The story of Borderlands 4 began with a tweet from a dedicated fan of the series, who raised concerns about the upcoming installment. They pointed out that the game's visuals bear a striking resemblance to Borderlands 3, suggesting potential challenges due to a possible reduction in the marketing budget. The fan also drew comparisons to the critically panned Borderlands 2024 movie, which received harsh criticism from audiences and even from notorious director Uwe Boll. Instead of fostering a dialogue with the community, Randy Pitchford, the head of Gearbox, initially responded by stating he "doesn't want to see this negativity" and planned to block the user to avoid unnecessary stress. However, he later clarified that he had reconsidered and opted to mute notifications from that account instead.

The situation intensified when popular streamer Gothalion called on the developer to be more receptive to criticism and respectful of the opinions of long-time fans. In response, Pitchford dismissed the comment as "toxic pessimism" and not constructive. He further emphasized the immense pressure on developers, stating they are "literally killing themselves to entertain players."

This behavior elicited a range of reactions within the Borderlands community. Some users rallied behind Pitchford, acknowledging the intense pressure faced by game developers. Others, however, viewed his response as an evasion of constructive dialogue, labeling his behavior as overly emotional. Many also recalled that this was not the first instance of the Gearbox head making sharp remarks on social media.

Borderlands 4 is set to launch on September 23, 2025, and will be available on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC.