Borderlands 4 developer Gearbox Software has issued a response to fans who are concerned about their privacy, affirming that its parent company, Take-Two Interactive, does not use spyware in its games. These concerns were raised by Borderlands fans earlier this year after an update to Take-Two's user agreements raised some eyebrows, but with Borderlands 4 now in players' hands, Gearbox has reiterated that its parent company does not use any form of spyware.
Prior to the launch of Borderlands 4 on September 11, older entries in the series were review bombed on Steam, largely due to Take-Two Interactive's updated user agreements. The mass review bombing occurred back in May, as the series's new EULA was altered and now included mention of data collection. Fans were also concerned over the supposed kernel-level anti-cheat software that is now reportedly being used for the Borderlands series, with many questioning why these games would need such a controversial anti-cheat software, as they are more commonly used for live-service titles such as Call of Duty: Warzone or the upcoming Battlefield 6.
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Gearbox Responds to Borderlands 4 Spyware Concerns
While these EULA changes come from Take-Two Interactive and not Gearbox Software, the latter has once again reiterated that its parent company does not use any form of spyware in its games. In a new post on Steam, Gearbox said, "Take-Two does not use spyware in its games. Take-Two’s Privacy Policy applies to all labels, studios, games, and services across all media and platform types such as console, PC, mobile app, and website. The Privacy Policy identifies the data activities that may be collected but this does not mean that every example is collected in each game or service." The statement also touches upon mods in the Borderlands series, noting that Take-Two does not permit "abusive mods."
Gearbox goes on to state that Take-Two prohibits the use of mods that allow users to gain an unfair advantage in their games, mods that negatively impact the ability of other users to enjoy the game as intended, or allow users to gain access to content that they are not entitled to. The studio does, however, note that Take-Two "generally" does not seek to take action against single-player mods. More often than not, such strict modding conditions usually apply to multiplayer or live service games like Call of Duty in order to stop players from cheating in online matches.
Despite the continued controversy surrounding Take-Two's EULA changes, Borderlands 4 has been a big hit on Steam. In just one hour, the latest entry in the series managed to surpass 148,000 concurrent players on the platform, breaking an all-time record for the Borderlands series. As of writing, Borderlands 4 now holds a concurrent player count record of more than 207,000. Unfortunately, the title does have mixed reviews on the platform, largely due to some performance issues many players seem to be encountering.
Borderlands 4
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
- Released
- September 12, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Gearbox Software
- Publisher(s)
- 2K
