Borderlands 2 (2012): runs on Windows 11, Mac, Linux, Steam Deck?

Windows 11✓
Steam Deck✓ Playable
Mac✓
Linux✓ native

Gamicality score 89 / 100

Playability today ★★★★★ 4.5

Runs today4.5 / 5
Design today4.5 / 5
See the checks

Steam user reviews Very Positive

295,218 reviews92% positive
Steam store page

Get it on Steam

Released: 2012
Developer: Gearbox Software
Genre: Action, RPG
Runs on: Windows, macOS, Linux, Steam Deck
Last checked: October 31, 2026

Does Borderlands 2 run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11	✓Sold for Windows today, no problem on record. Source
Mac (Apple Silicon)	✓Runs on Apple Silicon. Source
Linux	✓Native Linux version. Source
Steam Deck	✓Playable, as rated by Valve. May need some setup. Source

Played it lately? Press Works for me or Doesn’t work on your platform, so the next player knows. One click, no account. How we check where it runs

Synopsis

A loot-driven first-person shooter set on the lawless planet Pandora, where a band of Vault Hunters sets out to stop the smug corporate tyrant Handsome Jack. Players pick one of several classes, level up skill trees and chase an endless stream of randomly generated guns, alone or in co-op with up to four players.

What people say

Critics in 2012 praised it as a big step up from the first game, singling out its writing, villain, co-op and the sheer variety of weapons. Players today still rank its shooting and humor among the best in the series, and many prefer it to the later sequels. The recurring criticisms are bullet-sponge enemies, long stretches of travel through areas already cleared, and a heavy late-game grind for legendary drops. Some players also find the humor grating and the bounty-board side quests repetitive.

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

4.5 / 5

✓Sold or given away today by an official source
✓Runs on Windows 11 without fan patches
✓Full controller support or remappable controls
✓Steam Deck Verified or Playable
✗Intrusive DRM or a required third-party launcher account
✓No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions

4 checks not confirmed yet

Single-player works without an internet connection
All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
No known game-breaking bugs in the current version

From the Steam store, Valve’s Steam Deck rating and the sources under each check. Checks not confirmed yet don’t count.

Design today

4.5 / 5

✓Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
The shooting is still widely described as smooth and satisfying, and the game supports both mouse and keyboard and controllers well. Source: highgroundgaming.com.
✓Menus, text and interface are clear on today's screens
The HUD and menus remain readable, but players call the loot system overwhelming and the fast travel and bounty board dated. Source: vaporlens.app.
✓Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progress
There is no manual save, but quest progress, gear and levels are kept automatically; quitting returns you to the last fast travel station with enemies respawned. Source: steamcommunity.com.
✓It teaches itself: no guide needed to make progress
Early quests introduce shooting, skills and loot gradually through the opening area, and the mechanics are simple enough to learn by playing. Source: vaporlens.app.
✗Pacing drags: grind, filler or forced backtracking
Steam reviewers commonly complain about repeated trips through cleared zones, slow traversal, respawning bullet-sponge enemies and a grindy late game. Source: vaporlens.app.
✓Camera and movement never fight the player
As a first-person shooter it has no camera trouble, though some players find movement a little stiff by current standards. Source: vaporlens.app.