Borderlands 4’s Randy Pitchford said real fans will find a way to get the game regardless of its price. Read on to learn more about how fans took his statement and what publisher Take-Two Interactive thinks about game pricing.
Borderlands 4 Pricing Issues
Gearbox CEO Says If You’re a Real Fan, You'll Find a Way to Make it Happen
Borderlands 4 is gearing up towards its release date, as developer Gearbox Software rolls out more information about the game. However, one detail they have yet to unveil is its price point, and fans are anxious about the game possibly costing over $80. In a Twitter (X) post on May 14, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford responded to a fan who stated that not a lot of gamers are willing to spend $80 for a game, especially with the industry’s constantly increasing price point. Pitchford said that the pricing is not his call and that real fans will find a way to get the game.
This controversial statement infuriated a lot of fans, who took their anger to the comments section. Multiple users said this may be one of the worst replies a CEO has made. Another mentioned that the game could very well cost another $100 with its season passes and skins, so the $80 price point is bad as it is.
During the PAX East panel on May 10, Pitchford said that he has no idea how much the game will cost, but did not rule out the possibility of it being $80. He explained, "There's other folks accepting the reality that game budgets are increasing, and there's tariffs for the retail packaging. It's getting gnarly out there, you guys. Borderlands 4 has more than twice the development budget for Borderlands 3. More than twice. So the truth is, I don't know what the price is going to be."
Needless to say, fans are not happy with how Pitchford handled the topic. His implication that players aren’t "real fans" if they don’t heed to their pricing disappointed said fans, and they are now thinking twice about buying the game.
Take-Two’s Response in Pricing
Comparatively, Take-Two Interactive had a more cautious response regarding the game’s price point. During an interview with IGN, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick shared his thoughts about the company possibly putting an $80 price tag on its games.
He stated, "I have said for a long time that we offer enormous value and that that's our job. Of course, we certainly believe that compared to other forms of entertainment, whether that's movie tickets or live events or streaming services, the value for our entertainment that we offer is just astonishing, and it's our job."
Zelnick added, "It's our job to deliver much more value than what we charge. That's our goal. We think consumers are willing to pay for the very best. It's our job to make the very best." Meanwhile, 2K announced earlier this month that its upcoming game Mafia: The Old Country will be priced at $50, and speculations around GTA VI going for over $100 have circulated online.
Regardless, Take-Two always believed in game-by-game pricing. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz on May 16, Zelnick explained, "We've always had variable pricing here, and our job as an entertainment [company] seeking to bring the biggest and best hits to all consumers around the world is always to deliver more value than what we charge."
A lot of things have been going on with the Borderlands series recently; its games have even been review-bombed for their EULA changes. With this new concern regarding Borderlands 4’s price point, Gearbox may need to buckle down and listen to what fans are saying.
Borderlands 4 is set to be released on September 12, 2025 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. To stay up to date with the latest information about the game, check out our article below!
Source:
Randy Pitchford Twitter (X) post on Borderlands 4 Pricing
As Gamers Express Concern About Borderlands 4 Potentially Costing $80, Gearbox Chief Randy Pitchford Says: ‘If You’re a Real Fan, You’ll Find a Way to Make It Happen’
Take-Two's Strauss Zelnick on game prices, Civilization 7's launch and Switch 2
