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Borderlands 4 launched with mixed results, enjoying some critical and commercial success but also facing significant technical issues. These problems have been exacerbated by how Gearbox’s CEO, Randy Pitchford, has responded to them. Pitchford is known for making online comments that don’t always sit well with players. His recent remarks about the game’s price caused controversy, and now he’s telling “4K stubborn” players that their frustration stems from not switching to 1440p or using DLSS.
Most game development studios address technical issues by working on fixes and moving forward. However, Gearbox has an additional challenge with their boss making matters worse for players already upset about the launch. This situation was never part of the team’s expectations for Borderlands 4’s release, as noted by Gamesradar. Baldur’s Gate 3’s publishing director, Michael Douse, expressed sympathy for his colleagues trying to resolve these issues and ensure a good player experience.
Douse commented on X (formerly Twitter), “Just lock Randy in a cupboard for 6 months.” Some responded that Pitchford should not be isolated but preferred his honesty over an official corporate message. Douse agreed but added, “I feel bad for his teams who are just trying really hard to make players happy.”
Pitchford’s candid approach is unique given the industry norm of more polished responses. Game development is inherently challenging, and suggesting that players solve their own technical issues isn’t necessarily an unfair response. Even large studios miss major and minor technical problems. However, Borderlands 4 goes beyond mere frame rate issues; it crashes, which players paid for to avoid. While the game is being fixed, knowing you’ve spent money on a broken product is frustrating. Pitchford has advised players with issues to “Please get a refund from Steam” if they want one.
