After weeks of public scrutiny and speculation thatBorderlands 4might cost $79.99 likeMario Kart Worldand the upcomingThe Outer Worlds 2, Gearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford has now confirmed the game’s price tag. Pitchford got into hot water withmany fans when he made a controversial post on social media, stating that"real fans" would find a way to purchase the gameat $79.99 or any price, evenif it ended up costing more than the expected $69.99. Turns out thatBorderlands 4won’t be priced like some other controversial titles.
According toRandy Pitchfordon X,Borderlands 4will bepriced at$69.99 at launch, and it will not cost $79.99, aspreviously speculated. He continued his message by adding links to the publishing company’s pre-order site and saying:“They’re showing you, so please show them,“also confirming the game is available for pre-order now.
The Borderlands 4 Price Controversy, Explained
A PR Disaster For Gearbox & 2K
In a controversial statement made on social media, following speculation from fans wondering ifBorderlands 4would cost $79.99, likeMario Kart World, which wasthe first game to be charged at that price, and essentially opened potential floodgates for other games to follow suit, Pitchford told fans he was not in charge of pricing and"real fans” would find a way to pay for it. This was before the price was revealed, and Pitchford caught a lot of heat for insensitivity to fan concerns.
A lot of"real fans” took issuewith his comments,alleging that Pitchford was out of touchwith the current state of prices of essential needs in the US and around the world, like rent, internet, and food, and a lot of fans would not be able to support a title that cost $79.99. WhileMario Kart WorldandThe Outer Worlds 2are priced at $79.99, there are other ways to play those titles.Worldis in a Switch 2 bundle for $500, making the game essentially $50 instead of $79.99, andThe Outer Worlds 2will be on Xbox Game Pass.
Borderlands 4’s Actual Price Is Great News
There Haven’t Been Too Many $80 Games Yet
The official price ofBorderlands 4is great news, especially when game prices are causing players and the industry a lot of anxiety. It remains to be seen how well the game will perform, and whether Pitchford’s previous comments will contribute to a more negative fan reception or lower sales. However, at the end of the day, a game hitting $69.99 and not going higher in 2025 is still a win.
