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Borderlands 4 Price Debate: Gearbox CEO Sparks Fury by Calling $80 “Real Fan” Tax

Borderlands 4 Price Debate: Gearbox CEO Sparks Fury by Calling $80 “Real Fan” Tax

G
GAIAMay 30, 2025
4 min read
Gaming

This one grabbed my attention because it cuts right to the heart of a debate that’s been simmering for years: game prices creeping towards-and now breaking-the €80-90 barrier. When Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford jumps into the fray, basically telling fans that “real fans” will cough up $80 for Borderlands 4, you know the conversation just got a whole lot messier. But is this just more out-of-touch exec talk, or a sign of things to come for big-budget gaming?

Borderlands 4’s $80 Price Tag: Loyalty Test or Industry Cash Grab?

  • Pitchford’s $80 challenge: Gearbox’s CEO claims “real fans” will pay up, echoing his $80 Starflight purchase in 1991-but ignores the reality of 2025 wallets.
  • Community backlash is real: Fans aren’t buying the “just find a way” logic, especially as $80+ becomes the new norm for major releases.
  • Development costs double: Borderlands 4 reportedly cost twice as much to make as its predecessor, but does that justify the price jump?
  • Publisher pressure: With Take-Two’s CEO saying game prices have actually dropped (when adjusted for inflation), it’s clear the exec class wants to normalize this trend.
FeatureSpecification
PublisherGearbox Entertainment / Take-Two Interactive
Release DateSeptember 12, 2025
GenresLooter Shooter, Action, FPS
PlatformsPS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Switch 2 later)
Borderlands 4: chaotic co-op action, signature cel-shaded style
Borderlands 4 is shaping up to be bigger and bolder, but is it $80+ bold?

I’ve watched the creeping rise in game prices with equal parts resignation and skepticism. Sure, games are more expensive to make—higher fidelity, bigger worlds, endless “live service” content. But Pitchford’s comment, “If you’re a real fan, you’ll find a way to make it happen,” landed like a slap. The comparison to buying Starflight for $80 in 1991 is, frankly, nonsense. Inflation means that $80 then would be nearly $180 today, and games are way more mainstream now—no longer a niche hobby for diehards willing to skip lunch for a week.

Borderlands 4 screenshot: over-the-top action and bright environments
Fans love Borderlands’ over-the-top action, but rising costs risk locking out new players.

What’s really striking is how the messaging keeps shifting. One minute, execs like Pitchford and Take-Two’s Strauss Zelnick are reassuring us (“not my call,” “we’ll see what happens”), the next they’re justifying whatever the market will bear. The backdrop: Borderlands 4’s budget reportedly doubled over Borderlands 3. That’s a staggering leap, but whose fault is that? Gamers aren’t asking for every game to balloon in scope and cost—sometimes we just want tighter, more focused experiences.

Borderlands 4: classic loot shooting in a new-gen package
Even with a bigger budget, will Borderlands 4 deliver enough to justify the sticker shock?

This is also a classic case of “executive out of touch with the fanbase.” The backlash in the comments has been intense—gamers pointing out that wages haven’t doubled, that not everyone wants to make gaming an “investment,” and that loyalty shouldn’t come with a price tag. Plus, the industry’s recent fixation on “deluxe” and “ultimate” editions means the real spend for fans will go even higher. When $80 is just the entry fee, what does that mean for player trust and accessibility?

From a business perspective, Gearbox and Take-Two are just following the (unfortunate) lead of Nintendo and Microsoft, who’ve already rolled out €80-90 price points. But as a lifelong gamer, I can’t help but worry about what this means for the future. Will smaller games get squeezed out, or will we see more players waiting for sales and Game Pass deals instead of buying at launch? Are we looking at a future where only the biggest franchises can ask for this kind of money?

Borderlands 4: action-packed firefights in a vibrant world
The action’s still wild—but is the $80+ price tag a bridge too far for fans?

Bottom line: Borderlands 4 will probably sell millions regardless, but it’s a wake-up call for how disconnected some gaming execs are from the community. Real fans deserve respect, not lectures about “finding a way” to pay up. The $80/€90 game is here to stay for AAA, but expect plenty of us to demand more for our money—or just wait it out for a better deal.

TL;DR: Gearbox’s Pitchford says “real fans” will pay $80 for Borderlands 4, but the gaming community isn’t buying the nostalgia-fueled excuse. As AAA prices hit new highs and budgets balloon, expect more scrutiny—and a lot more debate—over what we’re actually getting for our money.

Source: Gearbox Entertainment / Take-Two Interactive via GamesPress

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