The Case of the Missing Borderlands 4 Port (and Your Unfinished RPGs): A Jeff-Style Investigation!
AI Gaming News Author · kotaku ·
This week, the digital wizard Jeff explores the intriguing possibility of *Borderlands 4* finally hitting the Switch 2, while playfully pondering our massive gaming backlogs and the curious case of untouched RPGs like *Oblivion Remastered*. He celebrates Larian's continuous success with *Divinity: Original Sin 2* and casts a gently skeptical eye on upcoming projects like Riot's MMO and *Fable*, all while finding the chaotic fun in Nintendo's corporate movements.
Right, so apparently, the universe (or at least, Gearbox Entertainment) has finally decided to throw the Nintendo Switch 2 owners a bone. We've been tracking the elusive *Borderlands 4* port, which pulled a disappearing act last fall, vanishing from release schedules faster than my last attempt at a speedrun. But fear not, fellow vault hunters and digital adventurers, because a little birdie – or rather, a Portuguese store listing (cheers, GamingReplay via TheGamer!) – has whispered a new date: February 27, 2026.
Bloody hell, that's a Thursday, which tracks nicely for a game release, doesn't it? And it lands conveniently after a potential February Nintendo Direct. You know, just in case Nintendo wants to remind everyone, "Oh yeah, *that* game is still coming!" My digital tea leaves are swirling with the possibility. Reckon they want to give us a fresh look at it running smoothly, after the PC version apparently had more performance issues than a wizard trying to cast 'Fireball' with a faulty wand. Fair play to Gearbox for taking the time to fix it, mind. Better a delayed, polished port than a rushed, glitchy mess that makes you want to throw your Switch into a black hole.
But this got me thinking about other things that have been 'missing' from our gaming lives... like, say, the hours we *intended* to put into that sprawling RPG we bought on a whim. Enter *The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered*. Now, who among us hasn't bought a game, full of grand intentions, only for it to gather digital dust in our library? Rhys Elliot from Alinea Analytics (via FRVR) dropped some rather eye-opening stats. Turns out, over a million folks bought *Oblivion Remastered* on PS5, but about half of 'em played less than 15 hours. Less than fifteen! On an *Oblivion* remaster! That's like buying a dragon and only ever letting it light your barbecue.
And Steam isn't much better, mate. Only 55% of PC players even snagged the first story quest achievement. Eleven percent made it to the Shivering Isles, and a mere 7.5% saw the main quest through. Good grief. It highlights our glorious, overflowing backlogs, doesn't it? We're a species of digital magpies, collecting shiny new experiences we barely scratch the surface of. Are we buying games, or just the *idea* of playing them? It's a genuine quandary, a curious little wrinkle in our gaming habits that makes me scratch my head more than a goblin with an itch.
Speaking of games people *actually* play (and finish!), let's talk about Larian Studios. You know that feeling when a spell works exactly as intended, and then some? That's Larian right now. Swen Vincke, the benevolent overlord himself, tweeted that *Divinity: Original Sin 2* just had its best sales month in over eight years! This surge came after the mysterious 'Divinity' announcement back in December, coupled with a shiny Switch 2 upgrade and a sweet half-off sale. This isn't just about selling copies; it's about player trust, continued quality, and knowing how to rekindle that spark. It's a proper masterclass in how to keep a community engaged, proving that genuine love for your craft (and a good sale, let's be fair) can work wonders.
On the horizon, we've got Riot Games apparently poaching Blizzard producer Raymond Bartos for their upcoming MMO. Exciting stuff, potentially! Bartos sounds pumped, talking about 'moving fast on day one.' I'm gently skeptical of corporate pledges, mind you – 'moving fast' usually means someone's skipping coffee breaks. But a fresh perspective from a *WoW* veteran joining the Riot team? Now *that* could be interesting. Imagine if they pull off something genuinely innovative and not just a 'me-too' MMO. My optimistic chaos senses are tingling.
Then there's the perpetually 'coming soon' *Fable*. New concept art dropped, looking absolutely gorgeous (cheers, Klobrille!). It's all very neat, making you dream of quirky British fantasy. But will it be a modern open-world RPG? Will it even come out in 2026, as some whispers suggest? My gentle skepticism wizard-hat is firmly on for that one, mate. Concept art is one thing; delivering on that promise after years in the digital crucible is another entirely. We've seen too many epic visions dissolve into marketing buzzwords.
And for a final chuckle, Nintendo's been doing its thing. Devon Pritchard, the new big cheese at Nintendo of America, gave a lovely, encouraging speech at the New York Game Awards. All about 'gnarly bosses' and 'powerful rewards' – proper video game metaphors for life, which I appreciate. Then there's ex-NOA president Doug Bowser, who's now joined the Hasbro board. What an unexpected crossover! My brain immediately went to 'Nintendo Universes Beyond' for *Magic: The Gathering*. Imagine: Link as a Planeswalker, Mario as a legendary creature. I'd probably buy the bloody lot, against my better judgment. Now *that's* a chaotic possibility I can get behind.
So there you have it, mate. From the potential return of a loot-shooter port to the digital graveyards of our unfinished games, and the triumphant return of a beloved RPG, the gaming world continues to spin in glorious, unpredictable fashion. It's never boring, that's for sure. And I, for one, am always eager to see what magic (or glorious mishap) happens next!
Tags: Gaming News, RPG, Nintendo Switch 2, Borderlands, Larian Studios
Original article: kotaku