Gearbox discarded Blade Runner IP

By Robert Purchese Published 1 July, 2011

"Would have been the end of us."

Borderlands maker Gearbox owned the Blade Runner IP but passed up the opportunity to make a game with it.

Studio boss Randy Pitchford said it would have been too costly and would have sold poorly.

"Blade Runner was on [the list]," he told Official PlayStation Magazine via CVG.

"We had it too and we were like, 'No, we can't.' That game would've cost like $40 million to make and sold about 600,000 units - and that would have been the end of us.

"There's no rational business model that would have allowed that to make sense," he added. "If we'd made it with a business model that did work, it would not have been the Blade Runner game we all would have wanted."

Blade Runner, a 1982 film directed by Ridley Scott, presented an iconic vision of a futuristic city. Its influence can be seen far and wide, including in Square Enix's upcoming Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and in Epic Games' demonstration of the next-generation Unreal Engine.

Gearbox Software most recently created Duke Nukem Forever and is working on Aliens: Colonial Marines now for Sega.

Epic Games' vision of the future.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (77) Latest comment 11 months ago

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  • WiZZyWiGG #1 11 months ago

    I really liked the Westwood Blade Runner game.

    Would love to see another great go at the IP.

  • eviroboy #2 11 months ago

    So instead they went with Duke Nukem? Yeah, that turned out better. ¬_¬

  • X201 #3 11 months ago

    Having read an article on The Westwood game that covered the Blade Runner IP holders and how much they charge for it (% of game revenue etc), I'm dubious as to why Pitchford purchased the IP in the first place.

  • Jamieb87 #4 11 months ago

    What if I promise to buy two copies?
    Will you make it then?

  • Deckard1 #5 11 months ago

    NOOOOO SOMEBODY MAKE A GAME YOU BASTARDS!

  • Rose-of-Sorrow #6 11 months ago

    A Blade Runner game would be immense. Detecting and then retiring replicants- awesomeness. Please make the game or I'll be sadface.
    Edited by Rose-of-Sorrow at 01/07/11 @ 12:45

  • superfurry #7 11 months ago

    @eviroboy Well actually it did. Gearbox picked up the ruins of a near legendary 'development hell' title for peanuts. Managed to cobble that into something resembling a game after a few months of work and what would be (for them) tiny development costs. They then release it and it become a worldwide number one selling game.

    For the money they spent on it, to the profit made, I'm sure it's probably one of the most profitable games of the last decade. And while it may not have set the world alight reviews wise, if it helps to fund Borderlands 2 and a new Brothers in Arms games, I'm cool with it.

  • Pastici #8 11 months ago

    @enviroboy

    To be honest, it did work for them. Yes its terrible but it appears to have sold fairly well.

    What about HumanHead? Prey 2 looks similar-ish-not-really.

  • thelatestmodel #9 11 months ago

    I may not be in the game development business, but if they already owned the IP, surely $40 million to make the game is a fairly generous estimate? Gears 1 cost $10 million, Bioshock cost $15 million - I'm detecting some exaggeration here.

    I admire them for wanting to make a game that did justice to the Blade Runner name, but I'm sure there would have been a way. Shame to let the IP slip away.

  • jablonski #10 11 months ago

    Could of been a Heavy Rain type thing.

  • LetsGo #11 11 months ago

    The movie was very overrated and now looks poor in this day and age.

  • Xardan #12 11 months ago

    See? This is the problem, we cant have nice things because they are too costly and people wont buy them.

    : (

  • TZac #13 11 months ago

    The Westwood Blade Runner is one of my all time favourites games. Multiple ending and great story spread over 4 cds.
    Always watch out for that crazy cook.

  • mur07 #14 11 months ago

    LA Noire facial tech and game mechanics (minus the annoying bits) would be perfect for a new Blade Runner game..but "Its too bad she won't live..."

  • Nylz #15 11 months ago

    QFT:
    "I really liked the Westwood Blade Runner game.
    Would love to see another great go at the IP."

  • Nithron #16 11 months ago

    Didn't someone already make a Bladerunner game, and call it Deus Ex?

  • Nazo #17 11 months ago

    As Randy thinks his Duke game is great, I'm quite glad they left this alone

  • FogHeart #18 11 months ago

    No more Blade Runner games?

    It's too bad it won't live. But then again who does?

  • BBIAJ #19 11 months ago

    @LetsGo:

    Blade Runner holds up just fine in HD.

  • Subi #20 11 months ago

    I hate the fact that you felt the need to explain what the original film was. It makes me feel old. :(

  • Rack #21 11 months ago

    How much does the license cost? For that matter are they selling? Couldn't an indie game developed for $500,000 make a mint off it?

  • Markusdragon #22 11 months ago

    The book was better. I liked the increasingly abandoned decaying future earth with the really odd religion, rather than the overcrowded 1980s cyberpunk super-city.

    I am of course a heathen for saying this.

  • geeza2020 #23 11 months ago

    I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Duke Nukem Forever brought back from the dead. I've watched brothers in arms take on the might of the Nazi war machine across Europe. Without a Blade Runner game though, all those moments will be lost in time, like tears in the rain. Time to die.

  • jablonski #24 11 months ago

    @LetsGo
    "The movie was very overrated and now looks poor in this day and age."

    That's ridiculous. This film has the best special effects of any film ever made as far as I'm concerned.
    And with CG overtaking model and practical work, it will be a very long time before it is beaten.

    The only thing worse than kiddies saying Blade Runner is their favourite film when they don't really understand it, is individuals saying it's crap just because it's popular these days.

  • krudster #25 11 months ago

    Could of? COULD OF?

    It's fine when people say this because it's basically could've. But written down, there's no excuse. NO EXCUSE :)

  • peeps #26 11 months ago

    @Nazo tbh he's not gonna say anything other than praise for a game they just released. I'm playing through now and I agree with the reviews however you can't deny the game is selling... so in terms of a business move it looks to have worked for them

  • AaronTurner #27 11 months ago

    Randy is turning into a serious douche.

  • Subdominator #28 11 months ago

    @Letsgo: No, it still has one of the best lighting of any movie ever and effects that can keep up with modern CGI.

    Why buy an IP if you know it won't be successful? Maybe to get more money from investors? "Hey, you might not be convinced that Borderlands will sell, but we also have the Blade Runner license." "OMG, here, have my ten million." Known IPs bring you more venture capital than new ones.

    40 million is probably the amount it takes to develop the game plus marketing costs.

  • darleysam #29 11 months ago

    I'd have bought the other 400,000 copies..

  • Rosswell #30 11 months ago

    I really hope Westwood Blade Runner game gets re-released on GOG.com, since EA joined the site recently they would still have the rights to it.

  • RodHull #31 11 months ago

    The fact that they couldn't think of a successful Blade Runner game shows more of a lack of creativity than a grasp of business acumen.

  • superflyninja #32 11 months ago

    i feel like a fool.but that video.what is it?

  • Golgo #33 11 months ago

    @superflyninja: it's not a game unfortunately, just a tech demo of Epic's latest Unreal engine. Pretty, ain't it?

  • superflyninja #34 11 months ago

    oooh yes sooooo pretty!

  • azazel76 #35 11 months ago

    all these games will be lost, like tears in the rain.........time to die...................bird flies off in slow mo as it pisses down

  • bobfish09 #36 11 months ago

    I think Blade Runner would work fine if you didn't follow the story of the film.

  • eviroboy #37 11 months ago

    @Pastici @superfurry Yeah the Duke has sold well, but it's sold purely on hype, many of those sales probably went through because people forgot they even had pre-orders. Based on what Gearbox released I'd hate to see what it was like before LOL because it's a god awful game. Duke Nukem, like Gears of War will sell no matter what they're like because of the fanboys. Blade Runner may not have that fan base for 'guaranteed sales' but it has the promise to be a far better game. The only problem is no-one is willing to take a chance because of the way the games industry is right now. A shame.

  • superflyninja #38 11 months ago

    the westwood blade runner game is in my top ten games of all time.super super game. i want more games with ...cyber punk...is that the term for blade runner esque type settings? thankfully deus ex is coming and looks quite moody....

  • Subdominator #39 11 months ago

    @Roswell: In order to rerelease Westwiood's game EA would have to buy the Blade Runner license again. And that doesn't make sense for a couple of thousand sales.

  • Daeltaja #40 11 months ago

    The Westwood Blade Runner game is one of my all time favourites. Bloody incredible game. It was well ahead for its time. Been longing for another Blade Runner game since I can remember, but I guess it will never be. I've turned to Deus Ex: HR for my Detroit-esque, neon-lit, sci-fi world fix. The latest Unreal Engine tech demo gives us a glimpse into what could be possible. Oh it would be so glorious.

    MOAN MOAN MOAN.

    Edit: Didn't the original sell quite well for its time? 600k was it? Anytime I mention the game to anyone, even people who aren't so much gamers anymore, remember that game fondly.

    Edited by Daeltaja at 01/07/11 @ 13:48

  • superdelphinus #41 11 months ago

    Bollocks did they "own" the bladerunner "ip"

  • ohcomeon #42 11 months ago

    You could do Voight-Kampff testing like L.A. Noire, but the options are Truth, Doubt and DIE!

  • IronCladChicken #43 11 months ago

    @Markusdragon
    Blade Runner was released pre-cyber punk (about a year I think)

    Though PDK's works, I think, work better as novels rather than movie adaptations... I really like both Scott's re-interpritation/re-imagining & PKD's book, but for different reasons.

  • andywilkie35 #44 11 months ago

    I was thinking only this morning, it's been about two days without a Pitchford comment on Eurogamer! Thank God we have another one today, I was going mad without them!

  • mashk #45 11 months ago

    @mur07

    I thought the LA Noire template would be a perfect fit for a Bladerunner game too. Retrofit the LA of the 40s, change Phelps for Deckard, add flying cars, licence Vangelis' music, make everything rainy and exchange the sun for perptual darkness. Bobs your uncle Bladerunner the video game.

    I should really be a videogame producer

    Actually scratch that, I don't think I'm nasty enough.

  • jefranklin18 #46 11 months ago

    I think an MMO like DC Universe could have done the business

  • Peter_LIAR_Molyneux #47 11 months ago

    Why do companies buy the rights to a property and then proceed to do absolutely nothing with it? If they are convinced that they can't make money off of it what the hell is the point? Just to keep the competition from making a profit off of it?

    Pitchford is a becoming more and more of a joke in the industry.

  • sonicyoda #48 11 months ago

    Someone PLEASE make a Blade Runner game! It's the coolest fictional world EVER!

  • Bander #49 11 months ago

    "The fact that they couldn't think of a successful Blade Runner game shows more of a lack of creativity than a grasp of business acumen."

    This.

  • LetsGo #50 11 months ago

    Wow..... lots of fanboys!

    Time to take them red tinted glasses off chaps...

  • SAMagic #51 11 months ago

    Hideo Kojima made a damn good version, it's called SNATCHER.
    Edited by SAMagic at 01/07/11 @ 15:15

  • sonicyoda #52 11 months ago

    @LetsGo

    It's rose-tinted mate. Also, keep on trollin'.

  • welshben23 #53 11 months ago

    I really don't understand why LetsGo has been negged so many times, the film is boring and very over-rated. I'd rather play another 5 crap Duke Nukem games that a game of Blade Runner.
    Edited by welshben23 at 01/07/11 @ 15:24

  • Powerstreak #54 11 months ago

    Thank god for that, they would have fucked it up.

  • darkmorgado #55 11 months ago

    I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. LetsGo trolling off the shoulder of Orion. I watched Pitchford glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All these moments will be lost in time, like idiots in rain.

  • Mik3yB #56 11 months ago

    Why would Blade Runner cost more and sell less, than Colonial Marines?
    I would have thought they're both similar size IP's..

    Unless Colonial Marines is going to be a generic, cheap to produce FPS that will appeal to everyone whereas a Blade Runner game would require more thought and be a different genre?

  • Shotofen #57 11 months ago

    Um, where is Randy getting those numbers? Out of thin air?

  • TheGuvernor #58 11 months ago

    I'm glad they didn't attempt it.
    Somethings should be sacred - Blade Runner being one of them.
    Arguably one of the greatest films ever made.

    LetsGo is a goddamn philistine!

  • Freek #59 11 months ago

    Uh guys, Gearbox diden't make Duke Nukem Forever, they sprung in for funding and took over the 3D Realms team. It's the game 3D Realms wanted and created.

  • bodypopper #60 11 months ago

    All it takes is for a loaded dev like Rockstar to splash the cash and do Blade Runner with LA Noire-style gameplay.
    Edited by bodypopper at 01/07/11 @ 16:11

  • GOWAp #61 11 months ago

    Nothing but praise for Westwood, not only have they recreated Blade Runner's atmosphere and tension, everything they seemed to touch turned into gold. The Lands of Lore series, and lets not forget they created the best C&C's there ever were.
    I do think it's for the best Gearbox stays clear off it, not that they dont make good games, but Blade Runner doesnt seem fit to the genre theyre best in. Still playing BR to this day, havent seen every ending and i refuse to use a walkthrough for this unique game.

  • Collymilad #62 11 months ago

    The movie still looks great.

    A brilliant game could be made based on it, but I doubt it would ever happen.

  • Pirotic #63 11 months ago

    Smart move, many companies would have rushed something out the door and made a profit purely off the licence. But I still have my doubts that it would only have sold 600,000 copies - everybody is itching for a future based GTA style title, arent they?

  • Jonathan_Fakenham #64 11 months ago

    L.A.Noire-style interrogations with a Voight-Kampff machine would be awesome!

  • The-Jack-Burton #65 11 months ago

    That's fine, Deus Ex is Blade Runner enough anyways. For some reason Gearbox is intent on working on anything other than Borderlands 2, which is their most successful IP, and the game all the fans are clamoring for. As a fan you like to give them the benefit of the doubt, but after the Duke Nukem disaster, it seems that somebody in charge is intent on making poor decisions.

  • metalangel #66 11 months ago

    Blade Runner (the Westwood game) was awesome, until just after the halfway point, when suddenly you've been branded a traitor and have to enduring endless spawning cops, having to walk everywhere via the sewers instead of your spinner, and a variety of plot twists that made almost no sense.

    It's like they ran out of ideas for the story, which was a fucking tragedy.

  • Lunatic4ever #67 11 months ago

    Well, in the end the game industry,just as all the others, is about money,right?

    Its okay Gearbox ;) Excused

  • NeverWinter78 #68 11 months ago

    Instead they made duke nukem ! Howd that work out for you gearbox !

  • irrational-gaz #69 11 months ago

    Seriously what was the point of that outburst of verbal diarrhea? Actually on second thought I'm glad they're not making Bladerunner it's already taken them six years and A:CM still isn't finished and from what I've read here and on other sites it sports none of the cool features that they were pimping at the get go. Perhaps instead of constantly commenting on wild speculation and games your not going to make you should do some fucking work!

  • StooMonster #70 11 months ago

    Would love to see the old Westwood Blade Runner game on GoG.

  • Mindstorm #71 11 months ago

    "Detecting and then retiring replicants- awesomeness".

    not sure about that, it would totally trivialise the theme of the film.

  • petran79 #72 11 months ago

    I found the westwood game very boring and slow paced 13 years ago. Perhaps i should have devoted more time to it back then. Still the artwork was amazing

    At that time it was a pc only release. It targeted niche pc gamers, since adventure games were at their peak in the 90s.

    Game was difficult and filled with riddles that would make modernl console games a ride in the park. Today a blade runner game would be much more easier and user friendly, with a better narrative.

    As a result it will target a different audience, not used in hardcore adventure games. It will be more action oriented.

    Games economics have changed


    Edited by petran79 at 03/07/11 @ 06:28

  • StooMonster #73 11 months ago

    welshben23: the film is boring and very over-rated

    I've been watching some movie classics from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s recently and the slow pace is certainly in stark contrast to rapid pace of today's films.

    I can't imagine the original Alien or Blade Runner being made today, but if they were they would be like the new Star Wars compared to the original Star Wars trilogy: flash and brash.

    I think that when studios run focus groups, the people brought up on nothing but CGI explosion-fests think a slower and more thoughtful film-style is "boring boring boring" which is why we get Transformers movies instead.

  • SFG_Clan #74 11 months ago

    Yeah because I do so trust in Gearbox's judgement

    Cause you know, Duke Nukem that was a sound investment

  • Laminator #75 11 months ago

    Yep they can't do Blade Runner justice with the modern gamer audience. Anything they made would be a travesty like a Blade Runner COD style FPS humans vs replicants instead of Team America vs Russians or god forbid a pay 2 win Blade Runner MMO or something.

    Nope need to wait until the overall gamer populace's brains have evolved to include qualities such as patience and imagination, then they can make the game.

  • TheFlashGuy #76 11 months ago

    @FogHeart - "No more Blade Runner games? It's too bad it won't live. But then again who does?"

    Brilliant, made me laugh out loud :D

  • dfooster #77 11 months ago

    I'm sorry but if they made the blade runner game everyone wanted it would sell more than 600,000 units. It's a well loved film and a setting that's quite untapped in video games. Yeah there's lots of sci-fi games but they all involve shooting aliens. This could have been Something quite unique.

    To me it says they are afraid they don't have the ability to make this game. I used to love gearbox but I question some of their creative decisions in recent years. Aliens CM should have been out the door two years ago instead they have faffed about with duke nukem which they should have noticed was beyond repair or to have re-made the whole game. The halfway house patch up job has damaged the companies image in my mind