Randy Pitchford, CEO of Gearbox, generated controversy last week after his statements about the price of video games, specifically regarding the Borderlands series. During an exchange on social media, Pitchford suggested that true fans of Borderlands would be willing to pay any price increase that might arise, a comment that sparked a strong negative reaction among fans. So far, his response has garnered 1,600 reactions and only 225 ‘likes’, highlighting widespread discontent.
Paying anything for a game? It doesn’t sound like that implies what it means to be a fan
The debate began in the context of a video about the arrival of Borderlands 4 on the Switch 2 console, where Pitchford was asked about future game prices. He said that price expectations might be changing, citing historical examples like Starflight, which cost 80 dollars at its launch for Sega Genesis. However, many players pointed out that in a world where wages have remained stagnant for decades, suggesting that they should “sacrifice” themselves to be “true fans” is a stance disconnected from the current reality.
Indignation was swift, and several users on platform X lashed out at Pitchford, questioning his approach. A notable response came from @oldgoldsot, who summarized the general sentiment by stating: “Dude, screw you, Randy. ‘True fans’, what the hell?”. Another user, @FaultyOwls, pointed out that times have changed, recalling that in the 1990s it was possible to rent a game for a dollar, emphasizing how current prices do not reflect the financial reality of many players.
Despite the fact that Pitchford likely does not have total control over pricing at his company, his choice to imply that financial commitment is an indicator of loyalty to the product has been considered manipulative by many in the gaming community. And if you are one of those, can we offer you six alternatives to play that are not Borderlands 4?
