Borderlands 4 emphasizes player creativity in crafting the ideal Vault Hunter, which has inevitably led to the discovery of highly effective, and sometimes “broken,” character builds. While some players feared imminent nerfs, especially for the Siren Vex, known for her extraordinary damage output, Gearbox has clarified that they will not rush to implement changes unless a build severely compromises the game`s stability.
Graame Timmins, creative director for Borderlands 4, directly addressed player concerns on X/Twitter. Reacting to a video showcasing Vex`s ability to swiftly dismantle a boss, he reassured the community, stating, “Chill guys, we`re not going to knee-jerk react to anything.” However, Timmins also mentioned that the powerful build might exploit a pre-launch bug related to recursive damage, similar to an issue previously resolved with characters Harlow and Rafa that caused crashes or UI freezes. He confirmed that they would investigate this further to determine if it indicates a genuine stability problem.
In the realm of action-RPGs, it`s quite common for players to stumble upon character builds that inflict more damage than initially intended. For instance, players of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 utilized the powerful Stendhal build to dominate enemies until developer Sandfall Interactive adjusted its damage. Similarly, Bungie has frequently nerfed numerous Guardian builds in Destiny, often to the chagrin of its fanbase. However, the Borderlands series has historically been an exception to this trend, often allowing players to enjoy powerful combinations of weapons, gear, and skills without significant patches. Instead, the developers have typically introduced additional difficulty modes to maintain a challenge.
Borderlands 4 is currently available across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Despite attracting an impressive number of concurrent players on Steam, the game has been met with considerable negative user reviews. The primary criticisms revolve around its performance on PC and the community`s dissatisfaction with Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford`s responses to player complaints.
For those determined to navigate the current performance and optimization issues, various Borderlands 4 guides and updated Shift Codes are available to help enhance your in-game arsenal and combat capabilities.