Gearbox Software's Randy Pitchford found himself in hot water recently after making a fairly tone deaf comment regarding the potential price of Borderlands 4.
In response to concerns that the game may well be priced at $80, Pitchford simply stated that "if you're a real fan, you'll find a way". It's not a totally egregious comment in some respects, but the insinuation that those who perhaps can't afford the game aren't so-called "real fans" definitely rubbed folks the wrong way.
Now, as spotted by Eurogamer, Pitchford has attempted to defend and justify his comment with another post on social media; this time consisting of a video in which he answers a question regarding how much Borderlands 4 will ultimately cost.
He states that Borderlands 4 has "more than twice" the budget of Borderlands 3, which may well contribute to the final price of the game. Though he says that "as artists, we want everybody to have it", there are factors which have to be considered, including "tariffs for the retail packaging" and more.
Pitchford says that pre-orders will be opening "soon", and that the price will be set at that time. He's keen to stress, however, that he doesn't know whether publisher 2K will follow the lead of Nintendo and Microsoft and price it at $80, or whether it will remain on the cheaper side.
His comments here seem fair, and it just goes to show how some rogue social media post can have such a detrimental effect on one's reputation. Hopefully he'll think twice next time and perhaps show a bit more tact.