Overview

• Randy Pitchford, CEO of Gearbox, stated on social media that 'real fans' would find a way to pay $80 for Borderlands 4, if that becomes the final price.
• Pitchford cited his own experience buying Starflight for $80 in 1991 while working a minimum-wage job, a comparison that has been widely criticized as tone-deaf.
• Fans and industry figures have condemned the remarks, with many pointing to ongoing financial pressures and stagnant wages as barriers to higher game pricing.
• Borderlands 4's retail price remains undecided, with Pitchford emphasizing that pricing decisions are made by publishers, not him as the CEO of Gearbox.
• The controversy comes as the gaming industry trends toward $80 AAA titles, following Nintendo's Mario Kart World and Microsoft's planned premium releases.