Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford is right back in the spotlight over what many are considering to be rude comments aboutBorderlands 4’s prospective post-release discounts. The fourth mainline installment in Gearbox’s sci-fi looter shooter franchise,Borderlands 4is arguably one of the biggest game releases of 2025 and seems to be a satisfactory entry according to early previews.
Randy Pitchford most recently found himself in boiling hot water just last month aftercomments overBorderlands 4’s potential price tagdrew the ire of gamers andBorderlandsfans. Pitchford responded to a fan who was concerned over the possibility ofBorderlands 4costing $80, as has been the unfortunate trend recently with games like Nintendo’sMario Kart Worldand Xbox’sThe Outer Worlds 2, saying that real fans would “find a way to make it happen,” regardless of what the game’s price ends up being. This caused a flurry of negativity and backlash, eventually leading to Pitchford’s apology. Thankfully, Gearbox and 2K later confirmedBorderlands 4’s price of $70, settling fans' fears of a higher cost.
With all that in the rearview, it seems Randy Pitchford has fanned even more flames. On Twitter, Pitchford quote-tweeted a post by the officialBorderlandsaccount letting fans know ofBorderlands 3’s impressive 95% discount in the Steam Summer Sale, saying “Sales like this andBorderlands 3showing up on console subscription programs took over 5 years from the game’s launch to happen…it will be even longer before this kind of thing happens in the next cycle withBorderlands 4.” Pitchford seems to be predicting that it will take much longer forBorderlands 4to show up in deep sales andsubscription services like Xbox Game Passand PlayStation Plus than it took its mainline predecessor, leading to a flurry of outrage fromBorderlandsfans under the tweet.
Randy Pitchford Thinks It’ll Be a While Before Borderlands 4 Hits Deep Sales
Like with most other AAA games, the time it takes afterBorderlands 4’s release to be heavily discounted will depend entirely on the game’s critical and commercial success. IfBorderlands 4reviews and sells poorly, it’ll very likely be put on sale much sooner than if it turns out to be a critical success and a big sales hit. WithBorderlands 3’s mixed-to-poor receptionback in 2019 in mind, it seems Pitchford has more faith inBorderlands 4this time around if he’s expecting that it’ll take longer to be hit with huge discounts. Pitchford reminded angry fans that he doesn’t have the power to set prices or greenlight discounts, and that he’s essentially just trying to predictBorderlands 4’s future.
…it will be even longer before this kind of thing happens in the next cycle with Borderlands 4.
Borderlands 4is set for a September 12 release and is coming to Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation 5, and PC, with the Nintendo Switch 2 version coming later in the year. As forBorderlands 3,it’ll remain just $2.99 until July 10 aspart of the Steam Summer Sale, so those who have yet to play the threequel would be wise to jump on it before the offer ends.
