Initial performance issues plaguing Borderlands 4 had prompted developer Gearbox to push back the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 launch while it optimized the game. Publisher Take-Two Interactive has now announced that development of the port has been paused. Spokesperson for the publisher, Alan Lewis, confirmed this through a statement to Variety, noting that, “We made the difficult decision to pause development on that SKU.”
Lewis did mention, however, that Take-Two Interactive is still continuing to work with Nintendo to bring its games to the Switch 2, including upcoming releases like WWE 2K26.
“Our focus continues to be delivering quality post-launch content for players on the ongoing improvements to optimize the game. We’re continuing to collaborate closely with our friends at Nintendo. We have ‘PGA Tour 2K25’ coming out and ‘WWE 2K26’ [for Switch 2], and we’re incredibly excited about bringing more of our titles to that platform in the future.”
What he means by the development being paused is currently unknown. It might be an outright cancellation for the platform, since the recent quarterly earnings report for Take-Two Interactive doesn’t have any mention of Borderlands 4’s Switch 2 release.
Another report had indicated that Gearbox and Take-Two Interactive might be aiming for a February 27 launch of the Switch 2 port of Borderlands 4, with the alleged date being listed by a Portuguese retailer. The description of the physical release indicated that it would be a Game Key Card, which would require players to download the files to play.
Gearbox had announced that it was delaying the Switch 2 port of Borderlands 4 back in September, noting that it was making sure that it could deliver “the best possible experience to our fans.” Along with optimization improvements, the studio was also working on features like cross saves. “We do not take this decision lightly, but are committed to ensuring we deliver the best possible experience to our fans, and the game needs additional development and polish time to do that,” said Gearbox through the Borderlands Twitter account.
Thankfully, Nintendo’s eShop policies have meant that those who pre-ordered Borderlands 4 on the Switch 2 wouldn’t lose any money. Rather, all digital pre-orders were cancelled, and refunds were automatically initiated. It is worth noting that some work had been done on Borderlands 4‘s Switch 2 port, with a trailer being released back in July showcasing the platform-specific gameplay.
Borderlands 4 is available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and Gearbox has continued to provide post-launch support for the co-op looter shooter. In a new roadmap, the studio confirmed that Bounty Pack 2: Legend of the Stone Demon will be released in February, and Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned will come out in March.
The second Invincible boss is also slated to debut alongside the game’s first Takedown in Q2 2026. Gearbox has described it as an “extremely challenging gauntlet where players will have to battle their way through a new area, taking on hordes of enemies and new boss encounters.”
For more on Borderlands 4, check out our review.
