Borderlands movie bombs at box office, but Gearbox CEO focuses on the positive

Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford sees a silver lining - fans' renewed love for the video game series.

The Borderlands movie, directed by Eli Roth, faced a disastrous opening weekend, earning a mere $16.5 million globally against a budget of $115 million. This dismal performance was further compounded by negative reviews and fan backlash.   

However, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford chose to focus on a positive aspect amidst the negativity. He took to Twitter, highlighting that the movie's poor reception has inadvertently reinforced the fans' love for the Borderlands video game series. Pitchford expressed his gratitude for the fans' loyalty and assured them that the team is working hard on the next installment in the franchise.   

This isn't the first time Pitchford has hinted at Borderlands 4. Earlier this year, he mentioned Gearbox was working on their "greatest thing" yet, and Take-Two Interactive's acquisition of Gearbox later confirmed a new Borderlands game is in development.

Despite Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick's earlier plea for audiences to give the movie a chance, the critical reception has been overwhelmingly negative. IGN, for instance, gave the movie a scathing 3 out of 10, criticizing it for betraying the spirit of the beloved video game franchise.

The Borderlands movie's underwhelming performance serves as a reminder of the challenges of adapting video games to the big screen. However, for Pitchford and the Gearbox team, it seems the silver lining is the renewed enthusiasm for the video games themselves.