Borderlands boss responds to backlash over saying 'real fans' will pay $80 for Borderlands 4

The boss of the Borderlands franchise was recently caught in hot water after he responded to a fan who said Borderlands 4 would "fail" if it were priced at $80. The CEO said, "real fans" would find a way to buy the game if it were that much.

The backlash over that comment has sparked its own form of negative marketing for Borderlands 4, with many gamers pushing back at the idea of Borderlands 4 meeting the newly established $80 price tag, citing growing problems with the general economy resulting in less funds to spend on personal entertainment, and the price increases of games and gaming hardware getting close to pricing many fans out of the experience.

Randy Pitchford, the CEO of Gearbox Software, has provided some more context on his "real fans" comment, acknowledging that the language he used "triggered some people." Pitchford pushed back against the idea that the intent behind his comment was to make "some big statement" and that it was reflective of how he feels about the audience, which many suggested he is taking for granted by alienating those willing to pay $80 for Borderlands 4 as "real fans".

"What I was trying to do was explain that it wasn't my call but that if a $10 price increase does happen (since that's obviously where the industry is going), it will be okay and that Borderlands 4 will be okay because it's a great game and there are a lot of fans who will see the value and want it.

I think my trying to short hand that using the phrase "real fans" triggered some people and I saw that it got inflated as if I was making some big statement (I wasn't - I was just trying to help someone who I thought was sincerely worried about us and looking out for us) and I could see that it was being pressed into the idea that I was taking the audience for granted (which is a super shitty look, but it was not at all my intent and does not reflect at all how I feel)," wrote Pitchford