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Gearbox Turned Down An Offer To Develop A Call Of Duty

by Tim Turi on January 11, 2013 at 04:11 PM

37,186 Views

129

According to an interview German gaming outlet KGN had with Gearbox’s CEO Randy Pitchford, the team was approached to develop a Call of Duty game and declined. According to Pitchford, making the game wouldn’t have been a “significant challenge.”

The translation below doesn't come from Google's spotty translator, but rather from Neogaf user shinobi602's forum post.

"I don’t think there’s anything to accomplish there,” says Pitchford. “I think if I was only in it for the money I would’ve done that.[...] I think to do Call of Duty right you need to do what needs to be done and there are a lot of people who can do that. For us it wouldn’t add to our credibility, it wouldn’t move us forward. There would be no significant challenge that would be gratifying to overcome."

Do you think Pitchford’s stance on the Call of Duty franchise is fair? What do you think a Gearbox-developed Call of Duty game would be like?

Source: KGN [via Neogaf]

Email the author Tim Turi, or follow on Twitter, and Game Informer.

Filed under: Gearbox, Activision, call of duty, borderlands

Comments

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by echin3889 Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:14 PM

but you guys could have been the ones to reinvent the franchise
by Wiseguy43 Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:16 PM

Yes, he did.
by For-402 Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:16 PM

I have to say that they could have made more interesting changes to it, rather than feeling like the same game every year.
by Blitzkrieg1904 Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:17 PM

I respect this company so much more now. Thats amazing to see that not everyone just wants a cash in.
by XArcanumOrderX Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:17 PM

put that in your pipe cod
by THX-1138 Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:18 PM

This is why I love him and his passion about games. Yes I think they could've done things never thought of for the franchise, like brothers in arms play style. But the right move was to pass. That in itself gives him and gearbox credibility
by dafydd77 Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:19 PM

I think this was probably a good move for Gearbox, sure they could have reinvented the series a bit, but I wouldn't want the company to turn into one of those "we only make Call of Duty" companies.
by フェンリル --: Fenrir :-- Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:19 PM

I knew there was a reason why I liked Gearbox...

Oh yeah. They're awesome devs.
by The Destroyer Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:21 PM

And this is why Pitchford is awesome.
by Boyzby Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:22 PM

Imagine Call of Duty with the stupid jokes and references that are in Borderlands 2...
by SanAndreasSmoke Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:23 PM

"Well, everyone kinda loves us right now. We COULD make a CoD, but I'd rather not risk our reputation being tarnished. Duke Nukem Forever was enough, thank you very much. Pitchford out." *Blasts off into the sky, fist outstretched.
by N64LIVE Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:25 PM

I always knew that some damn good studios weren't in it for the cash, and thank God I'm right.
by firedude3663 Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:26 PM

HAH THATS AWESOME.
by Luis E. Morales Falcon Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:26 PM

I can only imagine the limbs flying in this game....
by recap60 Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:31 PM

I like how he says no significant challenge lol so true...
Gearbox would have made a good game though even if it was a waste of their time... make all the other CoD Devs go like "What!?!?! you can actually use an updated new engine?"
EDIT: I was just thinking about how many guns gearbox would have for classes... a few thousand at least...
by Chris Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:32 PM

And just like that, Gearbox cemented their legend.
by Tanooki Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:33 PM

I absolutely think his stance is fair. Let somebody else churn out another formulaic CoD game. We need developers like Gearbox to focus on games like Borderlands.
by The Great Gonzo Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:33 PM

Thank you! I would rather have somthing new and inovaitive, than another COD.
by Patrick Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:33 PM

The problem with Call of Duty isn't in the game itself, it's what it's built on. It's a 1999 Quake engine with steadily updated features to make it work in this gen. But there is only so much you can push it. If I was a developer I wouldn't want to touch this turd unless Activision let me use something better to build my game on simply because of many limits it could impose on your creativity. Probably the reason for dropping the offer in the first place.

Also who wants to develop generic shooters anyway if they can make games in interesting settings and interesting new game play. Unless of course they're just in it for the money.
by terminatorx555 Friday, January 11, 2013 at 04:33 PM

Go Pitchford!

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Gearbox Turned Down An Offer To Develop A Call Of Duty

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