The buzz around the upcoming Borderlands 4 began with a tweet from a passionate fan of the series. The fan voiced concerns over the new game's visual similarities to Borderlands 3 and speculated on potential challenges stemming from a reduced marketing budget. Drawing a comparison to the poorly received Borderlands 2024 movie, which was lambasted by audiences, critics, and even the infamous director Uwe Boll, the fan highlighted the risks facing the franchise. In response, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford initially expressed his intent to block the user to shield himself from "negativity". However, he later clarified that he had reconsidered and opted to mute notifications from the account instead.
The situation intensified when the well-known streamer Gothalion called on Pitchford to embrace criticism and respect the opinions of the series' dedicated fanbase. Pitchford retorted, labeling Gothalion's feedback as "toxic pessimism" and not constructive. He defended his team, stating that developers are "killing themselves to entertain players", highlighting the intense pressure they face.
The community's response was divided. Some rallied behind Pitchford, acknowledging the immense stress developers endure. Conversely, others felt his reaction was an evasion of constructive dialogue, deeming it overly emotional. Many pointed out that this wasn't the first instance of Pitchford's sharp social media exchanges.
Borderlands 4 is set to launch on September 23, 2025, and will be available on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC.
