Gearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford on Borderlands 4 and the Future
Randy Pitchford, the head of Gearbox Software, recently spoke with TheGamer at gamescom 2025, offering an ambitious look into the future of the Borderlands series and his philosophical views on creative work. Pitchford confidently stated that the upcoming Borderlands 4 will be the pinnacle of the franchise, calling it the best game the team has ever made.
“We’re just obsessive people. I’ve been working on Borderlands for 20 years with a team that’s been with me since the beginning, and we love it. We’re obsessed with it, and I think we don’t really worry about industry trends, but we do like to push boundaries,” Pitchford explained. He reflected on past games, noting that some entries might have pushed too far in one direction or another. “Now we know where all those boundaries are, so Borderlands 4 can hit that perfect sweet spot. I’m not just confident, I’m absolutely convinced that Borderlands 4 is the best game in the series we’ve ever made.”
The Biggest World in Borderlands Yet
Borderlands 4 aims to be more than just a “golden mean” of the series; it will also introduce a host of fresh ideas. Players can look forward to a new planet called Kairos, featuring unique landscapes and biomes. Thanks to modern technology, Gearbox has crafted the most expansive project in the franchise's history.
Pitchford elaborated on the scale: “This is the biggest open world we’ve ever created. Borderlands hasn't had a seamless world before. And once it appeared, some zones could be made much larger. I can see the panorama in the distance and know that I will get there. Then the thought arises: ‘How will I get there? And what way will be the most exciting?’ This leads to new solutions in terms of mobility and a design that supports these ideas, rather than conflicting with them.”
A Story of Freedom and Order
When creating Kairos for Borderlands 4, the primary focus wasn't just on gameplay, but on the narrative. The story revolves around the conflict between order and chaos, freedom and fascism. Pitchford revealed that the team first established the tone and style of the game before building the design and mechanics around it. The key was to thoughtfully develop the themes and lay the groundwork for the storytelling.
“All of this was shaped around a core theme I proposed to the team, and it was tied to what we at Gearbox have been through: the balance between freedom and order, between organization and autonomy,” Pitchford shared. He was referring to Gearbox's journey from an independent studio to being part of Embracer Group, and then once again finding itself under the Take-Two umbrella. This experience, he said, became the inspiration for the new tonal direction of Borderlands 4. The studio might have lost some autonomy, but gained more resources to create the highest quality project possible. “If you are a timekeeper, this is a story about chaos versus safety. If you are a freedom fighter in the world of Kairos, this is a story about freedom versus fascism. And what’s interesting is that these are themes we experience as a company, that we all feel as creators, and that’s why we’re pouring ourselves into the game.”
Reflections on Game Preservation and Legacy
Pitchford also touched upon the 'Stop Killing Games' movement. He acknowledged that while most Borderlands games are available on modern platforms, Gearbox’s hero shooter, Battleborn, is not. While he made no specific promises regarding game preservation, he admitted that the issue deeply troubles him on an almost existential level. He noted that losing games is emotionally difficult, which is why he respects the activism. However, he also understands the complexity: if projects are designed as live services, making them eternal is impossible, and Pitchford is still unsure how to resolve this conflict.
The Gearbox CEO called the fight for game preservation a “metaphor for life.” He confessed his aversion to the idea that he and his loved ones will someday cease to exist, wishing he could be here forever to miss nothing. At the same time, he values the struggle against death – medical and technological advancements allow us to live longer, and games can “live” longer if we preserve them. Pitchford sees in activism the same passion he holds: the desire for meaningful experiences to remain accessible forever.
He pondered the legacy of Borderlands, which has endured while other shooters have faded. For Pitchford, long-term thinking extends beyond the industry; he contemplates the finite nature of all things. “The truth is that there will come a time, trillions and trillions of years from now, when the universe will be in a state of heat death, everything will reach the maximum level of entropy, and literally nothing will be left. Battleborn was about the last star that would exist before that moment, because all the stars in the universe will eventually end. And it’s so sobering to think that everything will someday end. Not just us, but literally everything. I don’t like it, and I don’t like the idea that we will have to live in a universe that will be destroyed. And I like that I don’t like it, because it makes me want to fight it,” he stated.
Films, Books, and New Experiments
Pitchford also discussed the lukewarm reception of the Borderlands movie, approaching it philosophically. He explained that despite critical disdain and poor box office performance, the process of creation and supporting projects related to the Borderlands universe holds more importance for him.
Before the film's release, the developer was as enthusiastic about it as he was about his own games. After its failure, he actively defended the project but refrained from blaming anyone or allowing the experience to negatively influence future studio decisions. He stressed that if he had directed it himself, the result would have been catastrophic, and praised director Eli Roth for his professionalism. Pitchford explained that he sees himself as the “guardian of the Borderlands universe” and that there are different approaches: one can block and forbid everything, or support talented people who want to work with the franchise. He chooses the latter — allowing others to create their own projects within the Borderlands world.
While he didn't explicitly confirm another film is in the works, Randy is open to ideas. If there are creators who want to realize their stories specifically in the Borderlands universe, he is ready to help them. He admits that not everything always works out, but it's important to keep trying and experimenting.
As long as Pitchford remains the “guardian of Borderlands” — and it seems he isn’t leaving the series anytime soon — players can expect new interpretations and adaptations of the franchise. For instance, he enthusiastically spoke about the recently released Borderlands cookbook, despite initially being skeptical about it.
Borderlands 4, which will someday turn into nothing along with the universe, will be available on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), Xbox Series, and PlayStation 5 on September 12, with a Nintendo Switch 2 release following on October 3. The “best game in the series” will also include Russian text localization.
Post a Comment