Sega Blames Gearbox For Aliens: Colonial Marines Misleading Marketing

[Fanghawk]

Sega Blames Gearbox For Aliens: Colonial Marines Misleading Marketing

According to Sega, Gearbox's Randy Pitchford did "whatever the fuck he likes" when it came to Aliens: Colonial Marines marketing.

Anytime we're talking about a game one year after launch, odds are it was either absolutely amazing or utterly terrible. <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/editorials/reviews/10187-Aliens-Colonial-Marines-Review-Game-Over-Man>Aliens: Colonial Marines not only sits among the latter camp, it was so controversial it's the subject of a class action lawsuit. Now that lawsuit has become a little more complicated thanks to information submitted by Colonial Marines' publisher. Sega has filed new documents claiming that developer Gearbox is equally responsible for the marketing that played a role in the game's downfall.

Sega and Gearbox originally presented demos of Aliens: Colonial Marines at conventions and trade shows <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/jimquisition/6832-A-LIE-ns-Colonial-Marines>that looked vastly different from what players experienced in the finished game. Gearbox later claimed that it wasn't involved in such decisions, but these documents suggest Gearbox was an equal participant, even making marketing choices without Sega's approval. Sega's motion states it originally had "absolute discretion" over marketing, but was contractually required to consult with Gearbox.

"The parties had to mutually agree to the 'precise particulars of marketing assets' delivered by Gearbox," the motion states. "Gearbox's participation - Randy Pitchford's, in particular - was a key element in the ACM marketing strategy from the beginning."

The filing details multiple examples of Gearbox making public and press announcements without Sega's approval, even after being specifically told not to do so. "I spoke face to face to [Gearbox's Steve] Gibson about their persistent panel leaking," Sega's Matt Eyre wrote in an email to company officials. "Effectively - it's Randy [Pitchford] doing whatever the fuck he likes. Apparently he did it twice on [Borderlands 2] also, against, against all plans and despite the fact they asked him not to. I think our best result here is that we have no more panel sessions."

Whether this new information will finally resolve the lawsuit, <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/136776-Sega-Offers-to-Settle-Alien-Colonial-Marines-Class-Action-for-1-25M>which Sega had already offered to settle, remains to be seen. The next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 29.

Source: <a href=http://www.polygon.com/2014/9/3/6102035/sega-gearbox-lawsuit-aliens-colonial-marines>Polygon

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[synobal]

I'm more inclined to believe they both had a hand in it.

 

[Racecarlock]

I'm not even a fan of the alien movies and this pisses me off. I don't care who did it, you both suck. Besides, sega, you made the shitty game.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

In other news: "Gamers Still Blame Sega, Gearbox For Aliens: Colonial Marines Sucking Donkey Gonads Through A Cocktail Straw"

 

[Jadak]

I'm not even a fan of the alien movies and this pisses me off. I don't care who did it, you both suck. Besides, sega, you made the shitty game.

Isn't that backwards? Gearbox made the game, Sony was the publisher.

 

[Avaholic03]

I'm no industry expert, but it seems to me that marketing is the publisher's job. Surely Sega could have looked at the promotional footage and ask "does the actual game look anything like this?". My guess is they did ask, and when they got a sea of blank faces from the Gearbox team, they decided "fuck it, we'll use it anyway".

 

[Roxas1359]

SEGA I think is not at fault for the game, but the marketing should have been handled by them to say the least. Then again, we've seen publishers not be the ones to handle the advertising, but have the developers do it. Happened with Okami when Clover did the marketing, or lack of I should say, and it happened with Wonderful 101 as well.

Honestly, I've played the game for an LP unpatched, and I'm honestly more on SEGA's side than GearBox's side in this. SEGA should have play tested the game themselves before releasing it, and if they were to have seen how bad it was they could have told Gearbox to fix it. They didn't, so they are at fault there. Gearbox's way on how it handled the development of the game was less than stellar as well, and hell this isn't the first time Gearbox has been listed as a developer on a game that failed to meet expectations by many. *glares over at Duke Nukem Forever*

 

[Fasckira]

So it comes to this. They're doing the equivalent of blaming each other for who farted in the lift.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

It's funny because Gearbox and Sega both fucked up. And then, there's the whole problem about how Gearbox actually outsourced most of the work to other developers while they worked on Borderlands 2.

 

[Covarr]

I'm no industry expert, but it seems to me that marketing is the publisher's job. Surely Sega could have looked at the promotional footage and ask "does the actual game look anything like this?". My guess is they did ask, and when they got a sea of blank faces from the Gearbox team, they decided "fuck it, we'll use it anyway".

Judging by the source link, it seems as though Sega kept telling Gearbox to stop marketing the game, and Gearbox kept doing it anyway.

"I spoke face to face to [Gearbox's Steve] Gibson about their persistent panel leaking," Matt Eyre wrote in an email to other company officials. "Effectively ? it's Randy [Pitchford] doing whatever the fuck he likes. Apparently he did it twice on [Borderlands 2] also, against, against all plans and despite the fact they asked him not to. I think our best result here is that we have no more panel sessions ..."

P.S. Thanks

 

[Shadow-Phoenix]

It's funny because Gearbox and Sega both fucked up. And then, there's the whole problem about how Gearbox actually outsourced most of the work to other developers while they worked on Borderlands 2.

And then there's the part where GB changed and ripped off the style the current BL series uses from an artist they never compensated nor gave credit for along with ripping off another artist for using a star wars poster as a changeable cover art and the fact that from the cheap outsourcing of A:CM they used to fund BL 1+2, Gearbox are in way over their ehads at this point.

For me I'd wish to see Gearbox liquidated, even from the start their own baby project was built from stealing and siphoning funds while not caring of any other project not their own.

 

[Dragonbums]

I'm genuinely curious why SEGA is taking the brunt of the blame and hatred for that mess that was A:CM.

Did Gearbox get sued for the shit they pulled on SEGA? Because they fucking deserve it. SEGA gave them money to make an Aliens game, they took it and made Borderlands 2, and when SEGA dialed and said "ummmm what about the game we paid you to make?" They haphazardly released this trash and SEGA gets the brunt of the blame and lost money.

 

[Dragonbums]

I'm not even a fan of the alien movies and this pisses me off. I don't care who did it, you both suck. Besides, sega, you made the shitty game.

They gave the money to make the game to Gearbox.

Gearbox than took that money and put it towards making Borderlands 2

Upon seeing the game SEGA basically inquired about their game and Gearbox rushed out this piece of shit.

Honestly 90% of the blame should go to Gearbox. The other 10% on SEGA for not watching with very close eyes what Gearbox was doing with their money. Than again, it's not everyday you pay a studio to make a game and they go and blow it off on their other pet projects leaving you with a piece of shit with your name on it.

 

[Racecarlock]

I'm not even a fan of the alien movies and this pisses me off. I don't care who did it, you both suck. Besides, sega, you made the shitty game.

They gave the money to make the game to Gearbox.

Gearbox than took that money and put it towards making Borderlands 2

Upon seeing the game SEGA basically inquired about their game and Gearbox rushed out this piece of shit.

Honestly 90% of the blame should go to Gearbox. The other 10% on SEGA for not watching with very close eyes what Gearbox was doing with their money. Than again, it's not everyday you pay a studio to make a game and they go and blow it off on their other pet projects leaving you with a piece of shit with your name on it.

Alright, I get it, I left a rushed, unresearched reply on the internet. Sorry. Can we move on now?

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

They gave the money to make the game to Gearbox.

Gearbox than took that money and put it towards making Borderlands 2

Upon seeing the game SEGA basically inquired about their game and Gearbox rushed out this piece of shit.

Honestly 90% of the blame should go to Gearbox. The other 10% on SEGA for not watching with very close eyes what Gearbox was doing with their money. Than again, it's not everyday you pay a studio to make a game and they go and blow it off on their other pet projects leaving you with a piece of shit with your name on it.

In other words, SEGA's faults lie with expecting Gearbox to act like professionals and perform the obligations expected of them. This is what happens when you give too much freedom to the developers: they will waste your money and time.

 

[PBMcNair]

I'm no industry expert, but it seems to me that marketing is the publisher's job. Surely Sega could have looked at the promotional footage and ask "does the actual game look anything like this?". My guess is they did ask, and when they got a sea of blank faces from the Gearbox team, they decided "fuck it, we'll use it anyway".

Technically yes, but on the other hand, Peter Molyneux. Just because the publisher should be handling publicity, doesn't mean the dev can't mouth off, or fake footage in this case.

 

[Dragonbums]

I'm not even a fan of the alien movies and this pisses me off. I don't care who did it, you both suck. Besides, sega, you made the shitty game.

They gave the money to make the game to Gearbox.

Gearbox than took that money and put it towards making Borderlands 2

Upon seeing the game SEGA basically inquired about their game and Gearbox rushed out this piece of shit.

Honestly 90% of the blame should go to Gearbox. The other 10% on SEGA for not watching with very close eyes what Gearbox was doing with their money. Than again, it's not everyday you pay a studio to make a game and they go and blow it off on their other pet projects leaving you with a piece of shit with your name on it.

Alright, I get it, I left a rushed, unresearched reply on the internet. Sorry. Can we move on now?

Move on from what? I wasn't angry at your reply if that's what you thought.

I'm just a bit miffed that Gearbox didn't get it's just deserts for releasing that trash and having SEGA take the brunt of the "credit" for it.

I didn't mean to imply that your comment upset me.

 

[Vigormortis]

So, in other words...

We can rest the vast majority of Gearbox's cock ups squarely on the shoulders of the talentless, smarmy piece of shit otherwise known as Randy Pitchford? The guy who's willing to release unfinished "cash-in" projects, misuse publisher money, and hock overpriced DLC to gamers?

Right. Nothing's changed. Moving on.

For me I'd wish to see Gearbox liquidated, even from the start their own baby project was built from stealing and siphoning funds while not caring of any other project not their own.

I almost wish the same, though I'm hesitant in doing so. After both A:CM and DN:F, as well as their blatant plagiarism for Borderlands, I think it's almost what they deserve.

The reason I am hesitant to wish that fate on the company is, despite all of the BS, they do have some talented folks over there; notably in the art department; and I'd hate to see those people lose their jobs. As well, I'd feel for the Borderlands fans. Losing the prospect of future titles in a series they love is never an enjoyable prospect.

 

[Shadow-Phoenix]

So, in other words...

We can rest the vast majority of Gearbox's cock ups squarely on the shoulders of the talentless, smarmy piece of shit otherwise known as Randy Pitchford? The guy who's willing to release unfinished "cash-in" projects, misuse publisher money, and hock overpriced DLC to gamers?

Right. Nothing's changed. Moving on.

For me I'd wish to see Gearbox liquidated, even from the start their own baby project was built from stealing and siphoning funds while not caring of any other project not their own.

I almost wish the same, though I'm hesitant in doing so. After both A:CM and DN:F, as well as their blatant plagiarism for Borderlands, I think it's almost what they deserve.

The reason I am hesitant to wish that fate on the company is, despite all of the BS, they do have some talented folks over there; notably in the art department; and I'd hate to see those people lose their jobs. As well, I'd feel for the Borderlands fans. Losing the prospect of future titles in a series they love is never an enjoyable prospect.

Like I said on Dtoid on this subject I too wish people from the Art dept are able to maybe acquire jobs from Sega or somewhere else in a safe way, Randy however deserves nothing.

 

[Racecarlock]

I'm not even a fan of the alien movies and this pisses me off. I don't care who did it, you both suck. Besides, sega, you made the shitty game.

They gave the money to make the game to Gearbox.

Gearbox than took that money and put it towards making Borderlands 2

Upon seeing the game SEGA basically inquired about their game and Gearbox rushed out this piece of shit.

Honestly 90% of the blame should go to Gearbox. The other 10% on SEGA for not watching with very close eyes what Gearbox was doing with their money. Than again, it's not everyday you pay a studio to make a game and they go and blow it off on their other pet projects leaving you with a piece of shit with your name on it.

Alright, I get it, I left a rushed, unresearched reply on the internet. Sorry. Can we move on now?

Move on from what? I wasn't angry at your reply if that's what you thought.

I'm just a bit miffed that Gearbox didn't get it's just deserts for releasing that trash and having SEGA take the brunt of the "credit" for it.

I didn't mean to imply that your comment upset me.

I was trying to read a different topic, but I have quote notifications enabled so I don't miss out on any conversations.