Randy Pitchford, CEO of Gearbox Software, has expressed strong confidence that Borderlands 4 will propel the franchise`s total sales past an impressive 100 million units. In a recent interview with Insider Gaming, Pitchford unequivocally stated, “We will easily break 100 million units with this launch, all in, with the franchise.”
This projection is not as audacious as it might initially appear, considering the series has already amassed over 94 million units sold. Consequently, Pitchford anticipates Borderlands 4 alone will contribute at least 6 million sales. To provide context, Borderlands 3 successfully sold more than 23 million copies, establishing itself as 2K`s fastest-selling title to date. The publisher`s all-time best-seller remains Borderlands 2, having achieved sales exceeding 30 million units.
Reaching the 100-million-unit milestone would solidify the Borderlands franchise`s position among an exclusive group of video game giants. This elite club includes esteemed series such as Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead, Pokémon, Call of Duty, Minecraft, Final Fantasy, and Assassin`s Creed.
Pitchford reflected on the challenging origins of the Borderlands series, recalling his early efforts to draw attention to it. He mentioned having to “scream from the tallest mountain” just to get noticed, noting that “nobody cared” about Borderlands in its infancy and that “a lot of people predicted that Borderlands wasn`t going to work.”
Prior to the launch of the original Borderlands in 2009, Gearbox was primarily recognized for its World War II first-person shooter series, Brothers in Arms, and its contributions to Half-Life expansion packs. The groundbreaking success of Borderlands, however, dramatically reshaped the studio`s trajectory and established the franchise as a global phenomenon.
Speaking to GamesRadar, Pitchford conveyed his humility regarding the franchise`s journey: “We went from an industry that predicted that we would die—that Borderlands would find no audience—to being one of the leading video game franchises in the world. And it`s kind of humbling, frankly, to be a part of it.”
Borderlands 4 is scheduled for release on September 12th for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. A Nintendo Switch 2 edition is expected to follow in October. The game`s $70 price point has sparked considerable discussion online, but Pitchford firmly believes the game offers such exceptional value that it would be “worth it if 2K charged $350.”