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Randy Pitchford Explains How Borderlands 4 Deconstructs the Looter-Shooter Genre

Originally posted on Total Apex Gaming | By David Gilbert | Last updated Oct 14, 2025 8:50 PM ET

Randy Pitchford, the outspoken boss of Borderlands 4, recently made a bold claim, asserting that Gearbox essentially lacks any good competition within the looter-shooter genre. He stated that developers simply don’t invest enough time contemplating the intricate mechanics behind the loot grind. In an interview with the BBC, he elaborated on this topic, surprisingly confident, but does he truly believe that no other studio understands the psychology of loot?

A Masterclass in Game Design

According to Pitchford, the Borderlands series has perfected a core mechanic, offering players a compelling choice either sticking with their current weapon or swapping it for a new one. With this decision, the game taps into a fundamental human need and skill. With Gearbox successfully reducing this complex need into a simple, gratifying moment, the brain itself is locked in a loop of both need and joy.

To support his claims, the CEO delved into the realm of neuroscience to gather evidence. But how far is he willing to go to prove his point about Borderland‘s virtual guns? Pitchford further explained that exercising the brain’s ability to make decisions is a key human trait, suggesting that it’s the very skill that makes our species different from others. Furthermore, he posits that this process led to the development of language and higher consciousness.

The Legendary Take on Loot Psychology

The Gearbox CEO stated that this skill is ultimately developed in a significant portion of the brain’s prefrontal cortex. Given this information, his deep dive into the interplay between scientific analysis and emotional impact is fascinating. He also believes that rival games don’t apply this level of attention to their own loot systems. That said, do other developers simply lack the creative drive that Gearbox possesses?

Pitchford suggests that other designers should understand the neuroscience behind his team’s decisions to have more legitimate competitors in the industry. Although he finds it weird that this transition hasn’t happened yet, he believes that companies’ inability to think on this foundational level is part of the problem. It also explains why the Borderland series has been as successful as it has been. Instead of truly testing players’ mental capability, they’re entering the genre by just putting something into motion based on cold market analysis.

Randy Pitchford Says No Good Competitors

Since business and money are the motivations rather than true creativity, these companies haven’t found similar success with their games. Pitchford admitted that after the first Borderlands game launched, he fully expected a wave of imitators to compete against it. By doing so, the CEO believes that Gearbox wouldn’t have survived if this scenario had occurred, as the studio couldn’t have competed with larger companies, especially during its early years. Fortunately, the company caught a lucky break, which not only made Pitchford happy but also fans of the Borderlands franchise.

This article first appeared on Total Apex Gaming and was syndicated with permission.

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