Randy Pitchford Defends Borderlands 4 Comment in Statement

The controversy surrounding Randy Pitchford's remarks about an $80 price tag for Borderlands 4 has intensified, with other video game publishers joining the conversation to promote their own titles. Pitchford has since referenced previous comments he made about the game's price, stating, "If you want the truth, here it is."

One publisher capitalizing on the situation is Devolver Digital, known for its provocative marketing tactics that often leverage trending social media topics. The company, responsible for hits like Hotline Miami and Cult of the Lamb, has now targeted Pitchford with its latest campaign.

For those just catching up, Pitchford sparked outrage after responding to a fan worried about a potential $80 cost for Borderlands 4 by saying, "if you’re a real fan, you’ll find a way to make it happen."

Here is the original exchange:

"Randy, this game better not be 80 dollars. Don't take that risk, a lot of gamers aren't gonna pay 80 dollars and feed this notion of constant increase of the price tag. You are the CEO, you have some say with the price when it comes to your publisher."

Randy Pitchford's reply was:

"A) Not my call. B) If you’re a real fan, you’ll find a way to make it happen. My local game store had Starflight for Sega Genesis for $80 in 1991 when I was just out of high school working minimum wage at an ice cream parlor in Pismo Beach and I found a way to make it happen."

Devolver Digital retweeted IGN's post about the story to promote its upcoming Borderlands-inspired mission-based co-op FPS, Mycopunk, writing: “You're gonna be able to buy Mycopunk for you and three of your friends for the price of one copy of Borderlands 4.”

Pitchford noticed the tweet and responded with his own retort: “Mycopunk is cheaper than a point of meth - probably has fewer side effects, too!”

Mycopunk is cheaper than a point of meth - probably has fewer side effects, too! https://t.co/ICgEYZ7FEq

— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) May 21, 2025

As expected, the reaction to his tweet was largely negative. One user declared, “I am going to pirate Borderlands 4,” while another pleaded, “Please stop. Just apologize and move on. This isn't fair on your developers. If you care about them, just do the right thing dude.” A third commenter added, “Randy we are begging you to stop. BL4 had so much hype and it’s being ruined in a day. Let people want to like and support the game and all the amazing people who made it.”

At the time of writing, Pitchford has neither retracted his statement nor issued an apology. Instead, he pointed to a recent on-stage answer he gave at PAX East regarding Borderlands 4's price, labeling it: “If you want the truth, here it is.”

During a PAX East panel last week, Pitchford insisted he did not know the final price for Borderlands 4 but did not dismiss the possibility of an $80 tag.

"I'll tell you the truth. I don't know. That is the truth. I'll hit it straight on. It's an interesting time,” he explained.

"On one hand, we have a competitive market where decision-makers want to maximize sales while being mindful of price-sensitive customers. Some people are against price hikes, even those setting the prices.

"Others acknowledge the reality that game development budgets are rising, and there are additional costs for retail packaging. It's getting tough out there. Borderlands 4 has more than double the development budget of Borderlands 3. More than double. So honestly, I don’t know what the final price will be.”

Pitchford continued: “Here’s our philosophy, regardless of the price: we’re entertainers. Yes, we want more resources to create bigger and better games. The reason Borderlands 4 is so incredible is because of your support for Borderlands 3, which gave us the budget to more than double our investment with confidence. That’s fantastic. When revenue comes in, we reinvest it to make even greater games.

“As artists, we want everyone to experience our work. We want to make it as accessible as possible for everyone to enjoy what we create. So it’s a delicate balance. Our core belief is that we want people to buy our games so we have the resources to make more, but we also want every player to feel they got the better end of the deal, no matter the price. That’s the principle we stand by.

“The price will be finalized soon. It might align with the new standard set by Nintendo and Microsoft, or we might hold back. That decision rests with the publishing team. If it ends up being cheaper, maybe we’ll sell you that mini-map you’ve been asking for as a later add-on. How much would you pay for that? $10? Just kidding… or am I?”

He concluded: “Borderlands is f***ing amazing and it’s worth it.”

Some social media users have argued that Pitchford's PAX East comments would have been a better initial response, as the ongoing backlash now poses a significant branding challenge for Borderlands 4 before its release.

"This was a perfect response and should have been left at this," said Borderlands streamer Moxsy. "Your second response is receiving backlash not because of the price of the game but because of the wording. Every game is gonna be 80 dollars by this time next year. However fans of Borderlands want the price to be justified because of the ambition, the passion, and the quality that BL4 will have. They want to feel good about the purchase they are making in a franchise they have loved for more than a decade and support the devs that have had a real impact on their lives. This toxic “not a real fan” mentality is not it and is only hurting the people that want to support the game."

Publisher 2K Games is expected to announce the price of Borderlands 4 when pre-orders begin soon. The game is scheduled for release on September 12, 2025.

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In a recent interview, IGN asked Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick if the company would move to an $80 price point for its games. Zelnick declined to confirm but stated that consumers are "willing to pay for the very best."

“I have long maintained that we provide exceptional value, and that is our mission,” Zelnick said. “Certainly, compared to other entertainment options—whether movie tickets, live events, or streaming services—the value we deliver is remarkable. It’s our responsibility to offer far greater value than what we charge. That's our objective. We believe consumers are prepared to pay for top-tier quality. Our job is to deliver precisely that.”