The story began with a tweet from a dedicated fan of the Borderlands series, who expressed skepticism about the upcoming installment. They pointed out that the game's visuals bear a striking resemblance to Borderlands 3, and raised concerns about a potential cut in the marketing budget. The fan also compared it to the unsuccessful Borderlands 2024 movie, which faced harsh criticism from audiences and critics alike, including even the notorious director Uwe Boll. Instead of fostering a dialogue with the community, Randy Pitchford, the head of Gearbox, declared that he "doesn't want to see this negativity" and initially planned to block the user to alleviate unnecessary stress. He later revised his decision, opting instead to mute notifications from that account.
The situation intensified when a prominent streamer, Gothalion, called on the developer to be more receptive to criticism and respectful of the opinions of the series' long-time fans. In response, Randy Pitchford dismissed the comment as "toxic pessimism" and not constructive. He further stressed the immense effort developers put in, stating they are "killing themselves to entertain players".
This response triggered a variety of reactions within the community. Some users rallied behind Pitchford, acknowledging the intense pressure faced by game developers. However, others viewed his comments as an evasion of constructive dialogue and criticized his emotional response. Many also recalled that this wasn't the first instance of the Gearbox head making sharp remarks on social media.
Borderlands 4 is slated for release on September 23, 2025, and will be available on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC.
