Borderlands developer, Gearbox has announced its investing 0 million CAD in Québec to establish a new Montréal studio for the Texas-based company.
The investment will add 250 jobs to Québec’s technology sector bringing its current workforce to 850. The Montréal studio marks the company’s second major expansion in the last six years with the first being Gearbox’s Québec studio based in Québec City which was created back in 2015. The new studio will be headed by industry veterans, Sébastien Caisse, Ph.D. and Pierre-André Déry who will co-lead the new studio.
“The Gearbox Entertainment Company is ambitiously looking both internationally and domestically to grow our creative engine and meet the incredible demand our customers have for talent-crafted experiences with our intellectual property,” Gearbox founder, Randy Pitchford said in a statement.
“Following our successful experience establishing Gearbox Studio Quebec, our investment in a new studio in Montréal creates an exciting new prospect for Montréal -based talent – whether they wish to work on existing Gearbox franchises or help with the creation of new, original ideas. With Sébastien and Pierre-André’s leadership, I know the incredible local game development community will welcome Gearbox Studio Montréal and its balance between major studio muscle and local team culture as a needed addition to the city.”
Gearbox is a Frisco, Texas-based game developer that was founded back in 1999. Its first release was Half-Life: Opposing Force and they have gone on to create the Borderlands series—most recently, Borderlands 3 and other memorable games. The developer is hoping the formation of the new studio builds on the company’s success with new talent set to work on “developing groundbreaking entertainment.”
“Montréal has become a must-stop destination in the video game industry. With world-renowned productions created in local studios, highly skilled talent is drawn to the city where careers advance rapidly. Gearbox will contribute to the growth of this dynamic ecosystem and help Montréal shine even more brightly on the international scene,” Montréal International president and CEO, Stéphane Paquet said in a statement.
The Montréal studio is set to expand on the culture established in the Frisco and Québec City studios. Local recruitment in the province will be led by Déry. Team members at the new studio will experience the company’s commitment to anti-crunch culture, competitive benefits and a substantial employer RRSP contribution.
“Building on Gearbox’s long history of creative freedom, we are excited to assemble a new development team to work on the Borderlands franchise and create new IP in Montréal,” Déry reveals in a statement.
