Gearbox CEO: Risk-Taking Is Essential

Borderlands developer Gearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford has yet again shared his thoughts on risk-taking in the video game industry. In a new interview, he says risk-taking is not something to be avoided.

Rather, it's essential.

"I believe that not taking a risk is probably the biggest risk of all, so betting big just goes with the territory for AAA," Pitchford told GamesIndustry International. "We've had some financial disasters as well as incredible financial success in our past. We seem to be batting a thousand when we do original things, so there may be a bias there."

Pitchford and his team are trying something new with their MOBA-esque shooter Battleborn, which is in development for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. He goes on to say that trying new things is no walk in the park; getting something new to be noticed can be a major undertaking--but it's worth doing.

"I think the challenge with offering new things is the same as it ever was," he said. "Before we launched Borderlands, it felt impossible to get any attention. Now in hindsight it is extremely successful and yet most random non-gamers haven't ever heard of it. It's always a challenge to break through, but it is a thrill to try!"

Battleborn is scheduled to launch during 2K Games parent company Take-Two's fiscal 2016, meaning it should arrive before April 2016.

Gearbox previously described Battleborn as the "most ambitious" game the studio has ever made. The Texas-based developer is perhaps best known for the Borderlands series, but it also created the Brothers in Arms franchise and has worked on various entries in the Halo, Half-Life, and Duke Nukem series.