Gearbox Software program has printed an announcement concerning the controversy surrounding adjustments to mum or dad firm Take-Two’s Phrases of Service and fears that many Borderlands video games now include “spyware and adware.”
Revealed directly on Steam, the place outcry has materialized in the type of review-bombing campaigns for all main Borderlands titles, the assertion’s goal is to deal with considerations whereas “sustaining transparency and confidence with the group.” Which means tackling two key speaking factors which have taken over the Borderlands fanbase for months, together with fears of spyware and adware and modding crackdowns.
Gearbox makes its stance clear from the get-go: “Take-Two doesn’t use spyware and adware in its video games.” Whereas there are cases knowledge might be collected, Gearbox doesn’t need gamers to worry that their personal data is at all times up for grabs.
“Take-Two identifies these practices in its Privateness Coverage to offer transparency to gamers and adjust to its authorized obligations,” Gearbox’s Steam assertion says. “Take-Two collects this data to ship its companies to gamers, together with to guard the sport atmosphere and participant expertise. You possibly can learn extra about this in the Privateness Coverage.”
The assertion continues: “For instance, participant and system identifiers are collected in half to make sure the sport is suitable with every participant’s media, platform or web site browser sort. It permits us to raised perceive how gamers play video games, and to personalize the consumer expertise (like having usernames present up!). Account credentials are collected from customers who select to create accounts with Take-Two and its labels.”
It’s unclear if Gearbox’s clarification of Take-Two’s Phrases of Service might be sufficient to calm those that took up arms after the settlement was altered again in February. In the meantime, the studio’s clarification for its stance on the modding scene is pretty simple.
“Take-Two’s Phrases of Service prohibit mods that permit customers to achieve an unfair benefit, negatively impression the power of different customers to benefit from the sport as meant, or permit customers to achieve entry to content material that the consumer shouldn’t be entitled to,” the assertion clarifies. “We do that to guard the integrity of the sport expertise for all customers.”
It is a direct response to fears that the modding group might face repercussions for any form of modding exercise, as Gearbox says Take-Two’s main concern lies with cheaters who might dampen the expertise for different gamers. The assertion goes as far as to say Gearbox’s mum or dad firm “typically doesn’t search to take motion in opposition to mods which can be single-player solely, non-commercial, and respect the mental property (IP) rights of its labels and third events.”
Uproar started round Might of this yr when followers caught wind that Take-Two had up to date its phrases of service, affecting lots of its current titles. Rumor that the corporate was preying on consumer knowledge rapidly caught hearth, ensuing in a motion that noticed the Latest Evaluations sections for Borderlands 1, Borderlands 2, and Borderlands 3 tank into the “Largely Detrimental” and “Overwhelmingly Detrimental” zones. Whereas considerations subsided for the again half of Might, fears kicked up as soon as once more when Borderlands 2 was made free to maintain (for a restricted time) on June 5.
For now, the Borderlands collection’ Latest Evaluations on Steam stay firmly in the crimson. In the meantime, Gearbox is working to ship Borderlands 4 this September. You possibly can take a look at the newest information as nicely as a little bit of gameplay by studying up on every little thing introduced at its April 2025 State of Play presentation.
Michael Cripe is a contract contributor with IGN. He is finest recognized for his work at websites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. You should definitely give him a observe on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).