Gearbox Delays Major Borderlands 4 Update — “Crit Knife” Nerf to Launch with Horrors of Kairos Event

The long-awaited patch for Borderlands 4, which was supposed to tone down the infamous “crit knife” build, has been delayed once again. Gearbox confirmed that the update will now arrive alongside the Horrors of Kairos mini-event, running from October 23 to November 6.

Originally planned for release last week, the “Day 30” patch has now been postponed twice. Its main focus is adjusting builds that rely on knife-based critical damage — an interaction developers describe as “unintended.”

The community remains divided: some players argue balance tweaks are unnecessary in a single-player looter shooter, while others believe overpowered builds kill the sense of challenge and diminish the excitement of future boss fights.

Creative director Graeme Timmins explained that the nerf is meant to preserve difficulty and build variety:

Associate creative director Grant Kao added that the crit knife “reduces playstyle variety” and will be adjusted — though new alternative builds are on the way.

The update will also include performance improvements, weapon balance tweaks, and groundwork for the next season. For now, all eyes are on Gearbox to see just how drastically it changes one of Borderlands 4’s most popular builds.

Earlier, Gearbox unveiled a teaser for the upcoming DLC How Rush Saved Mercenary Day, set to launch on November 20.