Randy Pitchford embroiled in new scandal

The story of Borderlands 4 began with a tweet from a fan of the series, who expressed concerns about the upcoming game. They pointed out that the new installment visually resembles Borderlands 3 too closely and might struggle due to a potential reduction in the marketing budget. The fan also drew parallels to the poorly received Borderlands 2024 movie, which was critically panned by audiences and even criticized by Uwe Boll. Instead of engaging with the community, Randy Pitchford, the head of Gearbox, stated that he "doesn't want to see this negativity" and initially planned to block the user to avoid stress. Later, he clarified that he had reconsidered and simply muted notifications from that account.

The situation intensified when popular streamer Gothalion called on the developer to be more open to criticism and respectful of the opinions of long-time fans. In response, Pitchford dismissed the comment as "toxic pessimism" and not constructive. He further emphasized the immense pressure on developers, stating they are "literally killing themselves to entertain players."

This behavior led to mixed reactions within the Borderlands community. Some supported Pitchford, acknowledging the significant pressure faced by game developers. Others viewed his response as an attempt to sidestep constructive dialogue, labeling his behavior as overly emotional. Many also noted that this isn't the first instance of Pitchford making sharp comments on social media.

Borderlands 4 is set to launch on September 23, 2025, and will be available on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC.