Randy Pitchford, CEO of Gearbox, expressed apprehension over the revamped art style of Borderlands 1, stating that he might have to inspect the changes closely and potentially terminate the project due to his dissatisfaction.

In the vibrant world of gaming, sometimes a bold decision can make all the difference. Such was the case with Borderlands, the looter-shooter game that shook up the genre when it was released in 2009.

Gearbox Software's art team, led by artist Nathan Stapley, was given a unique opportunity to experiment with the game's look and feel. According to creative director Graham Timmins, who was a lead level designer at the time, this decision was "fucking insane." However, it proved to be instrumental in making Borderlands stand out.

The art team was composed of "like, five guys" and was given just two weeks to work on the project. Their experimentation led to a change in the game's artstyle that was well-received by Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford and the team.

Initially, Pitchford had expressed concerns about the game's artstyle, fearing it wouldn't be realistic enough. However, the artstyle change led to a complete top-to-bottom revamp of the game, which saw most of the game remade. This transformation was evident in the No Rest For the Wicked trailer, which grabbed many gamers, including Harvey Randall, a gaming enthusiast and writer for several gaming websites, including Techradar, The Escapist, Dicebreaker, The Gamer, Into the Spine, and PC Gamer.

Randall, now 30 years old, was just 14 when he was captivated by the No Rest For the Wicked trailer. His love for games started at the age of 12 with a World of Warcraft subscription. In his offline time, Randall plays a shelf load of TTRPGs and has a soft spot for RPGs, soulslikes, roguelikes, deckbuilders, MMOs, and weird indie titles.

Adam May, the art director of Borderlands 4, believes the artstyle change was instrumental in getting the game's attention. May notes that the change from the original artstyle to the more cartoonish and stylised look was a risk that paid off.

However, the decision to start over wasn't without its challenges. Pitchford initially regretted his decision, fearing he had to terminate the team's hard work. But the risk paid off, and Borderlands became a game that stood out in the crowded gaming landscape.

Despite his success in the gaming world, Harvey Randall has not specified his favorite gaming system. Perhaps, like Pitchford, he believes that sometimes taking a risk can lead to great rewards.

Randy Pitchford, CEO of Gearbox, expressed apprehension over the revamped art style of Borderlands 1, stating that he might have to inspect the changes closely and potentially terminate the project due to his dissatisfaction.