Gearbox Software has rolled out a new update for Borderlands 4, and it’s a patch that many PC players have been waiting for. The most important technical change is the introduction of automatic clearing of so-called “stale shaders” whenever the game updates to a new version. Over time, these leftover shader caches had been causing noticeable performance drops, leading to stuttering or inconsistent frame rates for some players. 
By cleaning them up automatically, the developers believe that this patch should greatly improve long-term stability and performance for PC users without forcing them to manually intervene.
But the update isn’t just about performance – Gearbox has also delivered one of the more substantial balance passes since launch. The developers explained that their priority was to boost build diversity, particularly by improving skills and abilities that had fallen behind. Amon, who had often been criticized as one of the weaker Vault Hunters, has received a sweeping set of changes designed to bring him up to the same competitive level as his peers. Meanwhile, Vex has had improvements made to their summons, making pet-based builds more effective in later stages of the game. Rafa’s melee toolkit has also been enhanced to keep close-combat players viable in endgame content. Finally, Harlowe received targeted adjustments ensuring that her Stasis abilities provide real value, which should make her less situational and more consistent across encounters.
Looking ahead, the studio revealed they are actively studying how Class Mods, Rep Kits, Shields, and Firmware contribute to player customization. The goal is to ensure these items open up more creative ways to build characters rather than locking players into the same few optimal setups. The developers also acknowledged that they plan to tackle unintended interactions and exploits that trivialize content. As they pointed out, exploits may feel fun in the moment, but they actually limit meaningful variety by funneling everyone toward the same overpowered tricks.
The patch also shakes up the ongoing Weekly Activities. The Big Encore Boss has been redesigned to rotate tougher versions of known bosses, each offering improved loot. This week, players are encouraged to face off against Driller Hole for a shot at superior rewards. In addition, Weekly Wildcard Missions have been buffed with guaranteed Legendary drops that can be farmed repeatedly until players land the perfect roll. This week’s mission, Means of Ascent, offers the Star Helix Legendary Daedalus Assault Rifle as its prize.
As always, fans can also hunt down Maurice’s Black Market Vending Machine, with Gearbox teasing its location via a cryptic screenshot. However, the update was not without some disappointment: the much-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 version of Borderlands 4, which was scheduled to debut today, has been delayed indefinitely. Pre-orders have been canceled, and no new release date has been announced. This comes as a blow to handheld players who had hoped to dive in alongside other platforms.
On a brighter note, the studio also teased the first post-launch Vault Hunter. Named C4SH, this character is a former casino bot whose skill set revolves around luck. Early previews suggest a mix of probability-based mechanics and high-risk, high-reward gameplay – exactly the kind of unpredictable design that could shake up established metas.
In short, this patch fixes one of the PC version’s most frustrating technical problems while also laying the groundwork for richer class variety and rewarding endgame content. For veterans chasing new builds and loot, and for those who just want their framerates to stop tanking, it’s a very welcome update.
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rip switch 2 owners, preorders canceled like ouch 🥲