As Borderlands 4 looms, Randy Pitchford recalls everyone telling Gearbox the original game was “being sent to die” before becoming an genre-defining success

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In just a few months, the highly anticipated Borderlands 4 from Gearbox Studios will be released, immersing gamers in the Pandoran lunar landscape of Elpis. Players can expect countless new firearms to discover, hidden alien artifacts to unearth, and an entirely fresh narrative to explore.

Ever since its debut in 2009, Borderlands has produced five primary games, numerous spin-offs, and a rather unexpected live-action film. Despite this, it remains a fan favorite. Established as the cornerstone of the looter shooter genre, Gearbox co-founder Randy Pitchford was repeatedly advised that the game would not succeed. In simpler terms, Borderlands has been around since 2009, making five main games, several spin-offs, and an unexpected live-action movie. It’s a beloved series in the looter shooter genre, but its co-founder Randy Pitchford was told it would not do well when he first started working on it.

Borderlands was “sent to die”, and lived

To the Leading Figures in the Industry, Pitchford articulated his concern about the fusion of role-playing game (RPG) and first-person shooter genres being too complex for people to grasp. He believed that developing such a game for contemporary console users back then might have been considered as a recipe for its failure.

In simpler terms, the lead from Gearbox stated that when they initially started it, many people who were involved or observing didn’t expect it to succeed, let alone gain an audience.

As a gamer, I can’t help but marvel at the charm of Borderlands. For me, it’s like stepping into this peculiar realm where the ordinary and extraordinary collide. That’s what I love about borderlands – they’re places that defy expectations.

GEARBOX HEAD RANDY PITCHFORD

In 2009, as I recall, I had the chance to watch a show where Geoff Keighley interviewed analyst Michael Patcher before Borderlands even launched. The conversation turned to what he thought about the game, and being an expert in market predictions, he wasn’t optimistic. He argued that with so many other popular shooter games like Call of Duty on the market, and established role-playing games such as Dragon Age, there wouldn’t be a demand for Borderlands since it was trying to appeal to both genres. Little did we know back then!

Pitchford shared that even after 16 years, he’s still in a state of bewilderment about the incredible success Borderlands has achieved, possibly because he had been warned repeatedly that Gearbox was developing a game destined to flop upon release.

According to Pitchford, “It seems unusual [when it comes to the game’s functioning].” He continued, “You know, it’s truly bizarre. The art direction is incredibly unconventional. In fact, no one has ever managed to succeed with such a non-photorealistic art style on this scale before. We embraced it; the setting is a blend of sci-fi and western genres, but I believe its appeal lies in the fact that Borderlands represents that intriguing space where things that typically don’t mix come together. After all, that’s what a borderland signifies.

Pitchford pointed out that Borderlands is much like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, where contrasting flavors of chocolate and peanut butter blend surprisingly well, and this isn’t just due to its core gameplay. Instead, Borderlands offers a unique fusion: it merges RPG elements with first-person shooter mechanics, combines sci-fi backdrops with western motifs, and presents both comical and dramatic narratives. Although not all aspects of the series developed by Gearbox have been successful, this unusual blend has made Borderlands stand out.

It’s promising that Borderlands 4 could be another fantastic addition to the series, given its current appearance. Moreover, as the game’s writers shift focus from excessive meme-based humor and unamusing bathroom humor, there’s a good chance that it will remain enjoyable even as time passes.

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2025-07-11 14:41