Randy Pitchford, the president and face of Gearbox Software, has announced that former Chief Technology Officer, Steve Jones, will now serve as the new president of the game studio, as he is shifting focus to the newly formed Gearbox Studio, where he will once again serve as President but handle television and movie productions. Gearbox was acquired by Embracer Group. becoming the seventh major subsidiary under Embracer Group in early 2021. Many major figures remained in their positions following the buyout, including Randy Pitchford.
Established in 1999 by a group that worked for prominent studios such as 3D Realms and Bethesda Softworks, Gearbox Software began developing expansions and creating ports for Valve's popular franchise Half-Life, before going on to work on titles such as Brothers in Arms, Duke Nukem, Aliens, Battleborn and its most notable franchise, Borderlands. The Borderlands series has garnered Gearbox critical acclaim, with three main installments dramatically outselling each other and becoming a commercial success. Several spin-offs have also been produced, including Gearbox's next title, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, which will release in 2022 and take place within a fantasy-themed tabletop role-playing game.
Publicizing the news on his official Twitter account, along with some clarification (via IGN), Pitchford explained he would become the new President of The Gearbox Entertainment Company, with the studio's Chief Technology Officer, Steve Jones, replacing him as President. Further elaborating, Pitchford states that while he's overseeing the company’s film and TV projects, Jones will continue where he left off and will lead all production and development activities at Gearbox’s game studio. Additionally, Pitchford will also be of guidance to the main game studio, serving as a "hybrid” Chief Creative Officer when needed and will be responsible for “high level creative and business strategy” as the CEO of Gearbox's parent company.
While Gearbox Software has received a good share of opulence, the studio has undergone multiple controversies over the past decade, with CEO Randy Pitchford being a part of multiple scandals, labeling the CEO as a "controversy magnet." This includes numerous social media outbursts, allegations, lawsuits, and denying bonuses to Borderlands developers, leading to many departing the studio.
Steve Jones is now the head of the game division at Gearbox Software and will lead multiple AAA games currently in development, including the new Brothers in Arms title and the upcoming Borderlands spin-off. With Pitchford now working on film and TV projects, it is unknown how much creative input the previous CEO will have on all upcoming game titles. More announcements are however expected in the following months, as 2022 is set to be a prominent year for the Borderland series.
Source: IGN, Randy Pitchford/Twitter