Borderlands 4: PC Performance Guide - Tame Unreal Engine 5!
Last Updated: October 17, 2025
Borderlands 4 is officially set to unleash its signature mayhem and loot-filled adventures on PCs everywhere this September 12, 2025. But hold your horses, Vault Hunters! As we gear up for launch, seasoned players are already anticipating potential performance challenges that could make even the most thrilling firefight nervous. While the game isn't out yet, experience with Unreal Engine 5, the engine powering Borderlands 4, suggests framerates *could* plummet faster than a Psycho on a rampage, leaving many wondering if their rigs will be up to the task.
Fear not, fellow gamers! This isn't a game-breaking bug; it's a performance tweak-a-thon waiting to happen. We'll show you how to prepare to tame the Unreal Engine 5 beast and get your FPS ready for launch. Get ready to unleash some serious optimization power!
The Unreal Engine 5 Dilemma
Built on Unreal Engine 5, known for its breathtaking visuals and equally breathtaking performance demands, it's highly probable that Borderlands 4 will, by default, push the engine's highest presets. This setup, while visually stunning, has historically led to even the most powerful PCs struggling to maintain optimal framerates in other demanding UE5 titles. It's a situation akin to trying to eat an entire Thanksgiving feast in one sitting – impressive, but potentially disastrous for your framerate.
Tweaking Your Way to Victory (Pre-Emptively)
Thankfully, you likely won't need to sacrifice visual fidelity entirely to achieve playable frame rates. Based on common Unreal Engine 5 optimizations, a few simple tweaks should dramatically improve your experience once the game is live. The easiest and most effective change will almost certainly be scaling down the game's lighting settings. Unreal Engine 5's ray-traced lighting is gorgeous, but it's a known performance hog. Lowering the setting from Very High to Medium in other UE5 titles often results in a significant performance boost (over 25% in some cases) with barely any noticeable visual difference, especially given Borderlands 4's already stylized art direction. It's like trading a diamond-encrusted gun for a slightly less shiny, but equally effective, one.
More Tweaks, More Wins
Other settings, such as shadow quality and volumetric cloud quality, also offer performance gains in Unreal Engine 5 games, though often less dramatic than the lighting adjustment. But hey, every little bit helps, right? Think of it as collecting those tiny Eridium shards – individually insignificant, but cumulatively rewarding. Preparing these adjustments can save you precious minutes of troubleshooting once the game drops.
The Grand Finale: Anticipating a 50%+ FPS Boost!
By anticipating and making a combination of these adjustments right out of the gate, you could achieve a remarkable performance improvement – potentially over 50% in average frame rate! It's the difference between preparing for a frustrating slideshow and ensuring smooth, enjoyable gameplay from day one. You'll be able to experience the thrill of the loot hunt without the added stress of constantly lagging behind. It's like upgrading your trusty shotgun to a rocket launcher – your enemies won't stand a chance.
Gearbox's Role
While these anticipated tweaks offer immediate relief, it's worth noting that Gearbox Software will hopefully continue to optimize the game both before and after its September 12 launch. Improving shader compilation and fine-tuning the engine's underlying settings could yield even better performance for everyone. It's like adding a turbocharger to your already-tuned engine – more power, more fun!
Conclusion
So, there you have it. With a few simple, proactive adjustments, you can transform your Borderlands 4 experience from a potential performance nightmare into a smooth, loot-filled adventure from the moment it launches. Go forth, Vault Hunters, and prepare to conquer!