Take-Two CEO Reveals Last-Minute Borderlands Visual Style Change Cost $50 Million

Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick revealed that changing the visual style of the original Borderlands cost an additional $50 million. Speaking in an interview with podcaster David Senra, Zelnick discussed the decision as an example of business resilience. He stated that the game was originally envisioned to have a darker, more realistic look before developer Gearbox Software requested a massive overhaul just months before release.

According to Zelnick, an executive from Gearbox visited his office two months prior to the planned launch to state that the visuals were unsatisfactory. The studio requested another year of development and $50 million beyond the funds already spent. Zelnick ultimately agreed to the high-risk gamble, which resulted in the franchise adopting its now iconic cel-shaded art style.

Zelnick stated that the game would not have become a hit without that change, adding that no one else in the industry would have made the same choice. While Zelnick did not disclose the total budget of the first game, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford previously noted in 2012 that developing Borderlands 2 cost between $30 million and $35 million, which was several times the budget of the original installment.