What does it take to “make it” in the world? That is a question that many have sought to answer, with all sorts of replies being given as a result. For example, many attempt to “make it on their own.” Others are able to “get lucky” and strike it with something big, or perhaps the most “basic route” of pushing forward and “doing what you need to so you can survive” is how things turn out for you. Then, there’s Gearbox Software head Randy Pitchford, who gave a prime example of the other key way to “make it in this world,” which is “getting a helping hand.”
He was doing a special documentary about Gearbox Software’s latest release, and he shared about a time that he was working on another game, which was then canceled by Electronic Arts, and not long after, once he reformed his own studio with those who had lost their jobs from EA, he got a call from someone truly unexpected:
“Half-Life had just launched, and so I had this idea. We have a parallel story going on simultaneously that we know must have took place because we played Half-Life, but we didn’t see that experience, the point of view of one of the soldiers in Black Mesa, and everybody loved it. I don’t believe in manifestation – I believe in coincidence – literally that afternoon, with no action on my part, Gabe Newell calls me because he had heard that we had left Rebel Boat Rocker and that I was starting a new thing, and he wanted to see if we would be interested in working on Half-Life.”
Naturally, he was interested and rushed over to pitch his idea, but there was one hurdle left to clear:
“’Sorry, we don’t actually own Half-Life. You gotta drive down the street to Sierra On-Line and talk to the publisher. We’re going to call them and tell them you’re coming, and tell them we think what you’ve got is cool, but you gotta sell them, they’re the ones that are going to have to pay for anything and agree to do it.'”
Sure enough, they did agree, and Randy Pitchford and the newly formed Gearbox Software were able to make and release Half-Life: Opposing Force less than a year later. The team has been making games ever since.
So, for Randy, he had a bit of luck, timing, and having someone have his back right when he needed it. Let us all hope we have that kind of luck one day.
