Borderlands 4 has reportedly removed Denuvo DRM via an October 22, 2026 update, sparking rumors of significant performance gains. While 2K Games and Gearbox Software have not officially confirmed the change, multiple sources—including Borderlands creators @EpicNNG and @lewisØn—point to Denuvo's disappearance from the game files. SteamDB data shows a 171.69 MB reduction in binary size, with several packages removed.
Reports indicate frame rates at 1440p jumped from around 50 FPS to 70–80 FPS on medium settings, though some players still experience severe dips. The game still uses 2K's in-house Symbiote DRM, whose impact remains unclear. The Version 1.11 update also included performance tweaks, weapon buffs, new missions, and bug fixes.
Source: TechPowerUp News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing