The saga of Borderlands 4 began with a tweet from a dedicated fan of the series, expressing skepticism about the upcoming installment. They highlighted that the game's visual style closely mirrors that of Borderlands 3, raising concerns about potential challenges, including a possible reduction in the marketing budget. The fan also drew parallels to the critically panned Borderlands 2024 movie, which received harsh criticism from audiences and critics alike—even the notorious director Uwe Boll. Rather than fostering a dialogue with the community, Randy Pitchford, head of Gearbox, responded by saying he "doesn't want to see this negativity" and initially planned to block the user to shield himself from what he perceived as unnecessary stress. Later, Pitchford clarified that he had reconsidered and opted to mute notifications from that account instead.
The situation intensified when popular streamer Gothalion encouraged the developer to embrace criticism and show respect for the opinions of the series' long-time fans. In response, Pitchford dismissed the feedback as "toxic pessimism" and not constructive. He further emphasized the intense pressure on developers, stating that they are "literally killing themselves to entertain players."
This behavior elicited a range of reactions within the Borderlands community. Some fans rallied behind Pitchford, acknowledging the immense stress faced by game developers. Conversely, others viewed his responses as an evasion of constructive dialogue, labeling his behavior as overly emotional. Many also pointed out that this was not the first instance of the Gearbox head 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.
