Randy Pitchford Caught in New Scandal

The story kicked off with a tweet from a passionate fan of the Borderlands series, who voiced concerns about the upcoming installment. They pointed out that the game's visuals bear a striking resemblance to Borderlands 3, suggesting potential challenges due to a possibly reduced marketing budget. The fan also drew comparisons to the critically panned Borderlands 2024 movie, which faced harsh criticism from both audiences and even notorious director Uwe Boll. Rather than engaging in a conversation with the community, Randy Pitchford, head of Gearbox, initially stated he "doesn't want to see this negativity" and planned to block the user to sidestep stress. However, he later clarified that he had reconsidered and opted instead to mute notifications from that account.

The situation intensified when renowned streamer Gothalion called on the developer to embrace criticism and respect the views of the series' long-time fans. In response, Pitchford dismissed the feedback as "toxic pessimism," arguing it wasn't constructive. He further stressed that developers are "killing themselves to entertain players," highlighting the intense pressure they face.

This sparked a range of reactions within the community. While some rallied behind Pitchford, acknowledging the heavy burden developers carry, others criticized his approach as an evasion of constructive dialogue, labeling his reactions as overly emotional. Many also recalled that this wasn't the first instance of the Gearbox head making sharp comments on social media.

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