Gearbox seems to be preparing to Re-Launch Gigantic

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Oku

3 Oct, 2023 @ 1:33pm

Gearbox seems to be preparing to Re-Launch Gigantic

So shortly after Gigantic shut down, Gearbox acquired the publishing rights and IP from PWE and has been sitting on them ever since.

As of a matter of hours ago, people started getting emails from Gearbox inviting them to a private playtest of a new version of Gigantic bringing back the original heroes and arenas + new tutorials, a new progression system, a new game mode, and a loadout system.

The email claims this is a limited time "throw back fan event" but it would be extremely odd to boot the game's servers back up and put in the dev time to add a bunch of new features and mechanics to the game, so it's very likely that Gearbox is planning on re-launching Gigantic or launching some sort of sequel. Of course, Randy Pitchford of Flashdrive Fame is not known for making coherent or reasonable decisions, so it's possible this is just nothing, but I choose not to believe that.

I'd highly recommend keeping a close eye on news related to this Game in the near future.

Last edited by Oku; 3 Oct, 2023 @ 1:35pm

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Showing 1-15 of 16 comments

ele

5 Oct, 2023 @ 1:06pm

Why though? Battleborn was 1000000x better and they refused to keep that alive.

Imperious Rex has Gigantic

5 Oct, 2023 @ 1:55pm

Originally posted by ele:
Why though? Battleborn was 1000000x better and they refused to keep that alive.

lmao no it wasn't and the character designs were atrocious

Oku

6 Oct, 2023 @ 12:30am

Originally posted by Imperious Rex:
Originally posted by ele:
Why though? Battleborn was 1000000x better and they refused to keep that alive.
lmao no it wasn't and the character designs were atrocious

Nah they were cool. They were going for an exaggerated comic book aesthetic and absolutely nailed it. The art direction of that entire game was really well-done and cohesive, and Gigantic had a similar art style but with more of a cel shaded painting type of look. I stand firm in my belief that if Battleborn had launched several months before or after Overwatch rather than literally the same month, it would have done significantly better, and if it released today as an OW2 competitor it would be a slam dunk.

Why GB is messing around with Gigantic instead of Battleborn I have no idea but Randy Pitchford is an incomprehensible freak so it's best to just not ask questions aside from what the age of the girls on his flashdrive were.

tony.ry4kov 6 Oct, 2023 @ 1:08am

Originally posted by Oku:
Originally posted by Imperious Rex:
lmao no it wasn't and the character designs were atrocious

Nah they were cool. They were going for an exaggerated comic book aesthetic and absolutely nailed it. The art direction of that entire game was really well-done and cohesive, and Gigantic had a similar art style but with more of a cel shaded painting type of look. I stand firm in my belief that if Battleborn had launched several months before or after Overwatch rather than literally the same month, it would have done significantly better, and if it released today as an OW2 competitor it would be a slam dunk.

Why GB is messing around with Gigantic instead of Battleborn I have no idea but Randy Pitchford is an incomprehensible freak so it's best to just not ask questions aside from what the age of the girls on his flashdrive were.

It's all about publishing rights. Through various happenings Gearbox effectively became the publisher of Gigantic, thus they have the rights to launch servers, modify the game, etc. They do not have the same rights for Battleborn, which has 2K as its publisher. Thus, no BB realunch, unless some kind of deal is made behind the scenes.

Pepper

6 Oct, 2023 @ 8:31am

I'll be real, playing the game again it has no appeal in the current day so if by some miracle it does come out again play the ♥♥♥♥ out of it because it's going for shutdown#2 at rapidspeed if released.

Oku

6 Oct, 2023 @ 11:43am

Originally posted by Pepper:
I'll be real, playing the game again it has no appeal in the current day so if by some miracle it does come out again play the ♥♥♥♥ out of it because it's going for shutdown#2 at rapidspeed if released.

Nah, moba/hero shooters are more popular than they've ever been and the pacing of Gigantic sets it a part from many others. It shut down the first time around due to horrid marketing and problems with the studio that ended up getting Motiga shuttered. If even basic marketing is done as a side-project with the explicit intention of being a middle shelf free-to-play Gigantic absolutely has a niche to fill in the modern day.

Clint Cannon has Gigantic

6 Oct, 2023 @ 1:00pm

Originally posted by Oku:
Randy Pitchford is an incomprehensible freak so it's best to just not ask questions aside from what the age of the girls on his flashdrive were.

I was originally not planning to comment on this thread but this is such an entertaining topic, I need to say that while I have not heard any confirmation to or from regarding the girls on Randy's flashdrive, the fact that he commented on it refering to his famous stature first and foremost as an hardcore enthusiast for magic tricks was glorious, found among the cremated remains of Randy Pitchford will be some bones, a couple teeth , but more importantly an incredibly life like and detailed clown nose so powerful that it will take us centuries to develop any means of destroying it.

Xafron Chi has Gigantic

6 Oct, 2023 @ 3:33pm

Honestly thought Gigantic was a pretty fun game. I got that email as well. Not gonna jump through the hoops to get into the "throwback event" but if they re-launch it I will play.

Ray-The-Sun 7 Oct, 2023 @ 4:39am

Originally posted by Oku:
So shortly after Gigantic shut down, Gearbox acquired the publishing rights and IP from PWE and has been sitting on them ever since.

I don't normally post on the steam forums, but apparently the confusing naming has led to what actually transpired becoming kind of obscure at this point. Gearbox Software (developers of Borderlands) don't own the rights. Gigantic was originally developed under Perfect World Entertainment, at one point formerly "Arc Games", which was the significantly smaller American subsidiary of the Chinese parent company Perfect World Co. that you'll be more familiar with. They never sold the rights, instead Perfect World Co. sold the entirety of PWE wholesale to Embracer Group at the end of 2021 and the rights went with them. Embracer then moved PWE into the also recently acquired Gearbox Entertainment Company, in the process renaming it Gearbox Publishing San Francisco; that was the Gearbox in question for this event as you can see at the bottom of the email, basically the same group responsible for publishing it the first time around under a different name.

Paladin

8 Oct, 2023 @ 5:14pm

Originally posted by ele:
Why though? Battleborn was 1000000x better and they refused to keep that alive.

That was the most offensive thing you could have said. Battleborn was battleboring.

Last edited by Paladin; 8 Oct, 2023 @ 5:14pm

#10

wateralmond has Gigantic

10 Oct, 2023 @ 9:18pm

Gives me hope for the game once more!

#11

KensonPlays has Gigantic

18 Oct, 2023 @ 11:57pm

I LOVED this game . . . I hope they bring it back! I have not uninstalled it since it shut down in 2018 haha. I still have it installed on my PC (the original Steam build).

#12

midori

23 Dec, 2023 @ 3:37pm

Originally posted by Animal Control:
Originally posted by ele:
Why though? Battleborn was 1000000x better and they refused to keep that alive.
That was the most offensive thing you could have said. Battleborn was battleboring.

you didn't played it then, it was cool. better than overwatch, that's for sure.

#13

Panaji'j

26 Dec, 2023 @ 12:10am

I never got any emails from them for the last few, maybe something bugged for me. But I really hope they bring it back. The only moba I actually ever had fun playing lmao

#14