Gearbox Software program is gifting away Borderlands 2 totally free on Steam, however some followers are warning others to avoid the collection due to a current controversy surrounding its phrases of service.
The studio behind the looter-shooter collection stunned PC players with the free supply in the present day, permitting all Steam customers to add the sequel to their libraries totally free. It’s a freebie that grants entry to the 2012 title at no further price, however as many share their pleasure on-line, Borderlands 2 Steam reviews are telling a completely different story.
Whereas the All Evaluations part boasts a “Very Optimistic” ranking on Steam with greater than 287,000 person evaluations, the greater than 3,300 Recent Evaluations have the second Borderlands recreation’s reactions labeled “Principally Unfavorable.” The downward development started round Could 20, 2025, with a significantly giant motion of adverse responses filling its evaluations part in the present day.
This spike in adverse Borderlands 2 evaluations comes not from a gameplay replace or troubled servers however as an alternative key adjustments Gearbox mum or dad firm Take-Two Interactive made to its Terms of Service in February of this yr. Gamers are utilizing their evaluations to level to a few subjects, together with considerations the end-user license settlement (EULA) condemns the use of mods, cheats, and VPNs. Nonetheless, the main concern being echoed throughout social media channels relates to fears Take-Two, 2K Video games, and Gearbox are harvesting information and personal info.
“One in every of the finest video games ever made. I can’t suggest it to anybody proper now due to the writer including spy ware into an up to date EULA that you’ve to settle for to launch it,” one popular review from Steam user RyeTheTactician says. “It is known as compelled arbitration and it is certainly one of the scummiest issues shady individuals need to normalize. I can’t change it to a constructive assessment till that is fastened, too unhealthy, I had enjoyable will all the Borderlands video games in a number of gadgets, however will in all probability not play this or [Borderlands 4] for a very long time.”
Another complaint working its manner to the high of the dialog includes the wider thought of a writer altering the phrases of service for a recreation that launched practically 13 years in the past. Some have gone so far as to ask for refund choices if they want to decline the up to date doc’s situations. Others are additionally highlighting Borderlands 2’s standing as a comparatively informal online game with a focus on single-player and co-op expertise. The concept is that, with out a substantial, aggressive multiplayer element, there ought to be no purpose for Take-Two to worry how cheaters could influence the expertise of the common Borderlands participant.
Persons are review-bombing the Borderlands video games as a result of Gearbox/2K made EULA adjustments
Appears like individuals are assessment bombing the complete **Borderlands** collection as a result of Gearbox/2K made EULA adjustments that may apparently acquire root-level entry to your machine beneath the guise of… pic.twitter.com/fZwAoSr9wo
— Pirat_Nation 🔴 (@Pirat_Nation) May 20, 2025
Take-Two’s phrases of service replace may be discovered when booting up different 2K titles, together with the unique Borderlands and Borderlands 3, that are presently on sale for $9.89 and $3.99, respectively, on Steam. Every title has acquired a completely different stage of assessment bombing, with practically all customers pointing to the EULA as the trigger behind their freshly added thumbs-down ranking. There’s even a specific list of grievances being copy-pasted throughout the Steam evaluations part for every recreation, which incorporates considerations that Take-Two is benefiting from delicate info comparable to names, electronic mail addresses, IP addresses, billing particulars, cellphone numbers, and extra.
“Altering the ToS and turning video games into spy ware after which providing the recreation totally free so as to then steal information from unknowing individuals is fairly daring,” Steam user =SilvioHammer= alleges.
Many have used their evaluations to particularly name out Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford, who tried to tackle privateness fears with a put up on X/Twitter final week. When one fan said the EULA replace had “primarily turned each Borderlands recreation into spy ware with entry to all of our info,” Pitchford assured PC followers that there are not any software-level adjustments to the Borderlands video games that ought to have gamers fearful about spy ware.
“Nothing has or will change about the software program,” Pitchford stated at the time. “I feel the writer authorized group is protecting their bases, however that has nothing to do with what we’re doing. I can’t change the EULA – that’s determined at the writer stage. However I can guarantee that there isn’t any spy ware in the software program.”
Yeah – people are concerned. It sucks to get brigaded once we’re over right here making good video games. Everybody ought to make their very own choices, although, so if working a protest due to worry over some legal professionals protecting their butts, I assume that’s the world we have now to dwell in.
— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) May 31, 2025
Pitchford’s feedback have been backed by different gamers who really feel the response to the Take-Two’s adjustments is a bit overblown. This contains clarification from some who say the EULA has gone largely unchanged for years, going so far as to say earlier variations of the doc already included a number of of the situations gamers are voicing concern about now. It is unclear how the vital the February adjustments to the phrases of service had been, however overreaction or not, it is clear a vocal portion of the Borderlands neighborhood is now not pleased with what the settlement entails.
“Persons are overreacting for positive,” one Reddit comment says. “The EULA is hardly any completely different than the one earlier than all of it the manner again in 2018. Persons are simply freaking out now as a result of some clickbaiting content material creator advised them to.”
It’s presently unclear if Take-Two will replace its phrases of service in any manner that might alleviate privateness considerations or the criticism associated to mod help. For many who choose up Borderlands 2, which is obtainable to personal totally free till June 8 at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET, the phrases of service settlement in query pops up if you boot up the recreation for the first time. Those that decline it could actually proceed to get pleasure from the expertise however solely whereas taking part in offline.
The up to date phrases of service will seemingly want to be accepted so as to play Gearbox’s Borderlands 4 on-line as properly. It’s set to launch September 12, 2025, for PC through the Epic Video games Retailer, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Collection X | S. A Nintendo Change 2 model will launch at a later date. You may try all of the newest gameplay particulars revealed as a part of a Borderlands 4-focused State of Play right here.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He is finest identified for his work at websites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Make certain to give him a observe on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).