Borderlands 4: the locked FOV on Xbox and PS5 generates controversy, we explain how to play better

The head of Gearbox defends the decision and drops hints about future content.

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Following the difficult launch of Borderlands 4, marked by criticism for its performance on PC, the console community has now shifted its focus to another point: the absence of a field of view (FOV) adjustment on Xbox Series and PS5. While the slider is available on PC, console players have encountered a fixed configuration that many consider too restrictive.

Randy Pitchford, the top executive at Gearbox, addressed the controversy to justify this decision. According to him, introducing manual FOV control would have affected the balance and fairness of the experience, and the team prefers to prioritize the identity of the saga over altering its design foundations.

Possible New Features in the Borderlands 4 Roadmap

Although he defended the decision, Pitchford also hinted that the “lock” on FOV might be linked to new playable features in development. His reference to the importance of balance and fairness has led the community to speculate about the arrival of additional cooperative modes or even PvP options, which would be integrated into the extensive post-launch content roadmap promised by the studio.

Tips for Playing on Console Without FOV Adjustment

While Gearbox decides whether to expand or not the graphical options on console, players can apply some tricks to improve the experience in titles without FOV control:

• Adjusting the distance from the screen: moving back a bit can reduce the feeling of narrow vision.

• Configuring the screen size in the console’s system to optimize the image scale.

• Enabling performance mode, prioritizing more stable FPS to smooth out the experience.

• Reducing motion blur if the game allows it, to avoid dizziness.

• Calibrating brightness and HDR, especially in dark areas, to gain visual clarity.

• Taking frequent breaks, especially if visual discomfort or fatigue appears.

With these recommendations, the lack of an FOV slider becomes more manageable in games like Borderlands 4, as we wait to see if Gearbox adjusts this limitation in future updates.