Take-Two Boss Strauss Zelnick Says Borderlands Chief Randy Pitchford ‘Can Be Controversial at Times — Sometimes Intentionally, Sometimes Unintentionally,’ but ‘I Still Love Him to Death’

Borderlands 4 volition outgo $70, steadfast 2K Games confirmed successful June. That seemingly innocuous information was large quality aft the terms of the upcoming looter shooter was thrust into the headlines erstwhile Gearbox improvement main Randy Pitchford sparked a backlash with a bid of arguable tweets.

The outspoken Pitchford had responded to a instrumentality who had expressed interest astir the imaginable of paying $80 for Borderlands 4, saying: “if you’re a existent fan, you’ll find a mode to marque it happen.”

A) Not my call. B) If you’re a existent fan, you’ll find a mode to marque it happen. My section crippled store had Starflight for Sega Genesis for $80 successful 1991 erstwhile I was conscionable retired of precocious schoolhouse moving minimum wage astatine an crystal pick parlor successful Pismo Beach and I recovered a mode to marque it happen.

Pitchford ended up having to code the negativity surrounding his comments, which immoderate suggested mightiness person harmed Borderlands 4’s chances of success. But this was hardly the latest play revolving astir Randy Pitchford, who often gives the property plentifulness to speech astir whenever helium addresses blistery topics wrong the video crippled industry.

So, successful an interrogation with Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Gearbox genitor institution Take-Two, up of the company’s latest (and impressive) fiscal results, I asked whether helium has a mini bosom onslaught whenever Pitchford tweets anything.

In his response, Zelnick admitted Pitchford tin beryllium a arguable figure, and adjacent suggested immoderate of his antics are deliberate, but yet he’s a large fan.

Randy Pitchford has said 'real fans' volition find a mode to wage $80 for Borderlands 4. Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Lionsgate.

“I emotion Randy, archetypal of all. Let maine conscionable accidental that connected the record,” Zelnick began. “And I emotion his large personality. I emotion his passionateness and helium is 1 of the each clip large crippled makers. He besides tin beryllium arguable astatine times — sometimes intentionally, sometimes unintentionally. I inactive emotion him to death.”

Some had expected Take-Two to travel Nintendo’s (and astatine that time, Microsoft’s) pb and marque the leap to $80 for Borderlands 4, which it’s present decided volition clasp the enactment astatine $70. I asked Zelnick wherefore that was the close determination for the looter shooter, and his effect was on akin lines to his reply to 2K’s Mafia: The Old Country being acceptable astatine $50.

“We've ever engaged successful adaptable pricing and we truly privation to marque definite that the consumer's acquisition of the rubric is that Borderlands 4 is simply a great, large game, which we judge it is, and that we're offering a terrific worth astatine the aforesaid time,” Zelnick said.

Zelnick has utilized this benignant of effect to reply questions astir GTA 6’s terms (some judge it volition beryllium $80, immoderate arsenic precocious arsenic $100). “We ever privation to marque definite that we present mode much worth than immoderate we complaint consumers, due to the fact that we deliberation of the consumer's acquisition arsenic an intersection of the happening itself and what you paid for it,” Zelnick said, talking mostly of Take-Two’s strategy.

“So we conscionable privation to marque definite we're ever delivering mode much worth than immoderate we charge.”

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].