Borderlands 4 Launches On Switch 2 Just A Few Weeks After Other Consoles [Update]

Borderlands 4, the next big entry in Gearbox’s popular sci-fi looter shooter franchise, is coming to Switch 2 on October 3. That’s just a few weeks after it arrives on other platforms. Borderlands 4 launches on PS5, Xbox, and PC on September 12, so Switch 2 owners won’t have too long of an additional wait for the open-world shooter.

We’ve known for some time now that the Switch 2 port of Borderlands 4 wouldn’t launch alongside the versions for other consoles and PC. And as we got closer to the September launch date without an update, some fans were concerned that the Switch 2 port might come many months later, perhaps not landing until 2026. That’s not the case, however, as confirmed by Gearbox CEO and founder Randy Pitchford.

On July 22, Pitchford announced in a short video on social media that Borderlands 4 would be available on the Nintendo Switch 2 on October 3. In the video, Pitchford addresses the fears online that the lack of news about the Switch 2 port was a bad sign and then announces the early October date.

An important message regarding the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Borderlands 4: pic.twitter.com/Wc5MwAU2bm

— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) July 22, 2025

“We do have a date now,” said Pitchford. “We have a date for the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Borderlands 4. You guys, that date…that date is October 3. October 3, you guys!”

The gap between the Xbox, PS5, and PC versions of Borderlands 4 and the Switch 2 port is just 21 days. Three weeks isn’t much of a wait, and it’s likely a testament to how much more powerful the Switch 2 is compared to the OG Switch that Gearbox has been able to get the game running on the hardware relatively quickly. In the past, AAA video game ports would sometimes take months or years to arrive on the older Switch and required lots of cuts to make everything work. With Switch 2, however, it seems like newer games will arrive on the platform with fewer compromises and delays.

Borderlands 4 Won’t Be 60FPS On Switch 2

A few hours after posting about Borderlands 4‘s Switch 2 release date, Pitchford was asked in the replies to his tweet about how the game will perform on the console.

Specifically, he was asked if Borderlands 4 will run at 60FPS on Switch 2. Pitchford explained it was important for Gearbox to “not cut anything and to support crossplay,” and as a result, it will run at 30FPS on Switch 2.

It was important to us to not cut anything and to support cross play with other platforms. So, no. It'll be mostly around 30 fps, with some dips in some intense moments heavy combats or if hosting a multiplayer game in handheld mode, etc.

— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) July 22, 2025

“It’ll be mostly around 30FPS, with some dips in some intense moments, heavy combat, or if hosting a multiplayer game in handheld mode, etc.”

This isn’t surprising. While some were upset to hear that Borderlands 4 won’t be 60FPS on Switch 2, the massive scale of the game and the fact that it is targeting current-gen consoles means it is likely pushing the Switch 2 hard. Sure, Cyberpunk 2077 has a 40FPS option, but it also doesn’t support 4-player co-op and crossplay.

The reality is that if you are expecting the Switch 2 will be able to run new, AAA open-world video games at 60FPS, you need to readjust your expectations, as that’s highly unlikely, even with upscaling options.

Update, 7/23/2025 11:15 a.m. ET: Added a section about Pitchford’s comments on Borderlands 4‘s performance on Switch 2.

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