Gearbox Releases Statement Concerning Physical Assault Allegations Against Randy Pitchford

The last couple of weeks have seen Borderlands embroiled in controversy. Most contentious is the ongoing drama surrounding the absence of Claptrap voice actor, David Eddings, in Borderlands 3. Eddings told curious fans he departed the role after not receiving fair pay from Gearbox Software. Following studio CEO Randy Pitchford’s response to the claim, in which Pitchford called Eddings “disgruntled,” the former Gearbox employee expanded upon the reason for his exit. Not only did Gearbox fail to offer him fair compensation, Eddings also alleges that Pitchford “physically assaulted” him in a hotel lobby during GDC 2017. The studio has released an official statement on the matter.

Gearbox Software addressed Eddings’ allegations in a recent statement to PC Gamer. The company’s full statement reads as follows:

Gearbox takes any and all claims of this nature very seriously and we will abstain from commenting on the allegations Dave is making because it is a personnel matter. We appreciate David’s contributions to the Borderlands franchise and have continued to assert we would welcome him back into the mix as the voice of Claptrap and other future opportunities.

Whether or not an internal investigation into the allegations will be launched by Gearbox is not currently known to the public. Additionally, Randy Pitchford’s thoughts concerning Eddings’ latest accusations are being kept under wraps. At the time of writing, the Gearbox CEO has yet to publicly speak on the former employee’s most recent claims.

Gearbox recently hosted a Borderlands 3 gameplay reveal event, showing off gameplay, new Vault Hunters, and expansive locations beyond the confines of Pandora. From the looks of things, this is shaping up to be the most dynamic installment in the series yet. The franchise’s newest entry will launch later this year on September 13th for the PlayStation 4, PC, and Xbox One.

[Source: Gearbox Software via PC Gamer]