According to Gearbox, Battleborn is the largest investment that has been made in a video game so far. Will these expenses pay off?
Battleborn employs 80% of the studio
With the upcoming hero shooter “Battleborn” from the creators of Borderlands, Gearbox has high hopes for the title. In an interview with Polygon, the studio’s CEO, Randy Pitchford, shared just how high the expectations really are.
Since Borderlands 1 and 2 were quite large successes, one can imagine the pressure on Battleborn when it is stated: “We invested more in Battleborn than in Borderlands 1 and 2 combined” and adds, “And we don’t even know if people will be interested in it.”
A significant risk, as they claim that 80% of the 300 people at Gearbox headquarters are working on the title, while the rest take care of maintaining other titles or work on design ideas for future games.
However, the developers knew they were working on something “big” when other game studios developed a similar concept (like Blizzard with Overwatch or HiRez with Paladins). “When other people showed up with similar projects, it motivated us. At first, there’s a bit of competition, and that’s a fun challenge. But beyond that, I mean, wow, these people are really clever, and they think this [genre] has a future. Maybe we’re not so crazy after all. Maybe there really is a customer base for this game.”
Nevertheless, Battleborn claims it can stand out from the crowd. A key unique selling point is definitely the extensive campaign that no other game of this type can offer. This goes hand in hand with the exciting story that is promised: After all, Battleborn takes place on the last fertile planet in the galaxy and is therefore driven by all kinds of alien species. This also beautifully hits Pitchford’s wish, where he says:
“I wanted a first-person shooter where I can have a Jedi knight fighting alongside Master Chief while Gandalf stands by their side.”
Battleborn will be released this coming May simultaneously for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
For more information about the game and the individual heroes, you can visit our Battleborn news site.
