Randy Pitchford embroiled in new scandal

The story of Borderlands 4 began with a tweet from a passionate fan of the series, expressing concerns about the upcoming game. They pointed out that the visuals of Borderlands 4 bear a striking resemblance to Borderlands 3, which might pose challenges, especially if the marketing budget is reduced. The fan also drew a comparison to the ill-fated Borderlands 2024 movie, which received harsh criticism from audiences and critics alike, including the notoriously critical Uwe Boll. Instead of engaging with the community's feedback, Randy Pitchford, the head of Gearbox, initially responded by saying he "doesn't want to see this negativity" and intended to block the user to avoid stress. Later, he revised his stance and chose to mute notifications from that account instead.

The situation intensified when popular streamer Gothalion encouraged Gearbox to be more receptive to criticism and respectful of the opinions of long-time fans. In response, Pitchford labeled Gothalion's comment as "toxic pessimism" and not constructive. He defended his team, stating that developers are "literally killing themselves to entertain players," highlighting the intense pressure they face.

This response elicited varied reactions from the community. Some rallied behind Pitchford, acknowledging the immense pressure developers endure. Others felt his remarks were an attempt to sidestep constructive dialogue and perceived his behavior as overly emotional. Many reminded the community 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. As the release date approaches, the community's anticipation and discussions continue to evolve.