While the next Borderlands game remains officially unannounced, we do know a new entry in the series is coming. Gearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford apparently doubled down on this today, saying on Twitter that the "next Borderlands game" may include a sentient flamethrower with flavour text written by none other than billionaire investor and businessman Elon Musk.

After Musk tweeted today about a sentient flamethrower and cryptocurrency and safe words, Pitchford asked Musk if he could add this to the "next Borderlands game." Musk said he's cool with it, and that's that, apparently. The flamethrower in question here is Musk's $500 flamethrower that we recently learned is a real thing that you can buy.

When the zombie apocalypse happens, you’ll be glad you bought a flamethrower. Works against hordes of the undead or your money back! — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 28, 2018

Obviously, a flamethrower is a super terrible idea. Definitely don’t buy one. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 28, 2018

Bear in mind that even though Pitchford said he is "super serious" about this, it could still be a joke. We'll have to wait to find out. As for t the real flamethrower, here's what it looks like in real life:

A post shared by Elon Musk (@elonmusk) on Jan 27, 2018 at 5:29pm PST

In 2016, Pitchford confirmed that a new Borderlands was in development, though it won't necessarily be called Borderlands 3. At GDC the next year, Pitchford showed off a tech demo for development techniques that could be used in a future game--like a new Borderlands game. In September 2017, Pitchford teased a new Borderlands again, telling an audience at PAX West that around 90 percent of the company's production staff are "working on the thing I think most of you guys want us to be working on."

Take-Two Interactive, which owns Borderlands publisher 2K Games, said that a "highly anticipated new title from one of 2K's biggest franchises" is due out in fiscal 2019. That could be a reference to a new Borderlands title. Whatever the case, Take-Two's fiscal 2019 runs April 2018 through March 2019, so that's when you might be able to expect the next Borderlands game. Maybe.

In 2017, Gearbox quietly announced a new shooter called Project 1v1, a first-person shooter with a twist. The developer also continues to support its hero shooter Battleborn, though given that the game underperformed, it remains to be seen what its future will be.