Gearbox exec warns that anti-trans laws in Texas could prompt it to expand elsewhere

Texas House of Representatives
(Image credit: Texas House of Represenatives)

David Najjab, the director of institutional partnerships at Borderlands 3 developer Gearbox Software, has warned that the company could consider a move out of Texas if the state continues to pursue legislation targeting trans people.

As reported by NBCDFW, Gearbox joined other companies including Amazon, Dell, HP, IBM, Microsoft, and PayPal to oppose "a resurgence of efforts to exclude transgender youth from full participation in their communities, to criminalize or ban best-practice medical care that is proven to save lives, or to exclude LGBTQ people in a variety of other settings, including accessing healthcare, filling a prescription, or seeking legal representation."

"Such legislation would send a message that is at odds with the Texas we know, and with our own efforts to attract and retain the best talent and to compete for business," an open letter submitted by the business group says. "We will continue to oppose any unnecessary, divisive measures that would damage Texas' reputation and make our customers, our visitors, and our employees and their families feel unwelcome or unsafe."

The letter was written in response to last week's passage of Texas Senate Bill 29, the "Fair Sports for Women and Girls Act," which requires public school students to take part in athletic competitions based on their biological sex at birth.

In testimony before the Texas House of Representatives, Najjab said bills like S29 are bad for the state and could force companies like Gearbox, which was founded in 1999 and based in Frisco, Texas, to look elsewhere for future opportunities.

"Our game company is in competition worldwide. We export more than—we sell more to Asia than we do in the United States. We bring a lot of money into this state, we're headquartered here,” he said. “Don't drive us to where we have to start expanding outside of Texas and outside the country."

Najjab also compared the legislation to “bathroom bill” legislation proposed in numerous states (including Texas) several years ago that would have required trans people to use bathrooms in schools and governments based on the sex assigned to them at birth. "Make no mistake about it, we are risking a return to the bathroom bill days of 2017," he told NBCDFW. "Just like the bathroom bill, we are presented with solutions that are looking for problems."

Gearbox declined to comment further on the likelihood of a move outside of the state, but it wouldn’t be unprecedented: Earlier this month, Major League Baseball moved the 2021 All-Star Game out of Atlanta, Georgia, in response to laws imposing new restrictions on voters in the state.

Andy Chalk
US News Lead

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.

Read more
Spartan armour in Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 director decides to kick off 2025 by wading into a conversation about DEI: 'Make good games, don't make a contemporary political statement'
A screaming mechanised bandit roars a mighty bellow in Borderlands 4.
Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford rants at internet randoms (again), insists we should 'root for' the Borderlands 4 team or 'we'll all pay the price', then whips around and says 'I love criticism'
US President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order during a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. Trump signed an executive action he said would direct officials to create a sovereign wealth fund for the US, following through on an idea he floated during the presidential campaign. Photographer: Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Gaming's largest lobbying group says Trump's tariffs 'would negatively impact hundreds of millions of Americans' and do serious damage to the videogame industry
Lords of the Fallen (2023) promotional image - very large man with a very large hammer on a very large horse charging a very small man with a very small magic sword
Lords of the Fallen publisher embraces fear of the DEI boogeyman, says it will not include 'any social or political agendas' in its games
A woman in gold with a glowing blue visible under flowing white hair
'Borderlands 4 does have some open-world-like features,' says Gearbox, before clarifying it isn't an open world game 'in the traditional use of that term'
James Sunderland looks at own face in mirror
After 2024, it feels like the games industry is poised for a vibe shift—or maybe a reckoning
Latest in RPG
kingdom come: deliverance 2 henry looks confused
'Medieval Batman' completes Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 pacifist playthrough with zero kills and 535 knockouts
The Huntress holding a bloody spear.
The biggest update since Path of Exile 2's early access launch is coming next week, bringing a new class and a bunch of endgame changes
Key art for the Ranger class in Path of Exile 2
Path of Exile 2 director isn't worried about ARPG competition, in part thanks to seasons: 'So long as people are willing to come back and play our game for a month four times a year, then I'm good'
Wuk Lamat, a character in Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail, stares in an unimpressed manner.
'I can't really say what they were thinking' says whistleblowing modder, as Final Fantasy 14's attempt to thwart stalkers falls terribly short of the mark
Raidou Kuzonoha and pals, looking like they've about to drop the most fire single of the 1930s
Raidou Remastered is finally bringing the historical Shin Megami Tensei supernatural sleuth spinoff to PC this June
Greedfall 2
Greedfall 2 aims to turn around a disastrous early access launch with a combat overhaul and a big new boat
Latest in News
The titular character from Princess Mononoke is depicted riding the wolf goddess Moro and carrying a spear.
Studio Ghibli AI image trend floods social media, cheered on by OpenAI and denounced by critics as an insult to Hayao Miyazaki
Marvel Rivals tier list - Wolverine
Marvel Rivals director says a future patch will reduce the shooter's insatiable hunger for RAM: 'It's a very big problem'
Hogwarts Legacy potions professor holding a potion
An unannounced Hogwarts Legacy expansion and 'definitive edition' have reportedly been cancelled
Story of Seasons - A cahacter in a purple tuxedo stands outside in a town square talking to the player
Story of Seasons is doing another Harvest Moon remake and it might be the best the series has ever looked
Assassin's Creed Shadows change seasons - An upper-body shot of Yasuke looking cheerfully up into the distance.
Assassin's Creed Shadows puts up the 'second highest day-one sales revenue in Assassin's Creed franchise history'
A witch riding a broom sails past a Fish and Chips shop.
Cozy gamers rejoice: Witchbrook finally has a release window, and yes, you can fly around on a broom with your friends