Borderlands 3’s file size on Nintendo Switch draws major concerns about port quality

Borderlands 3 is one of the most biggest looter-shooter co-op RPGs of all time, standing as the highest-selling title in the series. First released in 2019, it finally arrives to a Nintendo console in 2023, but fans are already concerned about the downgraded quality of the game’s port.

The Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition Switch Store page shows the game’s release date on Oct. 6, but contains no videos of in-game footage, only presenting old media screenshots from past promotional content. Eagle-eyed fans have pointed out the file size for the base game, which only comes in at a total file size of 6.7 GB, a stark contrast to the Steam minimum requirements of 75 GB.

In comparison to Gearbox’s previous ports, the 2020 Switch release of Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition, with all four of its DLC packs, was 13.7 GB in total file size. Borderlands: The Handsome Collection contains both Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, alongside both game’s DLC content, all for 21.9 GB. 

However, despite the compressed file sizes, all past Borderlands Switch ports performed on par when compared to the PlayStation 4 and PS Vita,  maintaining a solid 30 FPS throughout all cutscenes and gameplay without any outstanding issues or bugs beside the clear graphical difference.

Fans have already been massively disappointed with current-gen Switch ports, as the Internet heavily criticized Mortal Kombat 1’s high price tag for its low quality. Mortal Kombat 1’s own Switch size came in at 35.3 GB, while the Steam version required 100 GB at minimum to download the game, with many concessions made for its port. Severe graphical downgrades, minute-long loading screens, and constant frame drops make the Switch version look retro compared to its current-gen console counterparts.

It is no secret that the Switch’s hardware is heavily outclassed by modern day competitors in the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series, but with the confirmation of the Nintendo Switch 2’s development at Gamescom, many fans believed that Gearbox should have held off on porting the series until the next generation of consoles arrived.

Additional concerns surrounding the Switch port of Borderlands 3 is the lack of four-player multiplayer, both online and offline, as the official store page confirms that local wireless and online modes will only allow for two player co-op at maximum. That’s yet another downgrade when compared to all previous Borderlands titles on Switch, which always featured the full four-player online experience.

Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition will release on Nintendo Switch on Oct. 6, but with no pre-release footage of the port, fans may want to hold off on buying it until more gameplay clips are posted on the Internet.