Report: Borderlands 4 Switch 2 Port Paused Indefinitely
If you tried playing Borderlands 4 on PC at launch, you probably aren't surprised that the Switch 2 version is apparently fighting for its life.
We all knew getting a current-gen looter shooter running on a portable console was going to be a heavy lift. According to industry insider NateTheHate, that lift might have been too heavy for the developers to handle. A recent report suggests that the Switch 2 port of Gearbox’s latest title has been "paused" for a couple of months now.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but in the games industry, "paused" is often a polite waiting room for "cancelled."
The Report
The information comes from NateTheHate over on ResetEra, a source who generally has a solid track record with these kinds of production woes. According to the insider, the project hit a wall a while ago.
"The port of the Switch 2 version has been paused for a couple of months now. It's proven to be a challenge & has likely crossed over into the realm of investment/time needed to port it well being too high in comparison to sales potential."
This is corporate speak for "it runs like garbage and costs too much to fix."
Why This Isn't Surprising
Let's look at the reality of the situation. Borderlands 4 was an absolute resource hog when it dropped on PC. You basically needed DLSS or FSR cranked to the max just to get a stable framerate on high-end rigs. While they have patched it up since then, the engine is still heavy.
Asking a portable console, even one as beefy as the Switch 2, to handle that level of chaos without melting the plastic casing was always ambitious. If the studio has to spend millions of dollars to re-optimize the entire game for a smaller install base, the math just doesn't check out for the executives.
What’s Next?
If this report holds water, we might never see Claptrap on the Switch 2. Or, perhaps more likely, we will see a "Cloud Version" announced in a year that nobody will buy.
For now, if you want to play Borderlands 4, you better stick to your PC or home console. The Switch 2 might be powerful, but it isn't a miracle worker.
