Gaming

Randy Pitchford Might Be Borderlands 4’s Greatest Supporter And Enemy

admin June 28, 2025

Summary

Randy Pitchford continues to post controversial takes regarding Borderlands 4
Despite these comments, Borderlands 4 appears to be a decent enough sequel to the franchise.
If Randy Pitchford can’t close his mouth, he may be Borderlands 4’s greatest weakness.

We’ve all gotten used to big game scandals and flops, the art of knowing a game is bound for a life of controversy before it even comes out. Whether it’s the politically imbued launch of The Last Of Us Part 2 or the live service fail that went by the name of Concord, oftentimes it’s clear when a game isn’t given the best chance of a full release.

However, with Borderlands 4, that aura of controversy seems to be a bit more bizarre. After all, most of the controversies surrounding the eventual September 2025 release of this game are due to the voice and tweets of a single man.

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If you’ve cringed at some of the self-referential Easter eggs in Death Stranding 2, there’s a good chance that Kojima himself is responsible.

Randy Pitchford, the CEO and President of Gearbox’s parent company, The Gearbox Entertainment Company, hasn’t seemed to be able to let Borderlands 4 go. Despite having no directing or technical role on the project, he is constantly the most outspoken voice about it in the company.

Just a few weeks ago, he was buried in controversy for essentially stating that you aren’t a true Borderlands fan if you’re not willing to spend $80 on the new game; only to be mocked as a buffoon when the game was revealed to cost $70.

But, as evident by his loud-mouth antics, he probably doesn’t even regret saying this. Just the other day, he continued his shenanigans by tweeting proudly that it will take an even longer amount of time compared to Borderlands 3 for the sequel to get on sale.

This is, without a doubt, still one of the most stupid things he could perpetuate in his situation. Sure, the claim itself is pretty harmless: boasting about how your game is so good and well designed, its price will remain competitive for years on end, but why do you need to say this?

Most replies remain that all Pitchford needs to do is shut his mouth. But in a reply post, he clearly states that “I am not marketing. I am trying to be helpful.”

The best way I would describe his antics is that of a friend who was the last to be invited to a pool party, probably only out of sympathy, and then started organizing it himself. This makes the current state of Borderlands 4 all the more saddening because, well, the game itself looks quite good.

Whenever someone speaks to an actual developer about Borderlands 4, for instance, our very own interview with Art Director Adam May, there’s nothing but positive light shed on this game. The art direction, gameplay, and everything surrounding it were created by a talented group of people who had no involvement with Pitchford’s stunts.

For instance, in the interview, May explains that while in other games the Vault Hunters have been pretty set in stone, “this time, they have three very, very diverse trees with very different action skills.” A really radiant example of how Borderlands 4 is stepping up its game compared to previous entries.

So, it feels as though Randy’s antics are doing much more harm than good, especially for a game that doesn’t need his glowing approval.

The CEO That Couldn’t Say Less

Like screaming at the top of your lungs that you aren’t insane, it seems Pitchford’s antics are only spoiling people’s opinion on this game. Which is sad because Borderlands is such a big franchise with such a wide amount of fans that his “help” isn’t necessarily needed.

However, to truly understand its full effect, I want to take a moment to compare and contrast this with other leading game developers and how Randy Pitchford’s approach is entirely unlike anything else.

Hands-On Preview: Borderlands 4 Exploration Has “Less Borders, More Lands”

This is the most ambitious Borderlands to date. Gearbox isn’t playing around this time.

For instance, when Niel Druckmann responded to hate about The Last Of Us Part 2, he explained that “it’s out there and it’s like whatever reaction people have – whether they like it or not – that’s fair.”

Although I believe there are fair critiques about Druckmann, such as his picking a side on The Last Of Us’s most defining moment, this response is reasonable, very adult, and, most notably, probably didn’t get his marketing department utterly enraged at him.

Randy Pitchford, on the other hand, is not only making sweeping assumptions about an upcoming game that, based on the $80 fiasco, sometimes arn’t even correct, but when he does, he feels the need to respond to the critics and trolls in the comments who only aim to make him look more like a loudmouthed fool.

Keep in mind that Pitchford has no stake in the development, and most Borderlands 4 developers have likely not spoken a single word to him; his involvement in the projects appears to be extremely minimal, but his impact on it’s view within the gaming sphere is at an all-time high.

Pitchford has a history of being one of gaming’s biggest lolcows, going back years of saying and tweeting things that have landed him and his projects in hot water. Maybe he’s such a high-up figure that no one can tell him no, but I think most people have tuned out his craziness.

At this point, however, I think we can all agree that self-sabotage has gone too far, especially given how heated the gaming ecosystem has gotten, and Randy Pitchford needs to shut his mouth before he inevitably tanks one of his projects.

When Borderlands 4 eventually comes out, I believe it’ll be an amazing game, with or without Pitchford’s unwavering comments. But truly, he has become his own game’s greatest enemy while trying to be its greatest supporter.