Zelnick continues, "We're totally supporting it. We're thrilled with the performance, and thrilled with the reviews and the scores." GamesRadar+'s own Borderlands 4 review rates the 2025 game a four-out-of-five stars for embodying "what Borderlands as a series is designed to do: live fast, die young, pay to be resurrected and do it all over again." Though, features editor Andrew Brown also notes its gameplay can feel "dated and at times irritating – undeniably an excellent looter-shooter, but one that requires a bit of tunnel vision to fully enjoy."
Steam reviewers are hung up on this latter point. Borderlands 4 has a Mixed review rating on the platform, with one recent critic saying, "Honestly the DLC should be given out for free as an apology for what they did to this game."
On this note, some people seem to dislike Borderlands 4 out of what they feel is their political obligation. Gearbox Entertainment Company president Randy Pitchford has, in the past, appeared to dismiss concerns over Borderlands 4's $70 price tag and dire PC performance, leading a portion of fans to develop what's basically their own post-apocalyptic faction against him.
One new Not Recommended Borderlands 4 Steam review explains by saying, "My issue isn't the game itself, it's Randy Pitchford's attitude toward the community that has supported Gearbox for years."
The player continues, "The way he responded to fan criticism came across as dismissive, condescending, and, at times, outright insulting. That's not the kind of leadership I want to financially support." But, you know, if you were looking to financially support Borderlands 4, don't forget that upcoming DLC Zelnick mentioned.
