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Subscribe from just £3 Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love Try a single issue or save on a subscription Issues delivered straight to your door or device From£9.99Subscribe now SDCC 2025 schedule The Fantastic Four: First Steps Switch 2 Starter Pack Recommended reading Borderlands Borderlands 4 boss confirms "there will be a download, even for physical copies" on Switch 2, which will "mostly" run at 30 FPS "with some dips" Borderlands Gearbox's Randy Pitchford says "sometimes we're white-knuckling to the landing," but with Borderlands 4 they've never "been in a better spot this far from launch" Borderlands Borderlands 4 sets Switch 2 release date for October, Gearbox's Randy Pitchford decrees from a literal throne as he calls Nintendo's new console a "fricking awesome platform" Borderlands Borderlands 4 is getting "a TON of awesome DLC," including "a range of free and paid updates," according to Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford, who continues to be "stoked" that the game is only $70 Borderlands Borderlands 4 is releasing over a week earlier than expected because "the game is awesome, the team is cooking," and its own dedicated State of Play is coming up "imminently" Open World Games Death Stranding 2: On the Beach has gone gold, so Hideo Kojima can finally work on the several other projects he's announced Borderlands GTA 6 has nothing to do with Borderlands 4's new release date, as Gearbox CEO insists it's "100% the result of confidence," not "any other product's actual or theoretical launch date" Action RPGs Borderlands Borderlands 4 Gearbox's Randy Pitchford celebrates Borderlands 4 going gold by explaining what that means: "The moment we're done is about as monumental as anything we experience in our lives" Jordan Gerblick 24 July 2025 This has real "back in my day" energy When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Sony/Gearbox) Borderlands 4 has officially gone gold, Gearbox has announced, and just in case you don't know exactly what that means, let studio head Randy Pitchford put his reading glasses on, lean back in his creaky wooden rocking chair, and tell you the origin story behind the phrase. Alternatively, if you're short on time, I can just tell you real quick: it means the game's done, theoretically anyway. These days, developers continue working on games up to and through release, fixing bugs and working on future content releases. But, essentially, it means Gearbox has a master copy of the game that's, again theoretically, ready for launch. Back in the days of the disc, though, things were different. "For videogame development, where a lot of emotion and creativity from a group of hardcore devs working together on a team, the moment we're done is about as monumental as anything we experience in our lives," Pitchford said, prefacing a tweet thread with some insights into the process of securing that coveted gold certification clearing the way for launch. "So, when is the exact *moment* that a video game is 'done'?" You may like Borderlands 4 boss confirms "there will be a download, even for physical copies" on Switch 2, which will "mostly" run at 30 FPS "with some dips" Gearbox's Randy Pitchford says "sometimes we're white-knuckling to the landing," but with Borderlands 4 they've never "been in a better spot this far from launch" Borderlands 4 sets Switch 2 release date for October, Gearbox's Randy Pitchford decrees from a literal throne as he calls Nintendo's new console a "fricking awesome platform" As Pitchford explained, back when games were still only released on physical discs and sold in stores, but recent enough that information largely traveled via the internet instead of magazines and retail endcaps, devs would send those physical discs often by mail to press, tech companies, and most importantly, first-party hardware companies like PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo for certification. "When we were ready, we'd submit a build of the game as a candidate to be the 'final' version," Pitchford said. "The 1st party would receive the game and make master discs that they would run through their tests and, hopefully, approve it for licensing and manufacturing. We are GOLD, baby!!! 🔥📀🔥Sep. 12... we're coming for you! pic.twitter.com/IGgkn0G8w7July 24, 2025 "When the first parties approved the build, they would create a new master copy of that software to be sent to the physical media manufacturer to be replicated onto the discs that would be packaged and sold to customers," Pitchford said. "Those master discs were literally gold colored." So there you have it. In case you hadn't already heard the origin story a thousand times, the phrase "gone gold" is from back in the day when there were actual gold-colored discs. Thanks, Randy. Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. "Today, the process doesn't involve burning builds onto gold colored discs the way it once did," he added. "But, we still use the term 'gone gold' to describe the *moment* the game is finished. Today 'Gone Gold' means that the video game has been approved for launch on all platforms." Borderlands 4 boss confirms "there will be a download, even for physical copies" on Switch 2, which will "mostly" run at 30 FPS "with some dips" See more Nintendo Switch 2 News Gearbox Software Nintendo Switch 2 Xbox Series X PlayStation Jordan Gerblick Social Links Navigation After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Borderlands 4 boss confirms "there will be a download, even for physical copies" on Switch 2, which will "mostly" run at 30 FPS "with some dips" Gearbox's Randy Pitchford says "sometimes we're white-knuckling to the landing," but with Borderlands 4 they've never "been in a better spot this far from launch" Borderlands 4 sets Switch 2 release date for October, Gearbox's Randy Pitchford decrees from a literal throne as he calls Nintendo's new console a "fricking awesome platform" Borderlands 4 is getting "a TON of awesome DLC," including "a range of free and paid updates," according to Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford, who continues to be "stoked" that the game is only $70 Borderlands 4 is releasing over a week earlier than expected because "the game is awesome, the team is cooking," and its own dedicated State of Play is coming up "imminently" Death Stranding 2: On the Beach has gone gold, so Hideo Kojima can finally work on the several other projects he's announced Latest in Borderlands "The meme is over": Borderlands 4 fans sigh in relief as Gearbox puts out a trailer that isn't for Vex, showing off series throwback Rafa, who might be the best melee Vault Hunter ever made Borderlands 4 boss confirms "there will be a download, even for physical copies" on Switch 2, which will "mostly" run at 30 FPS "with some dips" Borderlands 4 sets Switch 2 release date for October, Gearbox's Randy Pitchford decrees from a literal throne as he calls Nintendo's new console a "fricking awesome platform" Borderlands 4 devs say designing their dark interpretation of the Siren "was development hell," but now her look is "the chef's kiss to her action skills" Randy Pitchford tells Borderlands 4 fans to "quit clutching your pearls" after teasing they may "never see any" of the game's collectible bobbleheads while simultaneously revealing a full map of them Gearbox reveals a surprising series first coming in Borderlands 4: Vex is the first playable Siren to "focus specifically on kinetic damage," which is great news for lifesteal lovers like me Latest in News Fantastic Four may fall just short of James Gunn's Superman reboot's opening weekend, but it's on track to make more than the 2015 FF movie did in its whole theatrical run Invincible VS reveals a brutal new trailer focused on Battle Beast "This is another attack on physical media": Watchdog group finds that Super Mario Bros Wonder is suddenly unplayable on Switch 2 without an online update Alien: Earth is reportedly hoped to be the next Game of Thrones or The Last of Us-scale event show, and may have cost more than $250m to make Invincible writer confirms The Americans star's mystery character with an exciting first look – and no, he's not voicing Thragg MMO adds a giant crab that does nothing, players say "hell yeah" and all but worship it while coming up with cute crab names like Gemma: "Been smacking this crab all day while working, good update 10/10" GAME REVIEWS MOVIE REVIEWS Wheel World review: "By merging Burnout Paradise and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild with pedal power, Wheel World arrives somewhere unusual and worth visiting" Wuchang: Fallen Feathers review: "Flashy combos are impressive, but boss battle frustrations get in the way of me actually using them" Donkey Kong Bananza Review: "Destruction isn't just a flashy gimmick for the Minecraft generation, it's one of the best inventions Nintendo has had in years" Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 review: "A nostalgic, must-play hit for fans" College Football 26 review: “Thanks to rivalries and dynasty, this is the greatest show on turf” The Fantastic Four: First Steps review: "An occasionally thrilling heroic adventure that sits safely within a B-tier MCU range" Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU" Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber" M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion" 28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy” Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever" Ironheart review: "A relic of Marvel's content-at-all-costs era" Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date" Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling" Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision GamesRadar+ is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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