Borderlands 4 Hinted Amid Movie Flop

The anticipation for Borderlands 4 is reaching new heights as Gearbox's CEO, Randy Pitchford, has once again hinted at the development of the much-awaited sequel. This tease comes hot on the heels of the disappointing reception to the Borderlands movie, which has left fans eager for redemption through the next installment in the iconic video game series.

Gearbox CEO Teases Progress on Borderlands 4

Ongoing Development for New Borderlands Game

On a recent Sunday morning, Randy Pitchford took to social media to subtly confirm that Gearbox is diligently working on the next Borderlands game. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to the fans, noting their enthusiasm for the Borderlands series far exceeds their reception of the recent movie adaptation. This tease is consistent with Pitchford's earlier comments in a GamesRadar+ interview, where he alluded to several major projects in development at Gearbox, hinting that an official announcement about Borderlands 4 might not be too far off.

Earlier this year, publisher 2K officially confirmed the development of Borderlands 4, coinciding with Take-Two Interactive’s acquisition of Gearbox Entertainment. Since its inception in 2009, the Borderlands series has sold over 83 million units, with Borderlands 3 becoming 2K’s fastest-selling title at 19 million copies. Meanwhile, Borderlands 2 remains the company's best-selling game, with over 28 million copies sold since 2012.

Negative Reception of the Borderlands Movie Fuels CEO's Comments

Pitchford's latest remarks came in the wake of the Borderlands movie's underwhelming performance. Released in over 3,000 theaters, the film managed to earn a meager $4 million during its opening weekend, despite the availability of premium formats like Imax. With a production budget of $115 million, the movie is projected to fall short of $10 million in its opening run, marking it as a significant box office disappointment.

The film, which took over three years to complete, has been met with scathing reviews, becoming one of the summer's biggest critical failures. Even dedicated fans of the Borderlands franchise have expressed their disappointment, resulting in a poor CinemaScore rating. Critics have criticized the movie for being out of touch with its audience and lacking the charm and humor that define the games. Edgar Ortega of Loud and Clear Reviews noted that the film seemed like a misguided attempt to appeal to what studio executives believed would attract younger audiences, ultimately resulting in a lackluster experience.

As Gearbox moves forward with the development of Borderlands 4, the underwhelming reception of the movie underscores the challenges of adapting beloved video games into films. However, the studio remains focused on delivering another hit for its gaming community, promising fans a return to the thrilling world of Pandora.