(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); In an Xbox Forum Floodlight interview Robert talks about why he calls himself 402 and much more.

This is an interview by Deadly Cyclone over on the Xbox.com forums. You can read the original Forum Floodlight here » This is an interview that's all about the person Robert Bowling, not the game Modern Warfare 2. But of course the game gets mentioned here and there. It's an interesting and lengthy interview, so let's get crackin'.
Interview Robert Bowling
Robert BowlingDeadly Cyclone – What is your Gamertag and what is the story behind it?

Fourzerotwo – 402 was my roster number in the military. I was in the infantry for a bit, training at Ft. Benning, GA. In training you’ll assigned a number based on your platoon and where you fall in that platoon. I happened to be 402, so it was written on all my gear, and most importantly the back of my helmet. I got very use to being called “four” or 402 due to that being the first thing someone saw when attempting to get my attention behind me.
What is your job title, and what do you do?

My official job title is Community Manager for Infinity Ward and currently Modern Warfare 2. I’m in charge of anything and everything that is remotely related to the public or our community. Meaning anything that goes public has had my eyes on it. From ensuring user feedback impacts design decision, and consulting on decisions that affect the game, our company, or our community and how it impacts us. I’m most commonly known for my role as the “public face” of Infinity Ward and our games. I help decide when, why, how, & what we show when we’re ready to start talking about our projects and of course handle all press interviews and presentations.
What is the best/worst part about working for Infinity Ward?

The part of the job is being able to hype my favorite game to my friends. My friends just happen to be a community of 13 million people. It’s really cool to fly around the world meeting people I’ve played online with for years and talk games. In addition to being part of something so big is awesome. The worst part isn’t so bad as it is bitter / sweet. It’s awesome to travel around the world and attend events like E3, but a lot of that equals time away from your family, which is the bitter part of it.
What, of your own work, are you most proud of?

In this project I’m really proud of how I’ve intergrated Twitter into the game design process. I’m pretty active on Twitter (follow me at [url]www.twitter.com/fourzerotwo[/url] ») and use it to connect to our fans in a way that was unheard of in the past. Beyond just answering questions and connecting with players, we also use it in an official manner via You must login or register to view this content. » where users can answer questions I tweet via @fourzerotwo » and rate on others responses. We use this info to help us make design decisions throughout development. It’s really cool and something that started as a pet project of mine which took off.
Robert Bowling at White CastleHow did you get into the industry?

It was a long & random journey which I’ll give you the short version of. Age 14: Started my first company. A record label / management company working with local bands and record labels in Cincinnati, OH. That eventually grew to working with international artists mostly in Los Angeles and Europe; my age 20 I eventually partnered with one of our clients to launch a music magazine which we sold nationally at Hot Topics. Through the trials and tribulations of launching our first issue, my love for the music industry was starting to fading and my passion for video games started becoming less of a personal distraction and looked more and more appealing as the next industry that I’d like to tackle. At this point had spent years in Music, Print, and other lines of entertainment. I eventually decided the video game industry could benefit a lot from the techniques we used in the music industry, such as close / open relationships with fanbases, and non-corporate tactics for getting fans excited and involved in your work. 2 weeks after that decision, I moved to Los Angeles and have been here / in games ever since.
Anything you would like to share about Modern Warfare 2?

It hits 11.10.09 and it’s going to be awesome. Did I mention there’s customizable killstreaks? AC130 being one of them? (check it: You must login or register to view this content.)
So how good are those night vision goggles really?

They’re awesome. It’s rare you find a collector edition item that is not only cool just to display on your desk but ALSO functional. They can see up to 50 ft in the dark.
What do you like to do in your free time (besides gaming)?

Going back to my music roots, I love to scout out indie artists and think about how I would sign / manage them. Of course, I never do, due to the amount of time my current career takes up, but it’s fun to think. I fully expect one day I’ll find a band I just HAVE to release, but since it’ll be more of a side project than a full-time job, I have the luxury of patience until I find a band that completely floors me. Other than that, just hanging out at the house with my Wife and daughter is a great way to pass the time.
Who does your family consist of? (Brothers/sisters? Husband/wife? Pets?)

My immediate family includes me, my wife, and our beautiful daughter Coraline, in addition to our “other kids” Puppy and Dog (yes, that’s their names).
What are your favorite movies, books, and music?

Indiana Jones trilogy and Star Wars trilogy are my all time favorites, George Lucas dominated my childhood. Musically, I’m a fan of just about anything that comes out of Fat Wreck Chords (NOFX being the obvious favorite). Other than that, most punk / ska is already in my book. The Aquabats, Atom & his Package just a few.
Robert Bowling gangstering it hardWhat is your gaming/entertainment setup like?

I have a dedicated theater / game room in my house which is a converted 3-car garage. I’m not a huge projector fan, so I’ve stuck with a 62” television w/ surround sound and all the standard.

When did you start gaming, and what systems do you own?
I’ve been gaming my entire life, my earliest memories had a controller in my hands. The first system I remember owning was the Atari 2600. The first game I have memories of playing was Kaboom! By Activision inc. back in the day. No way of knowing I would ever end up working at an Activision owned developer. Currently, I own every console created for the most part. I’m a huge retro gaming nerd, so I frequently plug in my old consoles and play my favorite games from each era. It’s slightly outdated (haven’t updated since last year), but you can see my game collection as of last year here: You must login or register to view this content. »
How many hours per week do you get to spend gaming?

Definitely 40+ hours a week, probably much more.
What is your favorite game of all time?

Super Mario Bros. 3 is always the game that comes to mind with this question. There was so much wonderment and memories of exploring every aspect of that game when I was young. Although quite a bit of my life was dedicated to becoming the worlds greatest Goldeneye player on Nintendo 64. More recently, it’s been Fallout 3 though.
What is your favorite arcade game of all time (if you have ever been to an arcade, if not XBLA)?

X-men Arcade Game and Silent Scope were two of my favorite arcade games. X-men mostly because my brother and I would play it at our local pizza play as kids every Sunday when our dad would take us out the movies – great memories. Other than that, most of my gaming was spent at home on consoles. I’d wait till games hit the NES as I grew up in the country so we didn’t have any good Arcades in distance I could get to without rides.
Anyone (or company) in the gaming industry that you look up to?

There’s quite a few developers out there I respect, Naughty Dog for character development and Bethesda for story / world building. As for individuals, Hideo Kojima’s level of detail and polish is as good as it gets for me.
Robert Bowling mugshotIn which game do you have the best stats, and what are some that you are proud of?

100+ hours in Fallout 3 (including full gamerscore pre-Zeta dlc), Full 200 gamerscore in Marble Blast Ultra (beating all levels on advanced in under time mostly), first person in the world to get a full 1000 GS in Call of Duty 4. I unlocked the Police Car Beetle in Beetle Adventure Racing for N64, beat all time-trials / cheat unlocks in Goldeneye 007, Found all keys + mountain dew cans in San Francisco RUSH / RUSH 2 and unlocked the hidden Midway Studios race track are a few that come to mind.
What game are you bad at, or just cannot get the hang of?

Gears of War – 1 or 2. I love singleplayer, I love Horde mode, but anyone who has played me on Xbox Live in Gears multiplayer can vouch for me that I’m horrible. The rolling shotgun technique eludes me. I’m the guy trying to chainsaw everyone despite that being the worst tactic in the game. It sucks (not the game), the fact that I’m no good at it.
What games are you looking forward to this year?

Besides when we ship Modern Warfare 2 in November (shameless plug!), I can’t wait for Assassin’s Creed 2 and Shadow Complex on XBLA here soon.
If you could pick one old game to be re-made what would it be?

Chip & Dale’s Rescue Rangers for the NES. Awesome game with awesome platforming that could be an awesome re-dux if they don’t give it a movie / kids game budget.
What do you see as the future of gaming (no consoles, digital download, etc.)?

I see gaming becoming more of an all purpose entertainment experience and that becoming more and more integrated to the gaming experience. Consoles are becoming a platform for all kinds of cross-media. We see it with Xbox 360 dashboard integrations of Netflix, Last.fm, Twitter, Facebook, etc. I expect to see that become more and more integrated. Not for all genres of course, but I can totally see it working with a lot of casual / party games first.
What frustrates you about the gaming industry?

Anytime the business aspect overshadows the creative aspects of the industry. Developers need to control their IPs and have complete control of how it’s handled.
Any in-game pet peeves?

Quick Time Events. Stop using them, they’re not immersive, they’re not fun, they’re just annoying. Please find another way to immerse your player in the action without playing simon says.
Robert Bowling in interview with Complex Magazine (lucky bastard)Do you think gaming becoming more mainstream is hurting or helping the industry, why?

Of course it helps. At the end of the day, gaming is a business. Mainstream means a bigger audience, which means more money for publishers, which means bigger budgets for developers, which potentially means higher quality in game development as a whole. Everyone wins.
What do you think of strictly single-player games adding multiplayer components?

I’m a firm believer that every game DOESN’T need a multiplayer. If multiplayer isn’t a major focus of your development then it’s okay to not include it. That’s valuable development time you can spend polishing and improving the overall quality of your singleplayer experience. Now if you’re giving as much development resources to MP as you do SP, then by all means it’s great.
Any closing comments?

I always like to hear from people, so be sure to follow me on Twitter via [url]www.twitter.com/fourzerotwo[/url] » & add me or send me a message on Xbox Live as gamertag: fourzerotwo

there was no info it was just interview with 402..

Yh very interesting.. Thanks..

It would be funny if he talked about a beta