💸 Gamers just WON — and the media is fuming.
Gearbox caved to fan pressure and priced Borderlands 4 at $70 — NOT $80 like insiders expected. 😤
🎮 Gamers called it out.
🧂 Game journalists? Not happy.
📢 “This sets a dangerous precedent,” they say…
👇 The backlash is hilarious — and a little revealing:
In a rare display of corporate responsiveness, Gearbox Software has officially confirmed that Borderlands 4 will launch at a standard $70 price tag — rather than the $80+ deluxe pricing many feared.
For fans, it’s a huge win. But not everyone is celebrating.
Several prominent game journalists and media voices have taken issue not just with the price decision — but with the reason it happened: gamer pushback.
Their response? Disappointment, sarcasm, and — according to some fans — a heavy dose of salt.
🧨 The Pricing Controversy That Sparked It All
Leading up to the announcement, early leaks from retail listings and insider sources suggested Borderlands 4 might launch with an $80 base edition, part of a new “premium standard” strategy tied to next-gen titles with expanded features.
The reaction online was swift and brutal:
Reddit threads exploded with criticism.
#NoTo80 trended on X (formerly Twitter).
YouTube commentaries and reaction videos racked up millions of views.
Gamers argued that raising prices in a time of economic inflation, layoffs, and microtransactions was tone-deaf at best, predatory at worst.
And apparently — Gearbox listened.
🎙️ Gearbox Confirms: $70 Standard Edition
At Summer Game Fest, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford made the official announcement:
“We’re excited to launch Borderlands 4 at the $70 price point. We heard the community loud and clear.”
While some saw it as pure PR spin, others viewed it as a rare moment where gamer feedback had real power.
One Reddit user posted:
“For once, screaming into the void worked.”
🧂 But Then Came the Media Meltdown
Shortly after the announcement, several articles appeared with titles like:
“Why Letting Gamers Dictate Pricing Is a Slippery Slope” (Polygon)
“Entitled Fans Think They Won — But Did They?” (Kotaku)
“Gearbox Bending the Knee Could Hurt the Industry” (GamesBeat)
Journalists warned of “toxic precedent,” arguing that allowing loud online backlash to shape business strategy opens the door to “mob rule.”
“This decision isn’t about fairness — it’s about fear,” one columnist wrote.
“Studios caving to Reddit threads instead of standing behind their product value weakens developer credibility.”
Needless to say, these takes didn’t land well with the wider gaming community.
🎮 Gamers Clap Back
The reaction was fierce — and sometimes brutal:
“$70 is still a lot. The idea that we should beg to avoid $80 is insane.”
“They’re mad we’re not just consuming and shutting up.”
“Game journalists would pay $120 if it came with moral superiority.”
Memes flooded social media. One viral post featured a mock Kotaku headline reading:
“Gamers Exist — Why That’s a Problem.”
A growing sentiment emerged: the press doesn’t hate the pricing… they hate that the players won.
🔍 Why the Disconnect?
The tension between mainstream game journalism and the broader gamer community isn’t new — but this incident added fuel to the fire.
Here’s the crux:
Gamers want affordable, transparent pricing and are sick of monetization creep.
Media voices are often focused on protecting “industry standards” and developer margins.
Publishers are caught in the middle — and occasionally cave to whoever yells loudest.
But when the media appears to side against the audience — especially over something as tangible as price — it’s a PR disaster.
💸 Is $70 the New Forever Price?
The $70 standard has become the industry norm since the PS5/Xbox Series X generation began. But companies have increasingly tested the waters with:
$80 “premium base editions”
Season passes baked into the default experience
Day-one DLC that feels like paywalled content
Gearbox’s reversal suggests there may be a limit to how far that model can go — at least publicly.
🧠 Is Gamer Pushback Always Toxic?
Some argue that online outrage culture is inherently unhealthy. But others note: it’s one of the few tools players have.
Without organized backlash:
Always-online DRM would be standard.
Microtransactions in single-player games wouldn’t be questioned.
$80 “base” games would become the new norm.
Yes, feedback can go too far. But calling all gamer pushback “entitled” misses the bigger issue: gamers care — and they’re tired of being milked.
✍️ Final Thoughts
The Borderlands 4 pricing drama wasn’t just about $10.
It was about respect, communication, and who really gets to shape the gaming industry in 2025.
Gearbox blinked. The media flinched. And the players — for once — got a rare win.
Will it last?
Only if gamers keep watching. And more importantly… keep speaking.
