Saber CEO Confirms Trailer 'Dig' at Gearbox's Randy Pitchford, Calls It Payback for Borderlands 4 Jabs at Embracer

A simmering feud between two prominent video game industry CEOs has spilled into the public eye, thanks to a trailer for the upcoming taxi sim Rideshare Stimulator. The trailer is packed with sly references to Randy Pitchford, the head of Gearbox Studios, and an infamous USB stick incident involving adult content. Now, Saber Interactive's boss Matt Karch has confirmed these were deliberate jabs at Pitchford, as retaliation for what he sees as digs at Embracer in Borderlands 4. Embracer was formerly the parent company of both Gearbox and Saber, with Karch having served on its board.

"The dig is because Randy took shots at Embracer in Borderlands 4," Karch told Game File. "Without Embracer, Randy is performing magic tricks at birthday parties for a living."

The alleged shots at Embracer likely refer to an in-game location in Borderlands 4, aptly named 'Embracer's Bluff.' A Kotaku report previously highlighted this apparent joke at Embracer's expense, noting the area features a massive garbage pile, an AI-powered talking toilet, and a king mayor lounging in a bathtub.

Meanwhile, Karch's trailer for Rideshare Stimulator includes several nods to Pitchford, Gearbox, and that notorious USB drive. A voiceover quips, "When I think I've met the randiest of passengers, someone even stranger gets in," followed by a shot of a car with a Texas license plate reading 'USB DRV' and a gear-shaped icon. 'USB DRV' is an obvious reference to the USB stick, while Gearbox is based in Texas. Another line says, "Take a ride in my chariot, and I will take you to my castle," a nod to Pitchford's 2022 purchase of the historic Magic Castle in Hollywood, which he still owns.

Pitchford had previously admitted to leaving a USB drive containing confidential company data and a pornographic video at a Medieval Times restaurant. The drive was eventually returned to Gearbox, and its contents became public knowledge. On the Piff Pod podcast, Pitchford described the video as featuring a 'barely legal' model performing a sex act, which he likened to a 'f***ing magician.' He claimed he had downloaded it to study the performer's technique.

Since then, Gearbox was acquired by Take-Two, parent of GTA and BioShock, while Karch now runs Saber as an independent company. Despite Embracer's failed acquisition spree, Karch has previously defended the company's intentions as well-meaning. "It's amazing to me how fast people forget those who went above and beyond for them," he concluded. Clearly, some things are not easily forgotten.

In August last year, Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged Pitchford's controversial reputation, suggesting some antics might be deliberate, but expressed his admiration. "I love Randy, first of all. Let me just say that on the record," Zelnick told IGN. "And I love his big personality. I love his passion and he is one of the all time great game makers. He also can be controversial at times — sometimes intentionally, sometimes unintentionally. I still love him to death."