Strolling by Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3 display at PAX West, you might notice fans engaged with the Divinity: Original Sin board game. But linger a bit too long, and a chaotic sound catches your attention—like a car crashing through a drive-thru. This noise leads you to the Borderlands 4 Ripper Rage Room, the wackiest marketing stunt at the expo.
Fans of Gearbox’s freewheeling loot shooter crowd around this quirky exhibit. Many wear the game’s iconic Psycho masks as they wait to smash aluminum cans, glass bottles, and other trinkets. Staff members gear them up in vibrant jumpsuits and riot helmets with visors. One by one, they enter a transparent chamber armed with baseball bats to unleash their frustrations.
The noise is startling, even if you expect it. Picture a waiter dropping a tray, sending shockwaves of adrenaline through a restaurant—everyone gasps, the atmosphere shifts, and reality feels upgraded for a moment.
The Ripper Rage Room first appeared during the Borderlands 4 Warped Tour in Los Angeles earlier this summer and is returning for PAX West. But the Seattle expo is different; it features a mix of booths, from PC game giveaways to indie developers trying to grab attention.
Several exhibitors have shared that it must be frustrating for those nearby trying to draw in attendees. For Limited Run Games, located close to the Rage Room, it could mean less time to sell a title like Clock Tower: Rewind on Nintendo Switch, thanks to the SNAP CRACKLE SMASH sounds echoing from the chamber.
Gearbox has mastered the art of PAX. Its expansive Borderlands 4 booth, filled with demo stations and statues of iconic Vault Hunters, is consistently packed. Attendees at larger booths, like Nintendo and Capcom, often grumble about lengthy waiting times and complex lottery systems for demo access to titles like Hollow Knight: Silksong.
Yet, the Ripper Rage Room somehow manages to draw a crowd. People eagerly wait to witness each participant’s expressive chaos, reminding them that they, too, are part of the spectacle. There’s something universally appealing about breaking things—people love it, just as they love watching others do it.
However, the team faces a unique challenge in resetting the Rage Room after each session. Staff rush to stack cans, chairs, and other fragile items in chaotic but strategic ways, preparing for the next round of mayhem. Everyone knows what to expect, yet they wait in anticipation as the next participant enters. It’s a perfect echo of the Borderlands spirit—embracing chaos while waiting for it to unfold anew.
As one expert noted, “Experiences like these tap directly into human emotions, channeling frustration into entertainment.” This idea highlights why our fascination with chaos, and the camaraderie it creates, remains undeniable, especially in a world that often feels ordered and predictable.
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Borderlands 4,Gearbox Entertainment,PAX West 2025
