"The game was from a new IP called Borderlands, and promised, as the cover's tagline said, to combine concepts from action/RPGs like Diablo with the post-apocalyptic setting from series like Mad Max within the wrapper of a first-person shooter. The game looked promising thanks to its tight gameplay, genre-melding concepts, and promise of millions of guns. Still, there was just one problem: Borderlands and Gearbox had a massive identity crisis to address as deadlines rapidly approached."
"At the time, Gearbox was known for its work on ports and content for series like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Halo, and Half-Life, as well as its Brothers in Arms series. Borderlands, despite being a first-person shooter, seemed like a big gamble by comparison; it wasn't in line with the military-shooter subgenre that was experiencing a surge in popularity around that time. It was an all-new IP and an unconventional combination of genres in a space occupied by heavy hitters."
In 2007 Game Informer put an upcoming first-person shooter from Gearbox on its cover. The game came from a new IP called Borderlands and combined action-RPG elements with a post-apocalyptic setting inside a first-person shooter. The design promised tight gameplay, genre-melding systems, and a marketing hook of millions of guns. Early development leaned heavily on Mad Max inspiration and collaboration with Ron Cobb, but that original art style increasingly felt wrong. Gearbox's prior reputation rested on ports and Brothers in Arms, making Borderlands a risky, unconventional gamble amid popular military-shooter releases like Rage and Fallout. Growing skepticism and looming deadlines forced a major identity reevaluation.
Read at Game Informer
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