The Borderlands franchise has a long and celebrated history of being a playground for players who love to push the boundaries of a game’s physics. From “rocket jumping” in previous titles to a variety of exploits, the community has always been a force of creative chaos. And in the newly released Borderlands 4, a unique and incredibly useful movement glitch has been discovered that has not only captivated the speedrunning community but has also caught the direct attention of the developers at Gearbox Software. The glitch, which players have dubbed “Cricket Jumping,” allows players to skip massive portions of the game’s map, and it is a fascinating case study in the fine line between a player-found exploit and a game-breaking bug.

The glitch was first showcased by popular streamer Bahroo, who posted a video clip on X (formerly Twitter) demonstrating the new traversal method. The technique involves a specific pistol, the “Noisy Cricket,” at a location known as The Prospects’ Ripper Drill. By lining up your character in a very specific way, tabbing out of the game, and then firing, your character can launch themselves a massive distance across the map. The results are a bizarre and hilarious display of physics-bending movement, allowing players to bypass entire sections of the game that were clearly not meant to be skipped. The clip immediately went viral, and the speedrunning community, which has been trying to find ways to break the game since its launch, was in a frenzy.

Gearbox Software’s Measured Response

The most fascinating part of this story is the response from Gearbox. Rather than remaining silent or immediately promising a patch, the game’s creative director, Graeme Timmins, responded directly to the viral post. In a surprisingly candid and thoughtful reply, he said, “I’ve got my eye on this.” Timmins then went on to explain his main concern: “My only worry is streaming issues or if this introduces instability. Not out to ruin people’s fun, but can’t have it cause tech issues. For now tho, not going to do anything until proven issues arise.” This is a refreshing and mature response from a developer, especially considering the game’s already well-documented issues with PC performance and stability. It shows that the developers are not only aware of what their community is doing but are also willing to let players have fun with the game’s unintended mechanics, as long as it doesn’t negatively impact the overall experience.

The “Cricket Jumping” glitch is a far cry from other, more serious bugs that have plagued the game since its launch. Players have reported issues with stuttering, crashing, and even a “game-breaking” bug that can cause them to lose all their skill points. These are the kinds of issues that need to be prioritized, and Timmins’ response suggests that Gearbox is doing just that. The studio is actively working on patches to address these core issues, and their transparency with the community has been a welcome change. The fact that the developers are willing to let a fun, non-damaging glitch remain in the game, at least for now, is a testament to their commitment to a positive player experience. It also shows a clear understanding of what makes the Borderlands community so unique: its love for chaos, humor, and a little bit of glorious, broken physics.

For now, “Cricket Jumping” is here to stay, and players are enjoying the freedom to explore the world of Borderlands 4 in a way that was never intended. It’s a wonderful, bizarre, and perfectly timed glitch that has captured the attention of both the community and the developers, and it is a great reminder that sometimes, the best part of a game is finding a way to break it.