Borderlands 4 will launch at a standard $70, and the Gearbox Software folks expect fans to cheer for this. After all, this isn’t going to be a game worth $80, as some had predicted, so fans should applaud Gearbox and CEO Randy Pitchford, right? Hooray for doing the right thing and all that.
No. Gearbox and Randy Pitchford shouldn’t be applauded for contemplating a higher price and sticking with the industry standard. We’re sure Pitchford and the devs would argue that this title has $80 worth of content, but in today’s climate and economy, that’s just not viable.
For those curious, talks of Borderlands 4 being $80 started when a fan asked Pitchford if this was happening, and he gave a huge “maybe.” Pitchford also tried to guilt-trip fans by saying that “real fans” would try getting the game at $80, though he later apologized for his lack of tact.
Since the price has been revealed, we’re sure that Gearbox Software and Pitchford expected applause from their critics. Some gamers are probably applauding this move, since it looks like $80 will be the new norm soon. Honestly, this writer doesn’t think any game is worth $70, let alone $80, so sticking with the industry norm shouldn’t excite anyone.
If anything, seeing other games that look of similar quality and are being priced at $50 is worth applauding. Granted, $50 is still a lot, but getting games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 or the upcoming Mafia: The Old Country at that price seems like a steal. Hopefully, the new Mafia game is received well, but it does look like a solid cinematic game, at the very least.
Borderlands 4 does look like a good looter shooter and will make fans of this series happy. The cel-shaded look keeps these games looking timeless, and we can’t deny that shooting enemies to get more weapons or equipment can be addictive. It’s the main reason these games have managed to get numerous spinoff titles and a (terrible) movie.
However, no matter how good or quality this entry looks, they shouldn’t be applauded for “holding the line” at $70.
This writer will acknowledge how games are becoming more expensive to make. Graphics take longer to make, getting gameplay right can take a while, and there’s always a balancing game between pleasing fans and shareholders. It’s a rough time for the industry, so increasing the price of games does “make sense,” if you want to get realistic about inflation.
With all that being said, life has only gotten harder in recent years, and spending $70 or $80 on brand-new games is insane. Fans were willing to accept $60, but the huge increase has made them wonder if that was even a good price to begin with. Believe this writer when he says that Borderlands 4 won’t have fans claiming that it's worth $80, even if it's everything fans want.
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