Gearbox Advises PC Gamers to Wait for Shader Compilation in Borderlands 4

Following player reports of increased stuttering after this week's update, Gearbox, the developer of Borderlands 4, has advised PC gamers to allow 15 minutes for background shader compilation during gameplay.

The September 25 update, intended to address Borderlands 4's widely discussed PC performance problems, ironically triggered complaints about stuttering soon after its release.

Borderlands 4 continues to receive a mixed rating on Steam, with the majority of negative feedback targeting PC performance. Digital Foundry's technical analysis highlighted significant stuttering issues in the PC version and recommended avoiding the 'Badass' graphics preset.

In response to the stuttering reports, Gearbox issued a social media statement asking players to continue playing for about 15 minutes to let shaders finish compiling in the background, which should resolve the problem. If issues persist, the developer suggested manually clearing the shader cache via the graphics card manufacturer's recommended method and, as a final step, submitting a support ticket.

We've received reports that some players are experiencing reduced stability after downloading today's update.

Stuttering issues should resolve over time as the shaders continue to compile in the background while playing. If you're still experiencing issues after 15 minutes of…

— Borderlands (@Borderlands) September 25, 2025

As PC players of Borderlands 4 know, the initial game launch requires a shader compilation wait before entering the game world. However, this process doesn't appear to handle all necessary shaders, leading to stutters during gameplay—at least, that's the prevailing theory.

Gearbox's latest communication mirrors previous advice shared on Steam, seemingly aimed at discouraging snap judgments about performance immediately after adjusting settings. The studio previously noted, “Please note that any time you change any of your graphics settings, your shaders will need to recompile. Please keep playing for at least 15 minutes to see how your PC's performance has changed.” The new guidance carries a similar tone.

In the meantime, some community members are suggesting visiting specific in-game zones to force a bulk compilation of shaders before engaging in regular gameplay.

To expand on this: quit the game once after launching and relaunch it. Now travel into a zone and back out (Idolator Sol’s or a Vault will work) this should compile a BUNCH of shaders and start improving the smoothness.

Shader compiling is rough.

— Ki11er Six (@Ki11ersix) September 25, 2025

If you're diving into Borderlands 4, be sure to check an updated list of SHiFT codes. We also offer a comprehensive interactive map, a powerful Borderlands 4 planner tool from our partners at Maxroll, and our community's varied picks for the best starting character (with no clear consensus).