Borderlands 4 Hyperion, COV, Atlas Guns, and How to Find Them!
While we've known about Borderlands 4's Licensed Parts System for some time now, we definitely didn't expect it to be quite as comprehensive as it's turned out to be. Indeed, the pre-release materials appear to have understated just how many different gun chassis, optics systems, and gadgets there are in the loot pool, and we're thrilled to report that even the old, beloved manufacturers like Hyperion and Atlas are back!
That's right, folks: Borderlands 4's weapon pool is substantially larger and - crucially - more varied than a Borderlands game has ever had. From iron-sighted bolt-action rifles all the way to hyper-modern black hole-reloading elemental carbines, Borderlands 4 has it all. Here's exactly how it works in practice, and how you might be able to get actual honest-to-goodness Hyperion guns and more!
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How to get Borderlands 4 Hyperion, Atlas, COV, and Other Manufacturers?
Borderlands 4's weapon drop system doesn't truly come into its own until you've already leveled up your character a fair bit. Specifically (and as far as we can tell), the full loot pool of parts, licenses, and manufacturers won't open up until at least level 25, and some bits might not be available until even higher levels still!
For example, we've seen Hyperion, Atlas, and COV parts start to appear only after our character reached level 25, making them particularly rare early on. Moreover, it doesn't seem like these three manufacturers are actually loading up full-on gun systems, and have instead resorted to licensing out their technology to other gun-makers. At least for now.
What this means in practice is that while you might not be able to roll a Hyperion assault rifle, you might be able to get a super-fancy Jakobs shotgun with a Hyperion shield attached to it, as illustrated in our screenshots above. The same applies to Atlas and COV parts, from what we've seen so far.
On the other hand, Daedalus, Jakobs, Maliwan, Order, Ripper, Tediore, Torgue, and Vladof all make full guns and licensable gun parts. Finally, Pangolin, Anshin, Eridian, Bandit, and S&S Munitions manufacturers make no appearance in Borderlands 4 just yet.
We're hoping that Gearbox is going to use Borderlands 4's malleable gun crafting systems to finally start introducing entirely new manufacturers with post-launch content, though we'll need to stay tuned for more info on that front.
To summarize the broad strokes of how licensing works: licensed parts only begin to drop at character level 12, with Atlas, Hyperion, and COV licensing unlocked at level 25. The number of licensed parts depends on the rarity of the weapon:
- Common/White: 1 licensed part
- Uncommon/Green: 2 licensed parts
- Rare/Blue: 3 licensed parts
- Epic/Purple: 4 licensed parts
- Legendary/Orange: 3 licensed parts + 1 unique Legendary Behavior
All Weapon Parts in the License System
If you don't believe us that there's a ridiculous amount of gun variety in Borderlands 4, it's time for us to pull out the receipts. Down below, you'll find a comprehensive list of all the usable gun parts we could find in the game so far! If more of them crop up in future updates, we'll update this list to reflect the changes.
| Manufacturer | Weapon Types | Usable Attachments |
| Daedalus | Pistols, SMGs, ARs, Shotguns | Demo Charge, Grenade Launcher, Micro Rocket Pod, Overcharge, Proxy Mine Launcher, Tactical Knife Launcher, Multiloader |
| Order | Pistols, ARs, Snipers | Death Sphere Launcher, Demo Charge, Energy Burst, Gravity Well, Tether Snare, Ordonite Spike, Kill-Drone, Micro Rockets, Seeker Missile, Tether Snare |
| Jakobs | Pistols, ARs, Shotguns, Snipers | Big Rocket, Crank SMG, Twin-Flintlock, Gravity Harpoon, Hand Crank, Underbarrel Shotgun, Vial Launcher, Zip-Rockets |
| Tediore | Pistols, SMGs, ARs, Shotguns | Attack Drone, Auto-Turret, COMBO, Deployable Shield, Digi-Backup, Micro Shotgun |
| Torgue | Pistols, ARs, Shotguns | Airstrike, Exhaust Blast, Flamer, Magnum Rockets, MIRV Launcher, Seeker Missile, Sticky Gyro, Sticky Shotgun, Turbine Cleaver |
| Ripper | SMGs, Snipers | Gas Trap, Gauss Rifle, Fuel Rod Launcher, Ripper Rockets, Seeker Missile, Shrapnel Cannon, Target Marker |
| Maliwan | SMGs, Shotguns, Snipers | Beam Pod Launcher, Energy Blaster, Energy Disc, Energy Discharge, Laser-Wire, Railgun, Rocket Pod, Shock Field |
| Vladof | SMGs, ARs, Snipers | Big Rocket, Gravi-Bipod, Extra Barrel, Flamethrower, Grenade Launcher, Motile Bipod, Shotgun, Taser, Zip-Rockets |
| COV | --- | Ultramag |
| Hyperion | --- | AMP Shield, Absorb Shield, Ricochet Shield, Recoil Grip |
| Atlas | --- | Underbarrel Tracker, Grenade Launcher |
On top of all of these, please note that there's a huge number of weapon barrels, receivers, grips, foregrips, ironsights, reflex sights, red dots, scopes, stocks, and more in the loot pool as well. And they all interact with one another and can be combined in a ridiculous number of ways.
There simply isn't a good way to keep track of them all as of right now, however, so we'll let you discover the full scope of the system at your own pace. Have fun!
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The whole crew is here! Well, most of it, anyway.
Borderlands 4 – Hot Slugger Farming Guide
Borderlands 4 comes pre-loaded with an absolut glut (a gazillion, one might say) of guns to choose from, but even when it comes to orange Legendary guns, they're not all made the same. Some of them are simply better than the others, and Borderlands 4's Hot Slugger shotgun in particular is a standout piece of kit.
The Hot Slugger is a Legendary Jakobs Shotgun with a top-notch Perk: Blazing Barrel. Blazing Barrel gives you the following effects:
- +30% damage for 10 seconds upon kill.
- Effect stacks up to 3 times in one go, for a total of +90% damage in one maximum stack.
As the Hot Slugger is a Jakobs gun, critical hits also cause bullets to ricochet towards other enemies, which obviously plays well with Blazing Barrel. It gets better, though: the Hot Slugger only loads a single round in the barrel, which makes the gun a phenomenal pick for any reload-centric perks and abilities. Like, for example, Rafa's First Impression and Vitriol perks!
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How to get the Hot Slugger Shotgun in Borderlands 4?
Getting the Hot Slugger is relatively straightforward business, but there's a big caveat in place: the quest to unlock the Hot Slugger in Borderlands 4 only opens up after you've already completed the main campaign in your given playthrough. That's because you need access to the - SPOILER ALERT - Bones of Sanctuary region.
If you've got that all sorted out, you want to go to Bones of Sanctuary and head north. Be on the lookout for the Craven's Nook Order Bunker, as that's where the Hot Slugger drops. There's really not much of a quest here, to be honest! You simply need to clear out Craven's Nook and kill the dungeon boss, which is the aptly named Callous Harbinger of Annihilating Death. Yeah, nobody ever accused Borderlands of being subtle, right?
There's a bunch of stuff to love about the Hot Slugger if we're being honest, even if we disregard its awesome Legendary Perk. It's extremely straightforward and easy to to obtain, as long as you can reasonably clear out Craven's Nook, and it's going to be a pretty high-level drop since you can only get it as a piece of post-campaign content.
We highly recommend farming for the Hot Slugger as soon as you can, as it's going to carry you through many, many encounters before you finally grow your character out of it.
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It fires slugs. They’re hot.
Borderlands 4 – Vend of the Line Quest Guide
Borderlands 4's Vend of the Line quest is one of the finest side-quests we've yet seen in a Borderlands game. It has it all: an excellent vibe, a ridiculous premise, a genuinely unexpected interaction mechanic, and top-notch rewards. Legendary, you might even call them!
Obviously, you are going to want to sort out Borderlands 4's Vend of the Line quest as soon as possible to score some sweet, sweet Legendary loot, but we do recommend sticking it out until you reach about level 20-25 at least. As leveling slows down, your higher-grade gear will remain relevant for longer stretches of time, and Legendaries in particular will get you very far, very quickly.
With that all out of the way, here's a full guide on the Vend of the Line quest, from how to trigger it until the prizes themselves!
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Vend of the Line Quest in Borderlands 4: How to find, complete, and earn rewards from it?
As with most side-quests found in Borderlands 4, there are some prerequisites we need to discuss before getting into Vend of the Line proper. To actually be able to trigger the quest, you need to:
- Get to Carcadia City (Act 2 of Borderlands 4, give or take)
- Complete the Siege and Destroy main quest
With that all sorted out, head on back towards the western exit from Carcadia and hold on to the left side of the cityscape. Won't be long before you come across a strange gun vending machine with Penelope Streams hanging about. Talk to her to start the quest proper.
What that out of the way, there'll be some extra dialogue to go through, and then the nearby Vault Gatherer Scout is going to give you a hint as to how the quest's main mechanic works: you need to sell a specific kind of item in a specific order. To get a demo of it, simply look at the back of the vending machine:
- Vending Machine #1: Sell Green, Green, Blue, Blue.
Once you've sorted that out, you'll get a unique interaction, and then be able to move to doing the same thing with two more bespoke vending machines.
- Vending Machine #2 (South of Carcadia, on a separate "island" just off the townscape): Sell Green, Purple, Blue, Green. Then buy back those exact same items in the same order: Buy Green, Purple, Blue, Green.
- Vending Machine #3 (Southeast from the Crumblehall, collapsed on top of an NPC): Sell Purple Purple, Orange, Orange. The nearby NPCs will help you out with this one though!
With these machines done and the full access code in tow, you can proceed towards Embracer's Bluff. Specifically, go to the entrance to Carcadia Burn, and the final machine can be found smack-dab in the middle of the town.
There are some funny little interactions to be had here, but it's all fairly straightforward, really. After those are sorted out and you've had a bit of a laugh at the Vault Gatherers' behest, go left to circle around the machine and find the final itemization list:
- Vending Machine #4: Sell Green, Purple, Blue, Green.
This is going to reveal the last piece of the puzzle: the coordinates to the final vending machine! Make sure that you have a Legendary/orange item at hand, because the final itemization list is pricey, and there aren't any Vault Gatherer NPCs to help you out this time:
- Final Vend of the Line Vending Machine Code: Sell Green, Blue, Purple, and Orange.
Prepare for a ridiculous boss fight with an appropriately chunky final reward: a selection of sweet sweet orange/Legendary items to choose from! Sadly, you can only pick one from the bunch, and it can be yours for just $1!
As much as we love Borderlands 4's Vend of the Line quest for how inventive and interesting it is, there are some problems that Gearbox may or may not resolve later on. Specifically:
- The mission is not replayable, unlike most others.
- Completing Vend of the Line in co-op only allows one player to claim the Legendary item in the end, and locks everyone else from doing so!
If you're eager to get even more Legendaries as soon as possible, consider spending some Golden Keys at the local Golden Chest! To get those, you'll need to input a bunch of SHiFT codes, and we've got you covered in a separate guide with an up-to-date list ready to go. Good luck!
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Groovy!
Borderlands 4 – Fishing Explained!
It's finally happened: Borderlands has a fishing mini-game. And oh hey, it actually makes sense in-universe, so it's not a ham-fisted arcade side-thing you'll do once and then ignore every single time afterwards!
No, Borderlands 4's fishing is a natural evolution of its core looting loop, and the way you participate in it is by leveraging your fancy new grappling hook movement tech! We'll go into more detail on the grappling hook in a separate article, but the gist of it is that it can both pull items towards you, and pull you towards items depending on the context. Are you getting where we're going with this yet?
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How to Fish in Borderlands 4?
Though you might expect to fish in Borderlands 4 by... uh, well, shooting fish in a literal barrel, this game isn't quite as hamfisted as that. It's close, granted, but it's not that bad at all!
Instead, the way fishing in Borderlands 4 works is that you need to be on the lookout for bubbles and commotion on the surface of the water, and then approach it from the shore. A grappling hook pop-up is going to appear if you look in the direction of the commotion, and you want to interact with it.
Doing so pulls up a can of sodie-pop (or beer, we're honestly not sure yet) and pulls up a fairly sizeable loot drop. Thing is, if you're not fast, all that loot's going to go to waste! What you want to do is to immediately throw the can away and then quickly pull as much actual loot to the shore as you can, using your grappling hook input. It's really easy to miss items, so you may want to time your pulls to grab the rarest items. Look for blue, purple, and orange-tier items specifically, as these will be the most valuable of them all!
You'll have several opportunities to "fish" whenever you come across a fishing spot in Borderlands 4, though not each instance may have quite as much loot as some of them do. We're happy to report that fishing spots do come up very often, even early on in the game, so don't fret if you miss some. They're an excellent source of loot, so make use of them whenever you can!
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Something’s fishy about those guns…
Borderlands 4 Trophy List – All 36 Achievements and How to Unlock Them
The Borderlands franchise is back with its first mainline entry since 2019, and with it comes the sacred tradition of grinding for shiny little pop-ups alongside endless loot.
This Borderlands 4 trophy list shows you every achievement in the game and how to unlock it, so you can plan your path to 100% completion while battling the Timekeeper on the war-torn planet of Kairos. Think of it as an Echo Device cheat sheet, minus Claptrap shouting at you. (You're welcome!)
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How Many Trophies Are in Borderlands 4?
There are 36 trophies and achievements in Borderlands 4: 1 Platinum, 4 Gold, 14 Silver, and 17 Bronze. Some unlock naturally through story progression, while others require full exploration, boss takedowns, and Gearbox’s signature side content (yes, Dave the Burrito is back).
If you're planning your grind, PowerPyx estimates a trophy difficulty of 5/10 and a platinum time of around 100–150 hours. So pace yourself—Kairos isn’t conquered in a weekend!
Full Borderlands 4 Trophy List
| Trophy / Achievement | How to Unlock | Vault Hunter Notes |
| Crimson Rising | Reach player level 10. | Welcome to Kairos! Your first taste of XP glory. (And maybe a few accidental grenade kills). |
| Good Hunter | Reach player level 30. | You’re officially a Hunter now. Time to strut like you own the place! |
| Master of Death and Dance | Reach player level 50. | Death? You laugh in its face. Dance? You may step on a skag while celebrating. |
| Gear Five! | Reach Ultimate Vault Hunter Level 5. | Endgame grind unlocked. Stock up on XP boosters and get ready to flex. |
| The Lookbook is the Cookbook | Collect 60 cosmetics. | Fashion over function. Rock that pink mask while you mow down enemies for maximum style points. |
| Catch-A-Ride | Collect all personal vehicles. | Every Vault Hunter deserves a sweet ride. Bonus points if it survives the first crash! |
| I Earned This | Equip legendary gear in every slot. | Legendary domination achieved. Your enemies may weep at your sheer overpoweredness. |
| Area of Expertise | Complete any Gear Challenge category. | Show off your mastery, because nothing screams “pro” like completing challenges nobody asked for! |
| Brad Equity | Complete any Manufacturer Challenge category. | Flex your loyalty to your favorite manufacturer. (May cause other Vault Hunters to envy your taste in guns). |
| Ruler of Everything | Complete all 53 activities, including Safehouses, Order Silos, Ancient Crawlers, Abandoned Auger Mines, Order Bunkers, and Ripper Drill Sites. | Yes, everything. Vaults, bunkers, silos, hidden missions. This is the “I have no life outside of Borderlands 4” trophy. |
| Arena Grande | Complete the Gordello world event. | Explosions, chaos, and screaming enemies. Arena Grande lives up to its name. |
| Reverse Abduction | Complete the Airship world event. | Aliens, lasers, and slightly panicked loot grabs. A true Vault Hunter test. |
| Shoot the Moon | Complete the Creep Impact world event. | Lunar chaos achieved. Bonus: it’s the only time you can snipe things from orbit. |
| Freelance, but Not for Free | Complete 80 contracts (side missions, world events, and faction objectives). | You’re basically a mercenary with a to-do list. Don’t forget to collect payment. |
| Unfaded | Discover all map locations in The Fadefields. | Explore every nook, cranny, and cliff. Lore and loot await the thorough. |
| The Mountain Provides | Discover all map locations in Terminus Range. | Peak exploration unlocked. Literally. (You may want climbing gear). |
| Churn the Burn | Discover all map locations in Carcadia Burn. | Fiery vistas, hidden loot, and the occasional “what the hell is that?” moment. |
| Useful Citizen | Discover all map locations in Dominion City. | Urban adventuring at its finest. Don’t forget to dodge traffic. |
| Pop Out | Defeat a World Boss. | Big, bad, and bullet-spongy, but the trophy makes it worth it. |
| Nothing Left to Guard | Defeat all Guardians in Primordial Vaults. | Vaults cleared, bragging rights unlocked. Consider a ceremonial dance. |
| Widely Beloved Mascot | Complete all Claptrap missions. | Claptrap may annoy you, but the trophy is sweet. Also, the chaos is worth it. |
| Grassroots Campaigner | Complete all side missions. | Sidequests aren’t filler; they’re the heart of a true Vault Hunter’s journey. |
| Pale Blueberry Dot | Complete all Outbounder missions. | Outbounders beware: completion is coming for you. |
| Who’s the Boss? | Complete all Auger missions. | Auger missions = sweat, bullets, and eventual satisfaction. |
| Mole Money, Mole Problems | Complete all Electi missions. | Mining, moles, and mischief. Rewards aplenty. |
| False Idolator | Complete mission “Rush the Gate.” | Rush, loot, repeat. You’ll feel like a hero… briefly. |
| As If Moved by an Occult Hand | Complete mission “His Vile Sanctum.” | Dark magic, twisted traps, and killer loot. Exactly what you signed up for. |
| Long Live the Queen | Complete mission “Her Flaming Vision.” | Royal chaos achieved. Bow to no one (except your platinum dreams). |
| Howling on the Moon | Complete mission “Another Day. Another Universe.” | Moonlight madness. May cause uncontrollable laughing. |
| Everything Breaks | Complete mission “The Timekeeper’s Order.” | Endgame story chaos. Break stuff. Save stuff. Repeat. |
| Glucose Guardian | Tip Moxxi. | She deserves it, and the trophy too. Bonus karma if you overtip. |
| Cut That Out | Find the cutout of Dr. Patricia Tannis. | Because even the smartest scientists deserve Easter egg love. |
| All Things Vend | Deliver the contents of the Legendary Vending Machine. | Loot vending machines: Gearbox style. Very satisfying. |
| Rift Incompatible | Find Oddman’s final resting place. | Sad, weird, and very Gearbox. Bring tissues. |
| Guac is Extra | Find Dave the Burrito. | Yes. A burrito. And yes, a trophy. Hunt it like your life depends on it. |
| Aw Man, Now We Have to Make BL5 | Earn all trophies (Platinum) | You did it! Vault Hunter legend unlocked. Now show off your pop-up collection! |
Tips for Unlocking Every Trophy
Level Up First: Several trophies are tied to XP milestones and Ultimate Vault Hunter tiers. Story missions and contracts give the best XP bursts, so you can hit those early thresholds without grinding skags forever.
Explore Every Region: The Fadefields, Terminus Range, Carcadia Burn, and Dominion City aren’t just pretty backdrops. Fully mapping them gets you trophies and usually a stash of loot or lore.
Complete World Events and Missions: Gordello, Airship, and Creep Impact events are more than filler—they’re some of the most chaotic set pieces in the game. Side missions, Claptrap tasks, and faction missions (Outbounder, Auger, Electi) all inch you closer to “Ruler of Everything.”
Collect and Equip Gear: Legendary slots, cosmetics, and vehicles have their own trophies. Legendary vending machines and rare drops are your friends.
Relax—Nothing’s Missable: You can revisit missions and areas after the credits roll, so there’s no need to panic-farm on your first playthrough.
Why the Borderlands 4 Trophy List Matters
This isn’t just a checklist—it’s your key to experiencing every glorious, chaotic, hilarious, and absurd corner of Kairos. Trophies push you into wild battles, secret lore, and the kind of moments only Gearbox could dream up.
With 36 achievements spanning exploration, combat, and Easter eggs, Borderlands 4 offers trophy hunters a rewarding (and frequently ridiculous) journey across Kairos. So tip Moxxi. Loot the vending machines. Hunt down Dave the Burrito. And remember: every pop-up is a story, a reward, and a reason to laugh while blowing stuff up.
Because you’re not just playing Borderlands 4, you’re living it!
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READ MORE:
Borderlands 4 PC Launch: Why the Day One Patch Is Non-Negotiable
Borderlands 4 Co-Op Gets Personal: Individual Difficulty Settings Let You Play Your Way
Borderlands 4 Twitch Guide: Streams, Drops, Stream Times, and More!
Good luck!
Borderlands 4 – How to Dodge, Hover, Slide, and More!
Borderlands 4 may well run extremely poorly, but there's an astonishingly good shooter underneath its technically unfinished exterior. On top of satisfying gunplay, for example, we've come to really appreciate just how mobile and agile all the Vault Hunters are in Borderlands 4, and this means there's a wealth of movement tech for you to tackle in this game as well.
In all the ways that matter, Borderlands 4 plays like a strange, Bizarro version of DOOM Eternal, and that's one of the highest types of praise we could give to a modern FPS. We highly recommend learning how to dodge, hover, slide, and leverage vehicles in and out of combat in Borderlands 4, as figuring these techniques out really rounds off the combat gameplay and makes the whole thing that much more satisfying.
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How to Dodge in Borderlands 4?
Dodging! We adore it. Arguably, this is the single most important new feature in Borderlands 4, and it makes for a world of difference in combat. No longer do you have to trigger sprint to evade enemy attacks, and no longer do you need to flip the camera around just to escape a crummy little AoE attack.
No, to dodge, simply hit your sprint key (SHIFT on keyboard by default) in any direction, other than forward. Better yet, attempting to dodge in any direction (including forward) while mid-air is going to propel your characters in that direction, which means you've got fairly extreme mobility and agility no matter the situation. It's excellent!
How to Hover in Borderlands 4?
Dodging mid-air goes hand-in-hand with Borderlands 4's new Hover functionality, wherein you pick up a jetpack type of gadget very early on in the campaign, which then affords you the ability to cover massive swathes of space both in and out of combat. It's excellent!
To hover, jump from an (at least) medium-height ledge and then keep holding the jump key (SPACE on keyboard by default) to continue hovering. From the hover, you can easily dodge in any direction, or hit your crouch key (CTRL on keyboard by default) to perform a vertical downward smash that stuns enemies and deals a surprising amount of damage.
How to Slide in Borderlands 4?
Sliding is more-or-less exactly the way it was in Borderlands 3, but it's an extremely important mobility tool. It allows you to cover longer stretches of space to get from one piece of cover to the next, and it lets you slide down slopes without using up stamina.
To slide, trigger the sprint feature (SHIFT on keyboard by default) and then hit crouch (CTRL) to execute. This makes you a smaller target, performs a minor forward dash - presumably towards a piece of cover - and sets you up to return fire from a safer, more stable firing position.
How to Use Vehicles in Borderlands 4?
Borderlands 4 comes with a frankly incredibly number of vehicles in tow: over 10 of them to collect, unlock, and customize! They all behave in mostly the same way, however. They're effectively combat-ready Sparrows from Destiny 2, more-or-less.
To summon a vehicle, you first need to complete a particular early-game quest (you'll know it when you see it - no spoilers), but once you do, just hit the X key on the keyboard to hop onto your fancy new hovercraft.
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Borderlands 4 may well run extremely poorly, but there’s an astonishingly good shooter underneath its technically unfinished exterior. On top of satisfying gunplay, for example, we’ve come to really appreciate just how mobile and agile all the Vault Hunters are in Borderlands 4, and this means there’s a wealth of movement tech for you to […]
Borderlands 4 – Optimized PC Settings Guide
Oh boy. Here we go again. Though Gearbox and Randy Pitchford definitely hinted as much, we simply had no idea just how crummy Borderlands 4's PC performance would be in the end, as of day one. That's right, folks: Borderlands 4 runs like it's had both of its legs tied together, and its feet glued to the floor. Even if you're well above its minimum system requirements, and you already have the day one patch installed, it's still pretty darn bad.
Thankfully, our expertise in game tuning and PC optimization means we've got a fair few tricks up our sleeves to make Borderlands 4 run better across the board. The flip side of that is that, as of September 12, this means you'll need to drop settings quite a lot to make Borderlands 4 playable on mid-range PCs, let alone attempting to have it run on something like the Steam Deck. That's a no-go right off the bat, though we will test our theory soon enough.
Down below, we've assembled a list of must-do tweaks and tunes to make Borderlands 4 run as smoothly as possible. With a bit of luck, these will tide us all over until Gearbox Software optimizes the game and improves its overall performance envelope. Let's get to it!
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Optimized PC Graphics Settings for Borderlands 4
Borderlands 4 is easily the worst-performing PC game of 2025 (so far). Well, okay, it's the second-worst right after Monster Hunter Wilds, which also doesn't look nearly as good as Borderlands 4 does. Borderlands 4 is also a rather excellent game underneath its crummy performance envelope, so that's good news in the long run.
In the short term, though, here's a shortlist of PC graphics settings we recommend to have Borderlands 4 run as well as humanly possible, on as wide of a range of hardware as possible. Note that our aim was to get a reasonably solid 60 FPS without excessive image quality drop: it's all about that balance.
- Display Mode: Windowed Full-Screen
- Resolution: Native
- Limit Frame Rate: 60 FPS
- V-Sync: On
- FOV and Vehicle FOV: 100
- Anti-Aliasing and Upscaling: DLSS if on Nvidia, personal preference otherwise (we recommend avoiding TSR regardless)
- Upscaling Quality: Balanced
- Scene Capture Quality: High
- Frame Generation: Off
- Nvidia Reflex Low-Latency: On
- HLOAD Loading Range: Far
- Geometry Quality: High
- Texture Quality: High
- Texture Streaming Speed: High
- Anisotropic Filtering: x16
- Foliage Density: Medium-High
- Volumetric Fog: Low
- Volumetric Cloud: Low
- Shadow Quality: Medium-High
- Directional Shadow Quality: Medium
- Volumetric Cloud Shadows: Disabled
- Lighting Quality: Medium
- Reflections Quality: Medium
- Shading Quality: High
- Post-Process Quality: High
- Motion Blur: Medium, 0.2 setting
We understand that enabling Motion Blur might be against some players' personal religion, but it's a well implemented feature in this game that massively improves the baseline stuttering and potential performance drops. On top of that, we've found that virtually all volumetric lighting and rendering settings have a huge effect on Borderlands 4's performance - much as was the case with Borderlands 3 - and so we recommend leaving the settings off or low enough not to hobble your performance. It's not great, honestly, but these tweaks should tide you over until Gearbox can fix things up.
What about traversal stutter and the Stutter-Struggle at large?
So, good news on this front is that Borderlands 4 doesn't seem to have an excessive amount of stuttering. Certainly, the game will stutter if you crank things up too high, and there is some amount of traversal stutter present, but it's not nearly as big of an issue as it was in, say, the Oblivion Remake. Instead, it's more of a minor concern that pales in comparison to the game's broader performance problems.
Do note that Borderlands 4 has not one but two separate shader compilation steps: one of them takes place at the initial load-up, while the other appears to fill out the gaps during the gameplay loading screen. It's a tad egregious, yes, but it's also fairly comprehensive, and probably the reason why we're not seeing massive stuttering left and right. That's Unreal Engine 5 for ya, folks.
Using Frame Generation in Borderlands 4
Yep, do it. Now that you've hopefully reached a rock-solid 60 FPS in Borderlands 4 before turning on Frame Gen (this is crucial, as we explain in a separate article discussing the tech), we simply have to recommend using either the on-board Frame Gen solution or third-party Lossless Scaling to reach higher performance tiers in Borderlands 4. With a baseline of 60 FPS, you should be able to get up to 120 FPS without any stutters and/or extreme artifacting, and it makes the game's lootey-shootey gameplay loop much, much enjoyable in the end.
The fact of the matter is that Borderlands 4 in its current state seems eager not to run well no matter what you do, but tech such as Frame Gen side-steps the game's own performance to deliver the next best thing. It's not ideal, no, and you are getting some amount of added input latency, but we believe the effect is well worth it.
Are Improvements Coming?
In the end, Borderlands 4 is a phenomenal looter-shooter beset by some truly egregious performance problems. It's a fixable problem we believe, and we'll keep this article up-to-date with the latest tweaks, mods, and improvements as they drop in. In the interim, use the tricks we've provided, see if Frame Gen features can't tide you over, and have fun looting and shooting! We know we will...
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Here we go, again.
Borderlands 4 Co-Op Gets Personal: Individual Difficulty Settings Let You Play Your Way
Borderlands 4 is almost here, and Gearbox is finally doing something veteran Vault Hunters have been quietly screaming for: individually scaling difficulty in co-op. That’s right—no more awkward debates about whether to play “Easy” for story vibes or “Hard” for maximum carnage. Now, each player can dial in their own challenge, and still team up for the glorious chaos, loot, and explosions the series is famous for.
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Because One Size Doesn’t Fit All
Traditionally, Borderlands has stuck players with a single party-wide difficulty. If your buddy wanted a story-driven stroll through Pandora and you were ready for a high-octane loot grind, tough luck—you had to compromise. In Borderlands 4, Gearbox has flipped the script. Each player chooses their own difficulty—Easy, Normal, or Hard—and the game scales individually.
- Easy: Perfect for story-hungry Vault Hunters who want to soak in the lore without losing half their health to a Skag. Damage is reduced, elemental weaknesses don’t bite as hard, and the chaos is a bit more… manageable.
- Normal: The classic Borderlands experience—balanced combat, explosive loot, and that trademark mix of absurdity and carnage.
- Hard: For thrill-seekers who want every fight to feel like a punch to the gut. Enemies hit harder, elemental weaknesses hurt like Pandora’s sun, but the loot and cash make it worth every fiery second.
The best part? Enemies don’t suddenly bulk up just because someone’s playing Easy. Instead, enemy stats are instanced per player—so your buddy on Easy faces toned-down foes while you tackle full-strength psychos on Hard.
Co-Op, Reimagined
The real magic is how this shakes up co-op. Borderlands 4 finally lets each player feel challenged (or relaxed) without forcing the group into compromise. Want to charge headfirst into Hard while your buddy leisurely explores on Easy? Go for it. Damage, loot, and rewards dynamically adjust to match each player’s setting, keeping everyone in their sweet spot.
This isn’t just a matter of convenience; it’s a philosophical shift. Gearbox is prioritizing player freedom and accessibility. The same care shows up in other customization options, from controls and map zoom speed to color presets and movement mechanics like gliding and grappling. The game is finally letting you play the way you want, not the way the party dictates.
High Risk, High Reward: Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode
For those chasing chaos and loot, the endgame introduces Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode (UVHM). Think of it as Borderlands 4’s “New Game Plus” with a brutal twist. Enemies hit harder, take less damage, and drop insane loot. And yes, this mode also scales individually in co-op, unlocking five escalating difficulty tiers as you conquer each challenge.
Read more about UVHM here: Borderlands 4 – Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode Explained in Detail
Individual Difficulty Settings - Loot and Shoot Your Way!
Individually scaling co-op isn’t just a nice perk—it’s a game-changer. No more forced compromises: you blast through Hard while your buddy strolls on Easy, and everyone walks away happy. Hard mode means bigger loot, bigger thrills, and bragging rights; Easy means you can actually enjoy Pandora without getting roasted alive. Gearbox is basically saying: play your way, Vault Hunter.
With cross-play at launch, a world packed with verticality, grappling, vehicles, and chaos around every corner, Borderlands 4 finally makes squad arguments over difficulty a thing of the past. Whether you’re hunting ultimate loot or soaking in the story, the adventure adapts to you. So grab your guns, choose your difficulty, and get ready—mayhem, loot, and glorious explosions await, and Pandora won’t loot itself!
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No more arguments!
Save up to 45% Off Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 – Why Now Is the Perfect Time to Play!
It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since Captain Titus stomped back onto our screens, chainsword revving, bolter blazing. Yes, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 landed in September 2024 as one of the most bombastic co-op shooters in years, and now it’s celebrating its first birthday with its biggest update yet — plus some serious discounts.
Right now you can:
- Save 45% on the base game of Space Marine 2.
- Save 19% on the brand-new 2-Year Anniversary Edition, which bundles the base game with both Season Passes.
So, if you’ve been sitting on the fence or you’re ready to return to the front lines, now is the perfect time to play!
Space Marine 2 Anniversary Update (Patch 10): Free Content Worth a Whole Expansion
Plenty of live-service games promise “more,” but Saber Interactive and Focus Entertainment have delivered a genuine shift. Patch 10, which dropped on September 4, 2025, doesn’t just pad out the game — it supercharges it:
- New PvE content: Operation “Vortex” pits your squad against the towering Mutalith Vortex Beast, while the new Stratagems system adds rotating daily and weekly modifiers to keep missions unpredictable.
- New PvP action: A fresh arena, “Bridge,” arrives on Avarax. And in the new Helbrute Onslaught mode, you get to pilot a Helbrute, unleashing Chaos’s mechanical wrath yourself.
- Weapons: Three new weapons — Pyreblaster, Pyrecannon, and Power Axe — plus several cosmetic weapon skins and variants.
- Enemies and skins: Chaos Spawn now show up in three variants, and there are six new Chaos Champion skins.
- Customization improvements: You can now mix and match many Champion armour pieces across classes (with some restrictions), making it far easier to craft the marine of your dreams, or nightmares!
And this is just the opening salvo. Saber’s Year 2 roadmap promises four more Operations, three new Eternal War arenas, fresh Stratagems, new enemies and weapons, progression tweaks, and even a brand-new playable class — the Techmarine, arriving in early 2026.
Hot Off The Press - Patch 10.1
Saber really isn’t slowing down! Patch 10.1 just dropped with balance tweaks, bug fixes, and boosted Stratagem rewards based on player feedback, keeping the experience super polished and reactive.
Season Pass II: Cosmetic Carnage
The Anniversary Update also launched Season Pass II with its first two DLC packs:
- Black Templars Champion Pack – a new Bulwark Champion skin plus a Power Sword skin.
- Imperial Fists Cosmetic Pack – more than 40 cosmetics across seven of the Imperial Fists’ Successor Chapters.
And it’s only the beginning. Through Year 2, Season Pass II will deliver nine DLC drops packed with skins, armour pieces, and heraldry for iconic Chapters. From Raptors to Iron Hands to the shark-toothed Carcharodons, every Chapter looks set to get its moment.
Why Now Is the Perfect Time to Play
Space Marine 2 has hit its true power fantasy stride. This is the most content-rich, player-friendly version yet. You’re getting two fresh game modes, a massive new Operation, a customization overhaul, new weapons and enemies, and a roadmap stacked with future additions.
Add to that 45% off the base game and 19% off the 2-Year Anniversary Edition (which bundles both Season Passes and everything coming in Year 2) — and there’s no better moment to enlist!
If you’ve ever wanted to feel like a genetically enhanced warrior of the Imperium, chainsword in one hand, bolter in the other, this is your cue.
So, grab your discount, rally your squad, and answer the Emperor’s call — because the galaxy won’t purge itself.
Get Your Discounted Copy of Space Marine 2 @ 2Game Today!
Get Your Discounted Copy of Space Marine 2 - 2-Year Anniversary Edition @ 2Game Today!
Play and Save Today!
Borderlands 4 Twitch Guide: Streams, Drops, Stream Times, and More!
We've already had a bevy of extremely exciting game releases this year, from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 all the way to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, but for many of our readers, none of these titles will have been nearly as important and notable as Borderlands 4. The ultimate granpappy of all looter-shooters, Borderlands started its life as a wacky, but extremely weird and dark FPS/RPG with a heavy proc-gen loot slant. And oh hey, while Borderlands 2 and 3 might've veered further into the wacky sub-territory, Borderlands 4 aims to correct course, instead.
We've already covered virtually everything there is to cover about Borderlands 4 here at 2Game, including the game's seemingly crucial day-one PC patch. Obviously, we'll continue this trend as the game's September 11 (tomorrow!) launch date hits, but there's one last thing we need to discuss ahead of time: the Borderlands 4 Twitch Drops!
In classic Gearbox fashion, Borderlands 4 has a massive overabundance of gun, character, and other assorted skins to collect and - yep - purchase. Yet, some of them may be locked behind Twitch integrations. The very first, for example, is available right now if you complete a specific set of actions, and we'll tell you all about that in this here article.
Grab the pre-order Borderlands 4 goodies while there's still time!
All Borderlands 4 Twitch Drops - September 10
In a shocking turn of events, there's only one - yes, we've counted - one (1) Borderlands 4 Twitch Drop as of September 10, and that's the unique Watch, Drop, and Roll Drone Skin for ECHO-4. It's emblazoned in classic Twitch purple coloring, and it's an altogether unimpressive piece of kit if we're being honest.
Yet, we fully understand and appreciate a collector's mindset, and this is only the first in a presumably long line of Borderlands 4 Twitch Drops. To that end, it makes perfect sense for you to set everything up, see what it takes to unlock one of these items, and simply repeat the process whenever a new one drops in. Here's what you need to do:
- Create a SHiFT account if you don't yet have one.
- Link your SHiFT account to Twitch.
- Log into your Twitch account and tune into a special eligible Borderlands 4 livestream from August 29 until September 29.
- Watch 30 minutes' worth of cumulative gameplay footage.
- Claim your Twitch Drop within 24 hours of receiving it.
Note that you'll only be able to access any Borderlands 4 Twitch Drops after the game is officially released, so from September 11 onwards. Something to keep in mind if you got... early access to the title, somehow.
Now, while this really is all there is to it, we'll keep this article up-to-date with all the new Borderlands 4 Twitch Drops as they crop up. So, you may wish to stay tuned and check back in whenever you can. Happy (Vault) hunting!
Grab the pre-order Borderlands 4 goodies while there's still time!
They’re purple! Purple!
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