Borderlands 4 Sets a New Bar for Discomfort

Borderlands 4 has experienced a decidedly mixed launch. On one hand, the game achieved a monumental success by shattering the Steam concurrent player record for the series. More than that, it attracted over two hundred and seven thousand players at once and surpassed the beloved Borderlands 2. Despite this massive player interest, it received a “Mostly Negative” review score on that platform due to severe performance problems and frequent crashes. So, how could a major modern release overlook such fundamental settings?

Borderlands 4 Breaks Records and Motion Blurs

While the PC version caused alarm for many, console players discovered they had their own set of serious problems to contend with. Almost immediately after Borderlands 4 became available on PlayStation and Xbox, users of both consoles began dominating discussions with one specific complaint: the alarming absence of two vital quality-of-life settings. Numerous complaints surfaced across gaming forums and social media, with the Borderlands subreddit alone hosting at least ten separate threads.

In each, users expressed frustration over the inability to adjust their field of view or to disable motion blur. The community immediately made its disappointment known to Gearbox Software, emphasizing that these options are considered essential in modern first-person shooters. Furthermore, a user named Dx1178 has posted on one highly-upvoted thread, capturing the general sentiment by questioning how a major modern release could lack such critical features in 2025.

Pandora Has Never Looked So Nauseating

Unfortunately, this problem goes beyond a simple preference for certain gameplay tweaks. Instead, it has escalated into a genuine accessibility issue for some players. That said, multiple reports across different Reddit threads have emerged from users experiencing severe motion sickness while playing. One player with the username Prestigious_Sun6339 described feeling nauseated almost immediately upon gaining control of their character.

Consequently, the situation has become so problematic that some affected players are now seeking refunds for the game. However, this came with mixed results; some reports indicate Microsoft granted a refund, while others claim Sony denied a similar request. Does Gearbox Software recognize the severity of this physical reaction that some players are having?

This entire scenario is made even more confusing by the fact that the PC version of Borderlands 4 automatically ships with motion blur turned off. It seemed as though Gearbox Software was aware that many players would want this feature disabled. Yet, they still forced it upon console players without any option to toggle it off. The controversy surrounding these basic settings has undoubtedly cast a shadow over the game’s successful player count numbers. Not only that, but it marred the initial experience for a large portion of the game’s dedicated fanbase on consoles.