Video game Borderlands 3 it was a huge sales success when it launched last fall, according to its publisher, 2K, which describ it as “a a landmark worth billions of dollars. ” That's why it shocked the crew at Gearbox, the game's developer, when the studio's manager, Randy Pitchford, told them yesterday that they would not receive the special bonuses he was expecting.
Staff at the station will receive small bonus checks, but nothing close to the tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands they expected. This account is based on conversations with six people close to Gearbox, all speaking anonymously because they were not authorized to talk about what happened. Some say it is shocking news that has boosted their financial plans for the future.
Gearbox, based in Plano, Texas, is giving its employees the lowest payout in the video game industry, according to a Gearbox crew of more than a dozen Kotaku over the years. To do that, the studio offers something different: profit sharing. Royalties from all developer games are split 60/40, with 60% returning to the company (and its owners) while 40% being distributed to employees in the form of quarterly bonuses. The program has been around since the inception of Gearbox, when the company had major issues, can be a benefit. There the great of 2012 Borderlands 2
Since then, however, Gearbox has been struggling, failing to achieve significant financial success with similar flops. Aliens: Colonial Roads (2013) no He fought (2016). As a result, quarterly bonuses have been less in recent years. By 2020, that should change. Many Gearbox employees told Kotaku that company to handle He promised them the number six bonuses following the launch Borderlands 3. The more years they had with the company, the bigger the check. This idea of financial success helped Gearbox developers find many long nights and weekends working on the game.
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Then, at a meeting yesterday, Gearbox manager Randy Pitchford told staff Borderlands 3
The game sold well -. Another great thing is that technology has changed over the course of development, from Unreal Engine 3 to Unreal Engine 4, which adds more project time. In addition, before Gearbox can get any material from 2K publishers, Borderlands 3
Pitchford also told Gearbox developers that if they were unhappy with the royalty program they were welcome to drop it, according to attendees. He did not claim any diminished bonuses in the coronavirus epidemic, leading to economic uncertainty and paying cuts to many other sectors. He also said he hopes to get more money from the workers as they move from 2K to future earnings.
When asked for comment, Gearbox posted the following statement:
Borderlands 3 represents an incredible amount for gamers and an incredible accessibility by the team at Gearbox Software. Our studio is led by talent and we firmly believe in everyone sharing revenue. The talent at Gearbox is pleased to participate in the intimate games of our games – to our knowledge, the most coveted bonus program in AAA. Since the launch, Gearbox's talent has received more than $ 100M in royal bonuses over and above traditional compensation.
In the most recent paid Gearbox talent has enjoyed the news that Borderlands 3, having surpassed the company's best-in-class revenue from one video game, has become a profitable video game and talent for Gearbox participating in the royal business. the system has now earned their first royal bonus to that benefit. In addition, the weather update provided the talent at Gearbox that is participating in the royal business to set expectations for future locations. Gearbox is an independent company that does not release forward-looking statements to the public, but we work publicly for our family.
Last year, former Gearbox lawyer Wade Callender stepped into the fringes poor set of cases and studio. On the other hand, he said Pitchford took over a $ 12 million bonus in 2016, when development began Borderlands 3. The bonus was there, according to two people who knew what had happened, but it came from the company 60%, not 40% of the intended benefit to the employees.
However, yesterday's news has something to do with the name Pitchford's big bonus has angered dozens of Gearbox employees, some who say they expect to be out in the near future. Those who made money plans based on expectations set by the company to handle it is possible now they find themselves struggling spots.
Gearbox, a private, has always wanted to go public, according to two people familiar with the company's plans. It is yet to be seen how these issues will affect you.
