Gearbox or SEGA? Who's to blame for the Aliens controversy

MMGN: Our review labelled it as "the biggest disappointment of 2013", and in case you hadn't heard, the new Aliens game we'd all been waiting for turned out worse than Jocelyn Wildenstein's plastic surgery. Gearbox president Randy Pitchford has been taking the brunt of the blame for the scandal (and rightly so), with fans outraged that the final product was merely a shadow of its former self - the demo shown at E3 2011. But is Gearbox entirely to blame?

[PopRocks359]

While some may disagree, I think the blame should befall all parties, not just Gearbox or Timegate. Maybe not even equally, but everyone involved allowed the confusion to ensue in some way.

[caseh]

As much as I love em its gotta be Sega.

They chose to go with that developer, Sega are the license holder and surely publishing a piece of sh*t like this should fall on them for allowing it to go ahead.

I can only assume that Sega didn't really bother checking in on its progress, when they did they realised it was shocking but the amount of time and money invested in advertising on top of acquiring the license would have screwed what is already a weak company (financially).

Publish it regardless and hope it sells on its name which it most likely will.

[t0mmyb0y]

I've never been disappointed with Gearbox. I think they got in over their heads.

[3-4-5]

This guy just lost all his credibility in the gaming industry.

Nothing he says moving forward carries any weight or has any substance. It's all potentially BS.

[Donnieboi]

It takes 2 to tango in the console gaming industry (Dev is supposed to make a quality game, Publisher green lights it). So neither can escape their half of the blame. They both suck.

[SilentNegotiator]

Don't blame Timegate. Even if they were the worst developers on the planet and had serious input into design decisions, it's still Gearbox's fault for spending so much time developing a stinker and SEGA's for not supervising their own games.

[PopRocks359]

That doesn't make any sense. You can't pin any of the blame on a supposedly crappy developer? Like I said, they all deserve blame; Timegate is included. They helped make the "stinker" just as Gearbox helped develop it and Sega helped publish it.

[Theyellowflash30]

Both. This just shows how ass backwards the gaming industry is. You got Bayonetta 2... An awesome game made by passionate developers, and Sega doesnt want to publish it.

On the other hand, you got a shitty game thats broken. But because its a licensed shooter. Sega's like lets do this! Thank god for Nintendo taking chances on games like Bayonetta 2, The Wonderful 101, Shin Megami x Fire Emblem, and Xenoblade 2

[greatcrusader44]

Both of them knew the game was going to suck, so they both deserve to come under fire, but I personally blame Gearbox more, they not only were the one developing it (or where supposed to) and used the money Sega gave them and used it on Borderlands 2.

[maniacmayhem]

I point my fingers at the parents!

[t0mmyb0y]

But what about the children? :)

[1nsomniac]

All on Gearbox!

[kma2k]

Give people there money back then let gearbox & sega fight it out who is picking up the check!

[Yodagamer]

There have been hundreds of disappointing games and no one is required to give the money back. Everyone got tricked and its not the first time it's happened.

[Godmars290]

1) Whoever thought to present the early demo.
2) Whoever continues to stand by that demo.

[ThanatosDMC]

Randy Pitchford... the douche had the audacity to lie in all of his interviews about the game.

[PopRocks359]

I don't necessarily think that makes him a douche. It's his job to sell his product. Perhaps it's more accurate to call it a douchey profession? He wouldn't be the first one to have done it either.

[TechnicianTed]

Gearbox were in charge of making the game.

They were in charge of an ip that should have meant a lot to them, seeing as they were 'Alien geeks'. But they swept it aside and concentrated on any else BUT that big ip they were so fondly attached to.

Gearbox are scum in my eyes. That might seem a bit rash, I might seem to be someone who takes this a bit too seriously. But I'm not not the one that made promises to the fans.

I am actually one of those people who wants a decent Aliens game because I'm one of those 'geeks' who loves Alien.

Gearbox clearly aren't.

[Yodagamer]

The D's aliens is a pretty good metroid like game so there is that

[ironfist92]

Id hate Gearbox alot more if they hadnt already delivered the amazing Borderlands franchise.

Im sure they'll pull back from this once they make BL3

[MadMen]

Gear Box - hands down

Regardless of who did what, they chose to tout Aliens in personal interviews, they had gametrailers come to their studio to talk aliens, had it been a success they would be sitting front and pretty and taking the glory no one else, so they will take the blame for everyone else.

Gearbox chose to show a demo, they stand by the demo they are the ones to lay blame, they held the IP no one else regardless of contribution.

I will NEVER buy a gearbox product again; EVER.

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

From all that I have read, I think it is pretty obvious who is to blame: Cthulhu.