Former Claptrap Actor on Alleged Physical Assault by Gearbox CEO: "I Believe I Caught Him in a Deception"
Former Borderland's voice actor reveals what exactly went down between him and CEO Randy Pitchford.
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The news cycle for Borderlands 3 has been taken over by Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford's social media presence. This culminated in the voice actor for Borderlands' Claptrap, and former Gearbox VP, revealing that he was physically assaulted by Pitchford before leaving the company. In a new interview David Eddings reveals exactly what happened during the assault.
The incident began when Eddings was asked if he would be returning to voice Claptrap in Borderlands 3. Eddings voiced the character while serving as vice president of business development at Gearbox, and the company has a policy that allows employees to voice characters if they wish.
Eddings revealed that he would not because of a payment dispute. This led to a war of words with Pitchford who called Eddings "bitter and disgruntled" for his termination at Gearbox, and that he was offered ample compensation to return for Borderlands 3. Upon hearing this, Eddings revealed that he didn't ask for more money, just backpay for royalties he felt were owed as well as a personal apology for what he says was a physical assault on his person by Pitchford at GDC 2017.
Speaking with Newsweek, Eddings revealed what exactly happened in the San Francisco Marriott Marquis hotel in 2017. According to Eddings, he was approached by two different people who claimed someone named Greg Richardson was asking for a price for Gearbox. Eddings then approached Pitchford about what he heard, without revealing the two sources who came to him with this information.
"Bullshit, who told you?" Pitchford allegedly said when Eddings told him about Richardson. According to the report, Pitchford had worked with Richardson in the past on various business deals. Eddings refused to tell Pitchford who shared with him this information, and it was then that Pitchford shoved Eddings.
"[He] knocked me back four steps... I believe I caught him in a deception," Eddings said. Eddings also provided photos to Newsweek showing bruised ribs following the shove, though USG has not seen these photos.
There were two witnesses, Mario Kroll and Gearbox co-founder Landon Montgomery. Kroll says that while he didn't see the shove, he noted that Pitchford was "visibly angry" and that Eddings was "noticeably upset about what he described as an altercation with his boss."
Montgomery recalls the incident more clearly saying, "David leaned up to whisper something to Randy and out of the blue, Randy shoves him, hard."
Pitchford has not tweeted since Eddings story was first publicized, and Gearbox has abstained from commenting on the "personal matter." This is not Randy Pitchford's first time courting controversy for personal matters, as detailed by USG.
Though it's unclear what actions Gearbox has over its CEO, it appears that Pitchford's social media has landed the company co-founder in some serious trouble. Eddings meanwhile says he's open to returning to voice Claptrap in return for royalties and Pitchford's apology.