Just a week before launch, Gearbox Software has announced that Borderlands 4 will no longer arrive on the Nintendo Switch 2 as planned. The looter-shooter was originally set to hit the hybrid console on October 3, following its September 12 debut on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
In a statement, the studio explained that the Switch 2 version needs more time for development and polish, emphasizing their goal of delivering “the best possible experience” to players. Gearbox didn’t provide a new launch window but confirmed the release will eventually coincide with the rollout of cross-save support.
“Our goal is to align this launch with the introduction of cross-save features, which we know are very important to the community,” Gearbox said. “We’ll share an updated release date once our plans are finalized.”
All digital pre-orders for the Switch 2 edition will be automatically refunded starting September 26, though players can request a refund manually if they prefer. Those who pre-ordered physical copies are being directed to contact their retailer for assistance.
The delay comes amid ongoing criticism of the game’s performance and optimization, particularly on PC. Fans reacting to the news noted they weren’t surprised, given the technical issues already reported on other platforms. Many have also been calling for bug fixes and stability patches since launch, while some pointed out that Borderlands 3 struggled to run smoothly on Nintendo hardware as well.
Adding to the controversy, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford has once again found himself at the center of heated discussions. He previously suggested that “real fans” would be willing to pay $80 for the game, later remarking that the content could justify a $200 price tag—despite the actual release price being $69.99.
More recently, when a frustrated Steam user criticized the PC version’s poor optimization, Pitchford responded by suggesting the player should “build their own graphics engine” to prove a point.
