With the release of Borderlands 2, Gearbox has proclaimed my heart and soul as their own. That is about as far as this article will get into the awesome series known as Borderlands, though. The reason this article exists is not only because they know how to treat a game; they know how to treat their fans. Don't believe me? Let's take a look.
On Sunday, 2K and Gearbox held their Gearbox Community Day 2012, and it was all about Borderlands 2. Twitch.tv had a live broadcast of the event at this link, and even though all the details may be old news, it still might be worth watching. The whole thing was a blast to watch, even a couple days late, but there was one thing in particular I urge you to watch. As someone who is an aspiring Game Designer/Developer, Developer Panels are nothing short of a godsend. You get to hear straight from the people who make the products that people like me live by. This was different, though.
Gearbox is probably know for their Commander-in-Chief Randy Pitchford just as much as they are known for their games, and that is not a bad thing. In recent years, his presence has been felt more and more in the community, with the release of the original Borderlands, Duke Nukem Forever, and so forth. Borderlands 2 has brought out a giddy and excited side of Randy that people may not be familiar with, but we certainly welcome it with open arms. He is always so eager to talk about this game, and even more so excited to give out small previews and hints at stuff the company hasn't talked about before. So when he gets asked a question, you want to listen, as everyone in the room at the panel did when they opened up for Q&A. The first question, and it's heartfelt response, are something I will never forget.
If you aren't aware of Gearbox's love for their community, I believe a small back story is required. Clap-Trap, arguably the craziest and most memorable characters in the Borderlands series, has been known to be found celebrating the new life of Ben and Tora, or celebrating the life of a lost community member, Michael John Mamaril. Both occasions show how the game has touched all of their fans, and how Gearbox lives for their community. If you haven't seen these videos, I urge you to watch them before watching the Q&A section of the panel.
Starting at the 2:46:40 mark, things get emotional. A fan asks the panel why do they bother with all their fans, because it's not something common for game companies. Randy takes over, and you can feel the happiness in pain as he replies. I'll give you a couple minutes to watch.
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Done? How often do you hear that? Never, really, and I applaud and respect Gearbox for taking the industry in the right direction, even if not many developers have followed suit. Going back to the answer Randy gave, you can see how his voice and the look on his face looks like he is about to breakdown. We need more developers like this. This is what it is all about.
In the time leading u to the release for Borderlands2, I urge you to read this so that when you play the game, you can understand the heart and soul that these people pour into the game. Do it.
Leave your comments, concerns, and suggestions for future topics in the comment section below, and as always, thanks for reading, stay tuned, and stay sweet! :)
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