Randy Pitchford Regarding BL4 potentially costing $80: "If You’re a Real Fan, You’ll Find a Way to Make It Happen"

Dumb thing to say but I don't think he's wrong. If it comes out and I feel like it's worth $100, then I'll pay $100.

More likely I'll wait until they see sales are shit, they drop the price, and I can buy it for half that.

Possibly. I don't really care for Borderlands.

Games with high prices are going to live or die by reviews and word of mouth.
 
This reads like a psyop for Pitchford to sink his own IP. How can he still be so confident after the movie bomb showed everyone how many "real fans" the series has?

Well, at least he's not boring.
 
As a "real fan" who has bought every game in the series day 1 and who can more than afford the $80 price point this makes me not want to buy the game, well done Randy!
 
Nintendo can get away with it because they've maintained the image of having a premium product. Mario Kart is $80, and it will be $80 for years before you see any type of sale, and even then it will be maybe 30% off. But with this also comes a certain degree of confidence - you have to pay to play, you won't get dinked by it going on a crazy sale or becoming a random freebie, and premium products also retain high secondary resale value,

Most other games can not maintain the facade of being a premium product. Even in this thread you see people saying, "Well I will just wait for the gold edition on sale at 80% off in two years" or "I will wait to play it on PS Plus or Gamepass inevitably", because that is the precedent they've established. When you cheapen the image of your product to such a degree, don't be surprised when people don't want to pay a high price for it.
 
I'm the truest form of fan that only plays Gearbox games when they are "free" on Ps+ or the Epic Games store (...maybe).

I mean, it's terribly phrased but he isn't necessarily wrong. They can charge whatever they want and people will have to decide if they are willing to pay up or not. The question is if there are as many "true fans" as they expect.
 
Last edited:
It's never really a new Borderlands release without Randy "Greasy" Pitchford publicly saying/doing some real stupid, cringe shit at least once.

Then again, just allowing Randy near any form of social media is a mistake.
 
Last edited:
"A) Not my call"
Click to expand...
George Costanza Seinfeld GIF
 
On one hand he's not wrong. I'd pay $80 for stuff like KCD2, FF Rebirth, GTA6, etc. On the other hand, I think he's overestimating the appeal of his lame franchise in 2025.
 
I don't disagree with him, but these games tend to get good discounts after a shortish amount of time. I love the series but I can wait.
 
I just wait till the base game is packaged with all the DLC and sold for $19.99 or less. Been doing this since BL2 on the 360 because while I enjoy the games, I don't enjoy their DLC milking before the game has even released. Fuck that, you're getting nothing more than $20 from me for everything Randy. I waited 6 years to play BL3 with all the DLC. I'll wait another 6 to play BL4 with all DLC.
 
You bet your bony butt I'll find a way. I waited for years for a complete edition of BL3 to cost me around 20bucks, I'll be sure to do it again.
 
It´s probably going to be the worst Borderlands game in terms of story and characters and also the most expensive. What will happen is written on the wall
 
Last edited:
It's ok, I always wait until they make the version with all the DLC bundled and I get it for dirty cheap on sales.
 
And so it begins. It's the problem with variable pricing: if you're in the AAA space and you want your title to be perceived as a "big game", you have to follow suite on pricing otherwise you're a "budget title". And no publisher in their right mind would want that kind of perception for their big budget game.

Sony gave us a USD$70.00 standard after nearly two straight decades of a USD$60.00 standard.
Now we're at USD$80.00 standard less than five years later.
I'd wager we'll be at USD$90.00 as standard for next gen.

We're in the "irrational exuberance" part of the bubble now. With these kinds of prices and budgets, it's gonna be downright filthy when it bursts.
 
Last edited:
I love Borderlands but I always hated this dude, makes no difference to me I already accepted $80 to be honest.
 
Last edited:
David Ricardo said:
It´s probably going to be the worst Borderlands game in terms of story and characters and also the most expensive. What will happen is written on the wall
Click to expand...

This isn't even the meta endgame. Wait until it fails miserably and then he blatantly blames the gamers/customers/real fans lol. THAT will be when the real fun begins!

GIF by Pi-Slices
loop glow GIF by Pi-Slices
 
Lol Real fan? The dude holds concerts at his mansion. He probably hasn't bought a video game in the last 20 years. From what I've read he would rather play board games. So basically decide between paying bills and buying Borderlands. Wow, what would a true fan do?

He sounds like such a c*nt.

Id rather pay $80 for a game that isn't made by this man.
 
Not sure there are enough fans left to pay-pig for this company, but I'm sure someone on Twitter might try.

If I was a AA to indie studio, I'd thank him for drawing more attention towards cheaper games.
 
ssringo said:
www.ign.com

As Gamers Express Concern About Borderlands 4 Potentially Costing $80, Gearbox Chief Randy Pitchford Says: ‘If You’re a Real Fan, You’ll Find a Way to Make It Happen’ - IGN

Gearbox chief Randy Pitchford has responded to a fan who expressed concern about the prospect of paying $80 for Borderlands 4, saying: “if you’re a real fan, you’ll find a way to make it happen.”
www.ign.com www.ign.com







Randy is a gem. Also, making a forum thread on mobile sucks. Not Gaf related, just a general experience.
Click to expand...
Guess What, Randy?
Happy Car GIF
I'll see you at the price drop.

This probably would've been a day 1 at $60 but at $80? Hell no.
 
LOL

I mean, I dont know if there was a worse way to phrase it tbh

"We put a lot of resources to make the best game of all times, so it might cost a little more"

"It will probably cost more, but we are putting MORE content to make it worth it"

hell... even a "Oh, i dont know, im focused on getting the best game ever" is better.
 
Most of us will pay 80+ for a sure thing but we're crossing into the realm where many people can only afford sure things. ie: less games.

"Find a way to make it happen" does not sound like an inconsequential purchase.

I'm really hoping for a AAA collapse. They don't all have to fail but making an $80 game should be a massive risk if you aren't gta, gran turismo, or the few that are a truly known-quantity and household name.

I want there to be lots of $30-$60 games that could pass for aaa at a glance, but are scaled back and make up for it in numbers. The games are shorter but the player can afford more games. With more games being bought and more being made, the genres can diversify again by having to differentiate themselves and get noticed by new audiences that can afford to take a chance. Robocop is a perfect example.
 
Last edited:
"Our goal for Borderlands 4 is for consumers to think to themselves, 'I will work more hours to buy one,' "

- Randy Pitchford
 
Last edited:
I was tempted for BL4 and was going to go one of three routes:
1: Very good reviews = buy it.
2: Good reviews = GamePass it.
3: Average or less = skip it.

But this absolutely idiotic comment just makes me wanna sail the seven seas.
Like A Boss Ship GIF
 
Why would anyone buy a Borderlands game at launch when the game + DLC + QoL updates, etc is available for next to nothing a few months down the line? You can get Borderlands 3 with all of the additional content for like a tenner these days, the base game is even cheaper.
 
ZehDon said:
And so it begins. It's the problem with variable pricing: if you're in the AAA space and you want your title to be perceived as a "big game", you have to follow suite on pricing otherwise you're a "budget title". And no publisher in their right mind would want that kind of perception for their big budget game.

Sony gave us a USD$70.00 standard after nearly two straight decades of a USD$60.00 standard.
Now we're at USD$80.00 standard less than five years later.
I'd wager we'll be at USD$90.00 as standard for next gen.

We're in the "irrational exuberance" part of the bubble now. With these kinds of prices and budgets, it's gonna be downright filthy when it bursts.
Click to expand...

The first company to launch games at $70.00 was Take Two with NBA 2K21 (August 2020). Everyone else followed shortly after. I wonder how long it will take to make $80.00 into the standard price for other companies besides MS and Nintendo.

I see your point about the optics with a budget title label, but it will be interesting to see if the market will pay $80 for games that are not considered top tier. Many people are fully comfortable waiting for sales too, but I suppose it will be how the mass market reacts that will be the deciding factor. Personally, upping the prices like this (hardware, software etc. over the last few years) has made me stop putting much money into gaming. I've been playing and enjoying my already existing library.
 
These idiots are going to find out real soon that in order to ask 80 bucks your game actually has to be worth 80 bucks, and a cringe, lame, run of the mill dumb looter shooter with super mid graphics isn't.
 
Maybe Randy is just next level. Maybe he knew this would piss off Borderlands fans so much that Take 2 would have to keep it at 70$

Probably not. Dude has the most punchable face in gaming
 
Borderlands suck anyways, was never going to buy. I can't believe the guy who programmed Half Life: Opposing Force is such a tool.

Even if I was a fan, I would wait until it is like $30 with all the DLC in a year and a half.

I have way too much to play already, nothing is getting bought day 1 except like Witcher 4 and Hollow Knight Silk Song,
Going to wait for GTAVI on PC, next Mass Effect is probably going to be a train wreck at launch so might as well wait, same with Elder Scrolls VI.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Borderlands 4's Price Is A Mystery, Even To Randy Pitchford
38
627
taizuke replied
In a 557-word post to end all posts, Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford fully lays out the "misunderstanding" over Borderlands 4 $80 comments
2
58
707
Scrawnton replied
Baldur's Gate 3 dev calls Randy Pitchford's $80 Borderlands 4 comments "gross"
2
78
1K
poodaddy replied
Are we really supposed to buy the $80 price increase is because "games cost more to make" from Microsoft?
4 5 6 7 8
359
4K
JustaStupidBoulder replied
Nintendo could make a real power move if It chooses too but will they?
2
55
4K
kevboard replied
Top Bottom