The controversy surrounding Randy Pitchford’s $80 Borderlands 4 comment has ignited a firestorm across the gaming community, sparking widespread backlash and drawing responses from publishers, fans, and industry figures alike. While Pitchford stands by his remarks, others have seized the moment to spotlight their own titles—none more pointedly than Devolver Digital.
Devolver, known for its bold and often satirical marketing tactics, jumped on the conversation by promoting Mycopunk, its upcoming co-op first-person shooter with Borderlands-style gameplay. In a sharp-tongued reply to an IGN tweet about the pricing debate, Devolver quipped: “You're gonna be able to buy Mycopunk for you and three of your friends for the price of one copy of Borderlands 4.” The message landed like a well-aimed critical hit, resonating with players concerned about rising game prices.
Pitchford, never one to back down from a social media exchange, quote-tweeted the post with his own provocative remark: “Mycopunk is cheaper than a point of meth - probably has fewer side effects, too!” The comment quickly drew criticism, with users urging him to apologize. “I am going to pirate Borderlands 4,” one X user declared. Others expressed concern for the development team, pleading with Pitchford to stop escalating the situation: “BL4 had so much hype and it’s being ruined in a day.”
Despite the growing backlash, Pitchford has not retracted his statements. Instead, he redirected attention to a recent panel at PAX East, where he addressed the pricing question more thoughtfully. “If you want the truth, here it is,” he said, emphasizing that the final price is not his decision alone.
During the panel, Pitchford explained that while he doesn’t know the official price tag for Borderlands 4, he acknowledged the industry’s shifting landscape. “Game budgets are increasing,” he noted. “Borderlands 4 has more than twice the development budget than Borderlands 3.” He cited factors like rising production costs and retail tariffs, painting a complex picture behind pricing decisions.
Still, he stressed Gearbox’s core philosophy: “We want everyone who buys and plays a Gearbox game to feel certain that they got the better end of the bargain, whatever the price.” He left the door open on pricing, suggesting it could align with the new $70 standard set by Microsoft and Nintendo—or remain lower. With a hint of sarcasm, he joked about monetizing a long-requested mini-map feature: “10 bucks? I’m just kidding… or am I?”
His closing sentiment was clear: “Borderlands is f***ing amazing and it’s worth it.”
Yet, many fans feel that sentiment was undermined by his earlier “real fan” comment. Streamer Moxsy captured the mood of the community, stating that Pitchford’s PAX East response was “perfect” and should have been his only reply. “Your second response is receiving backlash not because of the price of the game but because of the wording,” they said. “This toxic ‘not a real fan’ mentality is not it and is only hurting the people that want to support the game.”
As pre-orders for Borderlands 4 approach, publisher 2K Games has yet to confirm the official price. The game is set to launch on September 12, 2025, amid mounting pressure to justify both its cost and its creative ambition.
Meanwhile, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick weighed in on the broader pricing trend in a recent interview with IGN. While he didn’t confirm whether future titles would hit $80, he expressed confidence in the value proposition of premium games. “We think consumers are willing to pay for the very best,” Zelnick said. “It's our job to deliver much more value than what we charge.”
Randy Pitchford's recent comments sparked a backlash online. Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Lionsgate.
