Thick Thighs Save Lives
NeoGAF's Physical Games Advocate Extraordinaire
The release of Borderlands in 2009 marked the first step towards Gearbox Software cementing itself as a master of developing hybrid experiences, games capable of artfully blending together otherwise disparate genres. For the cel-shaded, vault-hunting romp, such a blend consisted primarily of first-person shooter mechanics and elements consistent with role-playing games. Borderlands went on to enjoy success beyond Gearbox and its publishing partner’s wildest imaginations. It made sense, then, that the studio similarly combined genres when trying to break ground in the hero shooter space with a brand-new IP, Battleborn.
A fast-paced shooter comprised of a story campaign and competitive multiplayer modes, Battleborn checked several boxes to become equal parts MOBA, first-person shooter, and action-RPG. But in striving to cover a wide gamut of experiences in one, the hero-based FPS title lacked focus. Its immediate competition, Blizzard Entertainment’s Overwatch, suffered from no such lack of discipline, an argument Gearbox President Randy Pitchford readily acknowledged when dissecting why Blizzard’s endeavor overshadowed that of his team.
Pitchford would argue that Battleborn earned the label of failure only because of misguided Overwatch comparisons. To the studio executive, Gearbox’s ambitious new property could have held its own just fine, yet unfavorable circumstances—namely its launch three weeks before Overwatch—robbed it of any real chance of doing as much. Regardless, steep discounts, a dismal player retention rate, and reports of a last-ditch effort to explore free-to-play options followed Battleborn like a plague within months of its debut. Any attempts at driving engagement were met with disinterest, resulting in an unfortunate but predictably quick demise.
This is the tragedy of Battleborn.