In the latest edition of “What’s Randy Pitchford gone and done this time?” the outspoken Gearbox CEO fired back at the original Claptrap voice actor, David Eddings, who last week stated that he would have returned to the role, had Gearbox been willing to pay for his time.
Pitchford rightly pointed out that while Eddings was Vice President at Gearbox he would have been paid as a salaried employee, before calling him “bitter and disgruntled” and claiming that they offered him double the standard union rates to return for Borderlands 3.
Mr. Eddings was paid very handsomely during his employment. After his employment he was made a relatively generous offer to reprise the role. Unfortunately, he turned that opportunity down.
— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) 3 May 2019
In response, Eddings aired some of the past grievances that led to him leaving Gearbox back in 2017, claiming that Pitchford assaulted him at GDC 2017 and bringing up the previous allegations from the company’s former general counsel Wade Callender that Pitchford hid a $12 million bonus from 2K that should have gone to employees.
I ultimately offered to do it for “free” in exchange for past royalties owed plus an apology for something I’ve never spoken about publicly until now: Randy physically assaulted me in the lobby of the Marriott Marquis at GDC 2017.
— David Eddings (@davideddings) May 7, 2019
It's nice not feeling the need to spot any sleight of hand these days or wonder if the card was chosen or forced. I'm happy to be free from the half-truths and full-on deceptions. And thankful to no longer hear people referred to as "muggles" like a con-man refers to a "mark".
— David Eddings (@davideddings) May 7, 2019
2K says they won't give a statement regarding an ongoing lawsuit but if the allegation is false then it sure seems a lot easier to just deny it since that's the only reason they're mentioned. The whole thing stinks.
— David Eddings (@davideddings) May 7, 2019
All things told, this particular dispute seems to be fairly event. Eddings’ initial tweets implied that Gearbox simply didn’t want to pay him to return, when in fact he wanted a different pay agreement in order to help brush aside their historical grievances. You can’t help but feel that the initial mischaracterisation held a hint of revenge for Eddings.
While that $12 million case is ongoing, it’s another reminder of all the weird and shady dealing that Pitchford has been accused of over the past few years. From siphoning money away from and outsourcing work on Aliens: Colonial Marines to fund Borderlands’ development, to leaving a USB stick with pornography on it at a restaurant. Pitchford claimed he was researching a magic trick and that the model was over the age of 18, contradicting the allegations that she was underage.
While reactions to Borderlands 3 have been very positive – a testament to the hard work of the developers at Gearbox – its announcement and gameplay reveal have been largely overshadowed by all the negative publicity that PItchford has managed to stir up including Epic Game Store exclusivity, ridiculous confusion over if it has microtransactions or not, whether or not they asked Troy Baker to reprise his role as Rhys, and now this. At this point someone should probably come and take his phone off him.
Source: Twitter
