Borderlands 4 Dev Gearbox Says “We Suck,” And Here’s Why

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Following the release of Borderlands 4, Gearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford admitted his company isn’t living up to its full potential, stating, “We suck.” He explained in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live that Gearbox aims to provide entertainment on a global scale, but they’re currently only reaching a limited audience.

As a huge fan, it’s incredible to hear that the Borderlands franchise is likely to surpass 100 million copies sold with the release of Borderlands 4! That’s a massive achievement. But honestly, it’s cool to hear the team say they’re not stopping there – they’re aiming for something even bigger, like truly entertaining *everyone* in the world. It sounds like they’re really just beginning, and I, for one, can’t wait to see what they do next!

According to Pitchford, after almost 20 years, Gearbox is really hitting its stride with the Borderlands series in 2025. He explained that they’re finally understanding what works well, but emphasized that they’re still evolving and have a lot more to explore.

With over 94 million Borderlands games sold so far, the next installment would need to sell around 6 million copies to bring the total franchise sales over 100 million.

Borderlands 3 has become 2K’s quickest game to surpass 23 million copies sold. However, Borderlands 2 remains 2K’s best-selling game of all time, with over 30 million copies sold. Currently, 2K has not released any sales figures for a potential Borderlands 4.

In a recent BBC interview, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford noted that other games in the “looter-shooter” genre haven’t yet reached the level of success with players that he anticipated they would by now, when compared to the Borderlands series.

He explained that if other game designers understood what makes a truly successful game, there would be more strong competitors. However, so far, that hasn’t happened. It’s strange because those who try to enter the market seem motivated by business trends rather than genuine creative passion. They’re reacting to what they think will sell, not driven by a desire to innovate or create something unique.

After the first Borderlands was released in 2009, Pitchford thought many other games would try to copy its style and create similar ‘looter-shooter’ experiences. However, he felt that this ultimately didn’t happen as much as he anticipated.

As a big Borderlands fan, I’ve definitely seen a lot of games try to follow in its footsteps since it came out. Games like Destiny and The Division have all brought something new to the looter-shooter genre, and it’s cool to see how they’ve each put their own spin on things.

Randy Pitchford, the CEO of Gearbox, has a history of controversial statements. Previously, he suggested dedicated fans would purchase Borderlands 4 even at a high price of $80, though the game never reached that cost. Following the game’s release, he clashed with players over technical problems, dismissing their concerns as stubbornness and advising those unhappy with the game to request a refund.

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2025-10-14 18:39