The first player numbers for Borderlands 3 on PC are eliciting cheers from Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford. However, the PC launch was controversial. The shooter does not start on Steam. Critics of the Epic Game Store now feel provoked by Pitchford.
This is what Pitchford says: Last night at 1 AM German time, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford tweeted:
Fun fact: For PC, the data shows that the peak player count on launch day for Borderlands 3 was about twice as high as the all-time concurrent player count for Borderlands 2. WOW! You guys are awesome.
Much criticism up to a boycott before PC launch
This is why it is delicate: Borderlands 3 is only playable on PC through the Epic Game Store, but not through Steam. This exclusivity caused protests beforehand.
Some PC players announced that they would boycott Borderlands 3 and wait six months until the game is available on Steam.
People accused the Epic Game Store of not offering enough features. Just in the last hours, it was mentioned that there are not even forums in the “EGS” to warn other Borderlands players about technical issues with the PC version.
Especially Pitchford as the frontman of Gearbox and Borderlands 3 has come under criticism: He has faced a lot of backlash for “betraying” PC players and “selling” the game.
Although Pitchford said, that it was not his decision, but that of the publisher Take-Two. Still, a conflict arose.
The fact that Pitchford is now making statements about player numbers on PC means that the “boycott” calls against Borderlands 3 due to Epic haven’t had much effect.
Steam fans feel provoked
This is how people react: Many Twitter users perceive Pitchford’s statement as a biting allusion to the Epic Game Store and their protests. They believe Pitchford wanted to present himself as the winner of this older debate.
However, reactions are mixed:
- A tweet says it is “childish and passive-aggressive” from Pitchford and that he could also become the US President.
- Some don’t believe the numbers until they see them themselves – because unlike Steam, the numbers cannot be verified on Epic.
- Some point out that the numbers would be even higher if Borderlands 3 were on Steam – after all, fans waited 7 years for Borderlands 3.
- Some highlight technical problems: Gearbox needs to quickly deliver optimizations and patches.
- Some Twitter users praise Borderlands 3 as a “work of art.”
