Borderlands 4 comes out on September 12, 2025, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, with a Switch 2 version coming later. The base game will cost $70, not $80 as some feared. After all the noise Randy Pitchford made claiming “real fans” would find a way to pay $80, it turns out he never had control over the price in the first place.
The Actual Offer
Now that the dust has settled, here’s what’s on the table:
- Standard Edition: $70 (base game)
- Deluxe Edition: $100 (includes extras, like new areas and missions)
- Super Deluxe Edition: $130 (Deluxe Edition + adds two Story Packs)
- Collector’s Edition: $150 (GameStop exclusive; collectibles only, game sold separately)
Pre-orders come with a bonus set of exclusive in-game skins called the Gilded Glory Pack. New Vault Hunters will be sold separately after launch through paid Story Packs, each including:
- A new playable Vault Hunter
- A new region on planet Kairos
- New missions, loot, and cosmetics
This follows the series’ tradition: Borderlands 2 and 3 sold extra characters, zones, and story missions with a “super-deluxe edition” too. If you want the full roster, expect to pay more post-launch.
So now that the price for Borderlands 4 has been revealed, were Pitchford’s comments just empty posturing from an out-of-touch executive, or a calculated attempt to test the waters?
Either way, it backfired.
A Price Tag Is a Signal, Not a Number
Let’s be clear: this was a communications failure. Pitchford doesn’t set the price. That’s Take-Two Interactive’s call. This controversy could’ve been completely avoided if he had said, “We’re still discussing pricing,” or even, “How would you feel if it were $80?”
Instead, he chose to take a jab at the audience. And some people took it personally. It doesn’t matter that the final price was revealed to be $70: those burned by his comments aren’t coming back. They’ve drawn a line. For them, it’s not about having to pay an extra $10. It’s about respect.
The Real Cost of Arrogance
Plenty of fans are still skeptical after Borderlands 3. That game received mixed reviews with most of the criticism aimed at the story and technical issues. For some players, this next installment needs to earn its goodwill. Instead of showing humility, Pitchford gave players another reason to hold off or skip it entirely.
If I were a shareholder, I’d be asking why the head of the studio stirred controversy over something outside his jurisdiction. Pitchford’s comments weren’t just tone-deaf; they actively harmed the brand’s relationship with its audience.
And that trust is hard to rebuild.
Lessons 2K Games Shouldn’t Ignore
2K Games did the right thing by landing at $70. In an industry pushing $80 price tags, that decision will help soften backlash. But if they want Borderlands 4 to be a true comeback story, they can’t afford another marketing misstep.
The Borderlands Fan Fest event on June 21, 2025, is their chance to reset the conversation. They’ll be showing a new story trailer and gameplay live at 12:30 PM PT / 3:30 PM ET / 8:30 PM BST on the official Borderlands Twitch channel. This event is crucial. If they get the tone right, they can rebuild trust and move on from this fiasco. If not, they risk repeating the same mistake.
Fans Aren’t Just Wallets. They’re People
The problem here wasn’t the $80 price; it was Pitchford’s attitude. When developers or executives talk down to their audience, they break something that’s hard to fix. It doesn’t matter that Borderlands 4 is “only” $70 now. For some fans, the damage is done.
Game prices will always be a topic of debate. What shouldn’t be up for debate is basic respect. Players aren’t just numbers on a sales chart. They’re the reason these games exist in the first place.
Don’t insult them. Don’t assume they’ll buy anyway.
Earn their support or lose it.
