loonygames presents: Kicking Back with a Bear - Rogue's Barrett Alexander Interviewed

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##### Vol. 2, Issue 3
November 22, 1999

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Kicking Back with a Bear

An interview by Russell "RadPipe" Lauzon

n the fall of '98, Barrett Alexander quietly packed up his belongings and slipped out the doors of id Software. It wouldn't be the last time the ex-military turned-biz guy set foot in the big black office building in Mesquite Texas, home of id, but it would be the last time as an id employee. What is he up to now, and why does he still work in the same building? Read on, dear gamer.

Your departure from id Software was so quiet, I missed it. Why did you leave and what have you been up to since?

Well, to be completely honest, I was fired. I'm sure as hell man enough to admit the truth, and I'm definitely not going to tell the public anything but. We all make mistakes and I was terribly unhappy and was unable to pursue new opportunities as much as I would have liked. I suspect they saw the dramatic drop in my attitude and thus my work and decided to let me go at that point. I'm really glad they did. Aggressive people need to grow their responsibilities, learn, advance, and are driven to achieve. When those opportunities are unavailable, it's time for a change. My time had come.

I essentially have been up to waiting for my dream job to come available, and here I am.

A little background: you were a marine once, a long time ago, and you've also done a stint in computerized home security (or so I've been told). What skills, that you've learned through these experiences (or others), helps you most with your role as CEO?

This is a great question. I'm very proud of having been a Marine, and attribute a lot of my strength to such. Without a doubt, I would have to say that my ability to not get 'rattled' under pressure is the key to many business dealings. When things get hot, or someone is putting pressure on you, it is great to be able to say in your mind "I've been yelled at by the very best, and you're not it!" - I am not intimidated by anyone in business.

I also have a sense of knowing that there is nothing, other than myself, that can inhibit me from accomplishing any goal I set for myself.

Does it feel a little strange dealing with id Software from the opposite view now? Do you feel that you have an inside track when you talk to them?

I really have had very few, if any, dealings with id since being at Rogue.

I feel a little weird being down the hall from them, but as far as having any advantage when talking to them, not really. I definitely know why they do what they do, and I certainly know what to expect and how I think they would react to certain situations. But, they're still id Software, and that means they'll pretty much lead the way in most situations, regardless of whether or not someone has 'the inside track'.

You and [head of Rogue Entertainment] Jim Molinets have been friends for a long time now. How did he approach you about working for Rogue? (And why the heck did he take so long in offering you a job?)

You are correct, Jim and I, over the past few years, have become great friends. Actually, we had discussed this opportunity many times. Back then, however, Rogue was a very small tight group, unable to accommodate new faces. I think the experience I gained from the time we first spoke about it, to the point at which I started with Rogue was absolutely invaluable (which by the way was part time from my house in December of '98). I worked in numerous business situations at id and especially after leaving id, that contributed to my overall experience level and also granted me the opportunity to see if business was truly the direction I wanted to take in my career. I must admit that being Rogue's 'Biz Guy', is unequivocally, where I want to be, doing what I want to do. So it really was all a matter of timing.

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Credits: Illustration © 1999 Francis Tsai. This interview is © 1999 Russell Lauzon and Barrett Alexander. All other content is © 1999 loonyboi productions. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited. Grr.