--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we shipped 'Borderlands 2,' we…" description: "\"When we shipped 'Borderlands 2,' we didn't ship it with a plan of how the level cap was going to increase. We didn't have any software built or strateg..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/randy-pitchford-8142_borderlands_when-we-shipped-borderlands-2-we-didn-t_1894.jpg" --- # When we shipped 'Borderlands 2,' we didn't ship it with a… ![“When we shipped 'Borderlands 2,' we didn't ship it with a plan of how the level cap was going to increase. We didn't have any software built or strategy in place.” quote by Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/randy-pitchford-8142_borderlands_when-we-shipped-borderlands-2-we-didn-t_1894.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/randy-pitchford-8142_borderlands_when-we-shipped-borderlands-2-we-didn-t_1894.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fa/randy-pitchford-8142_borderlands_when-we-shipped-borderlands-2-we-didn-t_1894.jpg) > “When we shipped 'Borderlands 2,' we didn't ship it with a plan of how the level cap was going to increase. We didn't have any software built or strategy in place.” [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admits that the product launch lacked a predefined progression system, indicating a reactive development approach without foresight for player advancement. **In simple terms:** Launch proceeded without level‑cap roadmap. Key Takeaway Missing foresight leads to ad‑hoc solutions. Themes Game design Product planning Iterative development Risk of Player expectations Mood Critical Pragmatic Candid Type Industry reflection Design critique When to use this quote - Post‑mortem analysis of game releases - Teaching agile development pitfalls - Consulting on roadmap creation Key Concepts Game development Project management Design strategy Practical Applications - Process improvement workshops - Design documentation Questions to Reflect On - How could a clear progression plan have altered the game's reception? - What mechanisms can balance flexibility with strategic planning? A Different Perspective Some argue that emergent design can foster innovation and player-driven evolution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Borderlands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borderlands/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Ship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ship/) [Software](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/software/) [Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) [Video](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/video/) ## Related quotes > [When you think of what 'Borderlands 3' should be, it should be massive. It should be bigger and better than 'Borderlands 2.' It should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/when-you-think-of-what-borderlands-3-should-be-it-should-be-massive/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [One of the things I wish Sony would do is get behind 'Borderlands,' because I'd love to see a Vita version of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/one-of-the-things-i-wish-sony-would-do-is-get-behind-borderlands/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [Borderlands' is a horrific failure if our goal is to entertain the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/borderlands-is-a-horrific-failure-if-our-goal-is-to-entertain-the/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [You can polish and iterate and double down on what the magic was. You can make a much better thing. A much cleaner thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/you-can-polish-and-iterate-and-double-down-on-what-the-magic-was-you/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [Perhaps 'Borderlands' can be a lesson for all of us - that when making a videogame, we should not be afraid to identify gamers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/perhaps-borderlands-can-be-a-lesson-for-all-of-us-that-when-making-a/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [If we look at 'Borderlands,' I can't honestly say that there is anything about how well the game sold that I'm disappointed about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/if-we-look-at-borderlands-i-can-t-honestly-say-that-there-is-anything/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [We decided we were going to do more 'Brothers In Arms,' and we were also going to create something original that no one else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/we-decided-we-were-going-to-do-more-brothers-in-arms-and-we-were-also/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [Why is 'Borderlands' different from every other game with respect to DLC? It's because we haven't really worried about what the past models are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/why-is-borderlands-different-from-every-other-game-with-respect-to/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [Usually when we finish a game and we're at the end, we're sick of it. We want to put it in the box and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/usually-when-we-finish-a-game-and-we-re-at-the-end-we-re-sick-of-it/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [Borderlands' asks you to pick a class, and once you've chosen that character class, you've committed yourself to that game session.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/borderlands-asks-you-to-pick-a-class-and-once-you-ve-chosen-that/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [As successful as 'Borderlands' is and as much fun as everyone is having going after all the loot and finding and using all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/as-successful-as-borderlands-is-and-as-much-fun-as-everyone-is-having/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > ['Borderlands' came out of nowhere to appease the gnawing hunger left behind with the dearth of quality dungeon crawlers on the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/borderlands-came-out-of-nowhere-to-appease-the-gnawing-hunger-left/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“Some of us are always in the borderlands no matter where we might be on the map.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carlos-blake/some-of-us-are-always-in-the-borderlands-no-matter-where-we-might-be/) [James Carlos Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carlos-blake/) > [“And though I had misgiving--obvious ones, too--one overwhelming thing drove me on: on the borderlands, my father would need me as much as I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-geye/and-though-i-had-misgiving-obvious-ones-too-one-overwhelming-thing/) [Peter Geye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-geye/) > [“Turning to the northwest I see the much nearer fires on the hill, like a dwarfish volcano. Vigorous figures mill about the blazes, their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avalon-brantley/turning-to-the-northwest-i-see-the-much-nearer-fires-on-the-hill-like/) Avalon Brantley ## More by Randy Pitchford > [The Dreamcast version of 'Half-Life' is great - it looks better than the original PC version and it's the only way console owners can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/the-dreamcast-version-of-half-life-is-great-it-looks-better-than-the/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [But it's only through joy and happiness that life has any value or purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/but-it-s-only-through-joy-and-happiness-that-life-has-any-value-or/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [If I have something that I've finished with, and someone else might find value in it, the idea of passing along for a price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/if-i-have-something-that-i-ve-finished-with-and-someone-else-might/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [One of the neat things about Gearbox that I love is, we don't look at our designs as a totalitarian regime and we're all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/one-of-the-neat-things-about-gearbox-that-i-love-is-we-don-t-look-at/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [If you're successful, 'Blue Shift' has what many have called the most satisfying 'Half-Life' ending yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/if-you-re-successful-blue-shift-has-what-many-have-called-the-most/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [The hallmarks of the 'Brothers in Arms' series are about authenticity, squad combat, brotherhood between soldiers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/the-hallmarks-of-the-brothers-in-arms-series-are-about-authenticity/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [As successful as 'Borderlands' is and as much fun as everyone is having going after all the loot and finding and using all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/as-successful-as-borderlands-is-and-as-much-fun-as-everyone-is-having/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [Most single player games put a lone character against an army that is just standing around waiting for the player to show up and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/most-single-player-games-put-a-lone-character-against-an-army-that-is/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [Borderlands' asks you to pick a class, and once you've chosen that character class, you've committed yourself to that game session.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/borderlands-asks-you-to-pick-a-class-and-once-you-ve-chosen-that/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [Usually when we finish a game and we're at the end, we're sick of it. We want to put it in the box and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/usually-when-we-finish-a-game-and-we-re-at-the-end-we-re-sick-of-it/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [The sequel to 'Aliens' is not a movie, it's a video game. How cool is that? That's how important our industry has become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/the-sequel-to-aliens-is-not-a-movie-it-s-a-video-game-how-cool-is/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [A mission to entertain the world is a good one because it's impossible to achieve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/a-mission-to-entertain-the-world-is-a-good-one-because-it-s/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [In 'Colonial Marines' you come into the game as a marine, and how you play depends on your equipment and by the choices you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/in-colonial-marines-you-come-into-the-game-as-a-marine-and-how-you/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [If you're going to take a risk, some people will like what you offer, and some definitely won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/if-you-re-going-to-take-a-risk-some-people-will-like-what-you-offer/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [Condition Zero' introduces quite a bit of content and gameplay to 'Counter-Strike' including new weapons, characters, mission types and even new technology to enhance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/condition-zero-introduces-quite-a-bit-of-content-and-gameplay-to/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) [Explore all 84 Randy Pitchford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) ## More Borderlands quotes > [“Turning to the northwest I see the much nearer fires on the hill, like a dwarfish volcano. Vigorous figures mill about the blazes, their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avalon-brantley/turning-to-the-northwest-i-see-the-much-nearer-fires-on-the-hill-like/) Avalon Brantley > [As successful as 'Borderlands' is and as much fun as everyone is having going after all the loot and finding and using all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/as-successful-as-borderlands-is-and-as-much-fun-as-everyone-is-having/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [Borderlands' asks you to pick a class, and once you've chosen that character class, you've committed yourself to that game session.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/borderlands-asks-you-to-pick-a-class-and-once-you-ve-chosen-that/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [Usually when we finish a game and we're at the end, we're sick of it. We want to put it in the box and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/usually-when-we-finish-a-game-and-we-re-at-the-end-we-re-sick-of-it/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [“And though I had misgiving--obvious ones, too--one overwhelming thing drove me on: on the borderlands, my father would need me as much as I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-geye/and-though-i-had-misgiving-obvious-ones-too-one-overwhelming-thing/) [Peter Geye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-geye/) > [“Some of us are always in the borderlands no matter where we might be on the map.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carlos-blake/some-of-us-are-always-in-the-borderlands-no-matter-where-we-might-be/) [James Carlos Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carlos-blake/) > ['Borderlands' came out of nowhere to appease the gnawing hunger left behind with the dearth of quality dungeon crawlers on the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/borderlands-came-out-of-nowhere-to-appease-the-gnawing-hunger-left/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“So the Juárez/El Paso area before the recent drug violence was not a bilingual, bi-national, bicultural Zion, but it was one world. One entity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-troncoso/so-the-ju-rez-el-paso-area-before-the-recent-drug-violence-was-not-a/) [Sergio Troncoso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-troncoso/) > [Why is 'Borderlands' different from every other game with respect to DLC? It's because we haven't really worried about what the past models are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/why-is-borderlands-different-from-every-other-game-with-respect-to/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [“The borderlands of madness used to have much sterner signage around them than they do now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hartman/the-borderlands-of-madness-used-to-have-much-sterner-signage-around/) [Rachel Hartman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hartman/) > [We decided we were going to do more 'Brothers In Arms,' and we were also going to create something original that no one else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/we-decided-we-were-going-to-do-more-brothers-in-arms-and-we-were-also/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [If we look at 'Borderlands,' I can't honestly say that there is anything about how well the game sold that I'm disappointed about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/if-we-look-at-borderlands-i-can-t-honestly-say-that-there-is-anything/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [Perhaps 'Borderlands' can be a lesson for all of us - that when making a videogame, we should not be afraid to identify gamers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/perhaps-borderlands-can-be-a-lesson-for-all-of-us-that-when-making-a/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [You can polish and iterate and double down on what the magic was. You can make a much better thing. A much cleaner thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/you-can-polish-and-iterate-and-double-down-on-what-the-magic-was-you/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [Borderlands' is a horrific failure if our goal is to entertain the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/borderlands-is-a-horrific-failure-if-our-goal-is-to-entertain-the/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) [Browse all 24 Borderlands quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borderlands/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When we shipped 'Borderlands 2,' we didn't ship it with a plan of how the level cap was going to increase. 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