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submitted 1 day ago by alyaza@beehaw.org to c/gaming@beehaw.org

The video game industry has made the jump to $80, first with Nintendo and Mario Kart World, then with Microsoft and its price hike announcement that will kick in this holiday season. Could Borderlands 4 follow suit?

Publisher 2K Games and parent company Take-Two have so-far remained vague on whether they will go to $80, and Randy Pitchford has insisted the decision is out of his control. But, responding to one concerned fan on social media, Pitchford set the cat among the pigeons by saying that if you’re a “real fan, you’ll find a way to make it happen.”

Here's the exchange:

"Randy, this game better not be 80 dollars. Don't take that risk, a lot of gamers aren't gonna pay 80 dollars and feed this notion of constant increase of the price tag. You are the CEO, you have some say with the price when it comes to your publisher."

And here's Randy Pitchford's response:

"A) Not my call. B) If you're a real fan, you'll find a way to make it happen. My local game store had Starflight for Sega Genesis for $80 in 1991 when I was just out of high school working minimum wage at an ice cream parlor in Pismo Beach and I found a way to make it happen."

As you’d expect, Pitchford’s comment has sparked a vociferous response.

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[-] ZeroHora@lemmy.ml 29 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

My local game store had Starflight for Sega Genesis for $80 in 1991 when I was just out of high school working minimum wage at an ice cream parlor in Pismo Beach and I found a way to make it happen.

The classic CEO fanfic... They also learn everything they need to be a successful businessman by selling lemonade in a stall

You just ask for 🏴‍☠️ at this point.

[-] null@slrpnk.net 1 points 1 day ago

I mean, he seems out of touch, sure, but what's the fanfic?

[-] ZeroHora@lemmy.ml 2 points 9 hours ago

His father worked for the U.S. Intelligence as an engineer, I really doubt he had any financial problem that the "I found a way to make it happen." is anything different them "I asked for daddy's money"

[-] null@slrpnk.net 1 points 8 hours ago

TBH this sounds like more of a fanfic to me. Or haterfic I guess.

[-] Alaik@lemmy.zip 6 points 1 day ago

Cause shit was a lot easier with disposable income in 1991. Source: Had more disposable income with a "regular job" in 1991.

[-] null@slrpnk.net 1 points 1 day ago

Is there anything to back that up?

With inflation, that would be pushing $160...

[-] Twelve20two@slrpnk.net 4 points 1 day ago

From what I found, the minimum wage in California (where Pismo Beach is) in 1991 was $4.25/hour. If he worked 20 hours a week, that's $340/month before taxes. He almost certainly would've been a student at the time since he would've been 20 that year. I don't know what funding he would've had, but it honestly sounds doable for 1991

[-] null@slrpnk.net 2 points 21 hours ago

And today they'd be making $1320/month before taxes. Shouldn't it be easier to afford that $80 purchase now than it was then?

[-] overload@sopuli.xyz 3 points 19 hours ago

Not to mention Randy didn't have the same alternative high quality games to buy for way less than $80 back then. The price of top games was the price, now there is so much good stuff for less. Why should we pay $80 for yet another borderlands?

this post was submitted on 20 May 2025
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