Pitchford "terrified" to launch Borderlands

Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford is a bit on the nervy side about releasing first-person shooter/RPG hybrid Borderlands later this year. In fact, as he revealed to Eurogamer TV he's "totally terrified" about going up against gaming's big guns in the run up to Christmas.

But while acknowledging the Texas studio was "taking a big risk here", he reckons it's one worth taking both for Gearbox and the industry as a whole since, "if we always do the same stuff we don't push ourselves forward anymore."

An overcrowded release schedule is a regular feature of the Christmas run-in, with EA's Mirror's Edge a high-profile casualty last year, failing to hit targets despite wide attention in the specialist press.

"When people take risks and it's not rewarded, in the case of Mirror's Edge, it's makes it harder for others to be comfortable taking risks," said Pitchford. "Yeah, I'm terrified. And [Borderlands is] an original brand, too, so it's even more risky."

But Pitchford pointed to the example of BioShock as a new brand that still sold shedloads thanks to being a bit good, helped on by word of mouth.

"There are those of us that play everything and we're begging for fresh stuff, so I'm hoping that helps," he added. "And if it's good, it'll get noticed."

Borderlands is coming to Xbox 360, PS3 and PC this October. You can read our latest impressions elsewhere, plus check out more from our Randy chat (no, not like that! Etc.) on EGTV.