yes! It exists and can be played.
Originally scheduled for release on October 3rd, Gearbox Software announced that the game has been postponed indefinitely and all pre-orders will be refunded. The future of this highly anticipated game on the Nintendo Switch 2 console didn’t look very good.
Surprisingly, hidden behind a closed curtain at the back of the Nintendo booth is a fully working demo version of Borderlands 4 for the Nintendo Switch 2. Yes, we can say that it works, but despite some notable performance and visual flaws, it’s clear why the studio is still continuing to develop it, and hopefully it will be fixed soon so that the game can finally be released on hybrid consoles.
Rather than a slice of open world, this demo took me directly into a Vault boss encounter, bypassing the usual introduction that would normally familiarize me with equipment and abilities. There is a card next to the console that tells you what the controls are. If you’ve played a Borderlands game before, you’ll be somewhat familiar with this setting.
With no time to warm up or explore, I selected a heavy tank character and jumped right into the chaos. Due to the limited and exclusive nature of the demo with minimal background changes, it’s difficult to determine how the game will actually perform.
Borderlands’ distinctive cel-shaded art style has always helped soften the technical compromises of Nintendo hardware, but with the Switch 2, it’s clear that this build just isn’t there yet. Explosions and particle effects often appeared heavy and muddy with artifacts, creating strange visual distortions during crowded moments.
It’s not bad, but it lacks the sharpness you’d expect from more powerful hardware. Considering this is reportedly an early build, there’s still time to make adjustments before launch.
It’s a shame that we don’t know how Kairos’ expansive environments will work on Switch 2, but the condensed setup at least focused on combat fluidity and system performance, and to my surprise, it was smoother than I expected. Not that this version is fighting an uphill battle, as we already know what the Switch 2 is capable of, but there’s definitely a lot more work to be done.
There’s no current release date for Borderlands 4 on Nintendo Switch 2 yet, but this short demo gives a glimmer of hope that the game can run, and we’re hoping for an update in the near future.
