Ben-DutkaLooks like the next-gen Borderlands will have to continue development without the originator.
Franchise creator and director Matthew Armstrong has announced via Twitter that he's no longer working at Gearbox Software:
"Things changed. No longer working at @GearboxSoftware. I will always love Gearbox, but it's adventure time."
To clarify, Armstrong told Game Informer that he wasn't fired and he wasn't leaving the studio due to a dispute. He just thinks it's time to move on. Now that The Pre-Sequel , The Handsome Collection , and the Claptastic Voyage DLC are done and out the door, it's his chance to strike out and try something new. Armstrong added:
"It's just time for new adventures. I'm an inventor. I'm ready to make something new. Not just new to me, but new to everyone."
Well, Borderlands is very well established so they probably don't need him for the next step. Even so, when the creator of a franchise leaves that series behind, one always wonders where the IP will go from there…
I don't blame him. 3 is going to be announced at E3. Poor guy is probably wanting something new in his life, and not more Borderlands.
The franchise will most likely continue to step out of the normal box and be Borderlands. But let's not get to worried about the franchise. This isn't Amy Hennig esque departure. Yes he created the franchise but there is and was many writers, and designers for the game. It's such a large franchise in terms of content that he played a small part of an epic scale.
More importantly though congrats and best of luck to him. I'm sure he was getting pigeon holed and felt like he has some ideas that he couldn't see to fruition there. Good for him.
Concept guys are important, but I don't think his departure will have much impact on Borderlands. At this point in that IP it's more important, IMO, that they keep a lot of their talented writers on staff.
More importantly for Gearbox they need to come up with something new again. I've sunk close to 1,000 hours into the Borderlands games, but I'm hoping that after 3 they do something new. That's where guys like Armstrong will be missed, I think.
can't say i blame sometimes creators need to spread their wings and it seems that its time for him to spread his wings now
happy gaming