Gearbox Tries to Rebuild Trust as Borderlands Faces Review Bombs Over ‘Spyware’ Concerns

The Borderlands franchise is once again in hot water – not for bugs or loot issues, but for something deeper: trust. Following a wave of review-bombing campaigns on Steam, sparked by changes in Take-Two’s Terms of Service, Gearbox Software has stepped in with a public statement denying any use of ‘spyware’ in its games. But for many fans, words aren’t enough.

The core concern centers on Take-Two’s revised EULA, which, according to critics, opens the door for excessive data collection. Gearbox insists this is simply a misunderstanding. The studio claims that player and device identifiers are collected to improve user experience, personalize content (like usernames showing up properly), and ensure compatibility with hardware – not to snoop on your personal data. All of this, it argues, is disclosed in Take-Two’s Privacy Policy.

“Take-Two does not use spyware,” Gearbox states unequivocally. But skepticism runs deep. Recent controversies with companies like Unity and Adobe have conditioned players to treat PR statements with suspicion. After all, it’s not the press release that’s legally binding – it’s the Terms of Service, and those now look very different than they did earlier this year.

Another flashpoint is the fate of modding. Gearbox insists the rules only target mods that give players unfair advantages or infringe on content rights. “Single-player mods that don’t impact multiplayer and respect IP rights are generally fine,” the company says. But critics ask: why even mention it in a TOS if you’re not planning on enforcing it? Especially in a primarily single-player/co-op game like Borderlands?

This backlash gained momentum in May after Take-Two updated its TOS. Things flared up again in June when Borderlands 2 was temporarily free on Steam – a move many viewed as suspiciously timed. The Recent Reviews section for several titles in the franchise plummeted into negative territory, with fans accusing the publisher of underhanded tactics and intrusive policies.

Unfortunately, Gearbox’s attempts at transparency come against a backdrop of mistrust. From past scandals involving leadership to ongoing corporate trends around monetization and data collection, fans aren’t just upset about this incident – they’re exhausted. Gearbox and Take-Two may not be using spyware, but they’re certainly being watched very closely.

As Borderlands 4 approaches its release this September, rebuilding that trust will be as important as anything shown in a gameplay trailer.