New Game Trailer Takes a Shot at Randy Pitchford Over Borderlands 4 Joke

Last month, Saber Interactive unveiled the first trailer for its upcoming rideshare game, Rideshare Stimulator. This title seems to blend the chaotic fun of Crazy Taxi with a more realistic taxi simulation, sprinkled with quirky humor and writing. While the visuals look decent, the most intriguing aspect of the trailer is a license plate that flashes briefly, which Saber’s CEO claims is a direct jab at Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford and his notorious USB drive incident.

The trailer for Rideshare Stimulator (yes, it’s Stimulator, not simulator) features a moment around the 63-second mark showcasing an SUV with a Texas license plate. This plate displays the letters “USB,” a gear symbol, and “DRV.”

This isn’t just a coincidence. Gearbox, the studio behind Borderlands, is based in Texas. Back in 2018, Pitchford found himself in a scandal after leaving a USB drive at a Medieval Times restaurant. The drive contained a video he described as “barely legal porn” featuring a woman who was “only 18.” This USB incident became part of a lawsuit against Gearbox filed by the studio’s former lawyer, which was settled in 2019.

The tale of Pitchford’s forgotten USB drive has lingered in the gaming community, often referenced online. According to Saber CEO Matt Karch, Rideshare Stimulator is indeed taking a shot at the USB debacle in its trailer, as a form of retaliation for what he perceives as a dig at Saber and Gearbox’s former parent company, Embracer, found in Borderlands 4. In that game, players can stumble upon a poorly designed area labeled “Embracer’s Bluff,” littered with trash. Karch interpreted this as a jab at Embracer, a company that has garnered disdain from many in the industry, though he has defended it.

“The dig is because Randy took shots at Embracer in Borderlands 4,” Karch explained when asked about the license plate. “Without Embracer, Randy is performing magic tricks at birthday parties for a living.”

Gearbox declined to comment when approached for a response. Neither Take-Two nor Gearbox has confirmed whether the Borderlands 4 location was indeed a shot at Embracer.

As part of Embracer’s ambitious and controversial strategy to become a major publisher, the company acquired several studios, including Saber in 2020 and Gearbox in 2021. However, by late 2023, after a significant deal fell through, both studios were sold as Embracer faced turmoil. At one point, they were corporate siblings.

Pitchford has openly criticized Gearbox’s former parent company, even suggesting that the narrative of Borderlands 4, which features a powerful maniac controlling everyone on a planet, was inspired by the studio’s experiences under Embracer.

“It’s amazing to me how fast people forget those who went above and beyond for them,” Karch remarked.