The studio used the cash to fund its other projects, like Borderlands 1 and 2

Feb 25, 2013 09:46 GMT  ·  By

After the negative reception of Aliens: Colonial Marines, an anonymous Sega executive has come forward and revealed that Gearbox Software has actually embezzled funds destined for the development of Colonial Marines, using the money to complete Borderlands 1 and 2 as well as Duke Nukem Forever.

Aliens: Colonial Marines was supposed to deliver a top-notch first-person shooter experience and showcase that movie-based games can work, especially since the main developer was Gearbox Software, a studio that already proved its worth with titles like Borderlands 1 and 2.

Sadly, the actual game was a mess and received lots of negative reviews.

Quickly after its release this month, reports that Gearbox had actually outsourced the game to other studios appeared, raising doubts over the studio's involvement, despite Sega's statement that Gearbox was the main developer.

Now, an anonymous Sega executive posting on the Sega Awakens blog under the name Bryan Danielson, has simply accused Gearbox of embezzlement, claiming that the studio had taken funds from Sega, which were supposed to be used on Colonial Marines, and instead spent it on the creation of Borderlands 1 and 2, as well as Duke Nukem Forever.

"Now here is the company that should get most of the blame: Gearbox Software and Randy Pitchford. Gearbox stole from SEGA, they robbed us, lied to us about the game, and tried to get another company to make the game instead. Let's see where the funding went shall we? Everyone said the game went to both Borderlands games, but Duke Nukem Forever gets a mention as well," he said.

Danielson also says that both Timegate and Sega were partly to blame, the first because it didn't do a good job, and the second because it didn't cancel the project when it had the chance.

"So Gearbox essentially lied to SEGA, mishandled funds, broke agreements and contractual obligations to work on other projects, didn't want to work on a game they were contractually obligated to work on and gave it to another team, poor organization and direction on ACM, took on too many projects from different companies at once, and other things that we may not even know about," he added.

"Hell, part of me believes that Gearbox wanted this thing delayed as much as possible so they can get more funding money to embezzle from SEGA."

The executive also claims that Sega might even take legal action against Gearbox, although it's unclear just what power the contract between the two companies has, seeing as how the final project has been released.