Marc Laidlaw's 40-Year-Old Cyberpunk Story Adapted into Netflix's Love, Death and Robots Episode

Marc Laidlaw, known for his role as the lead writer of the iconic Half-Life series at Valve, penned the short story "400 Boys" at the age of 21 back in 1981. This compelling narrative was first published in Omni magazine in 1983 and later featured in the influential "Mirrorshades: The Cyberpunk Anthology," reaching a broader audience. Interestingly, on his website, Marc notes that "400 Boys" has likely been read by more people than any of his other works, with the possible exception of his seasonal ad copy for Dota 2. While the gaming community recognizes him primarily for his contributions to Half-Life, Marc's creative endeavors extend far beyond video games—a testament to the unpredictable paths of a career in writing.

Set in a post-apocalyptic city, "400 Boys" depicts a world where rival gangs adhere to a bushido-like code of honor. The emergence of the titular gang forces these groups to unite, blending beauty and brutality in a narrative directed by the talented Canadian, Robert Valley, whose "Ice" episode in the Love, Death and Robots series won an Emmy for Outstanding Short Form Animation.

Marc recalls the inspiration behind "400 Boys" stemmed from his observations in Eugene, Oregon, where he was struck by the posters on phone poles advertising local bands. This led him to devise a story featuring numerous gangs, allowing him the creative freedom to invent a plethora of intriguing gang names, much like the band names he admired. This playful element became a driving force in crafting the narrative.

After over four decades since its initial publication, "400 Boys" has been adapted into an episode for the fourth season of Netflix's acclaimed animated anthology series, Love, Death and Robots. Directed by Robert Valley, who also helmed the episodes "Zima Blue" and "Ice," and written by Tim Miller, this adaptation features voice acting by John Boyega, known for his role as Finn in Star Wars. This revival marks a significant moment for "400 Boys," which Marc never anticipated would gain such renewed attention.

Marc reflects on the story's journey, noting that while "400 Boys" faded into the background, the cyberpunk genre continued to thrive. It wasn't until Tim Miller from Blur, a company renowned for video game cutscenes, approached him about adapting the story around 15 years ago that the idea of a revival began to take shape. However, the project fell through due to studio changes.

The success of Love, Death and Robots, which premiered in March 2019, reignited interest in Marc's work. The series' innovative and boundary-pushing episodes caught Marc's attention, especially with Tim Miller's involvement. After moving to Los Angeles in 2020 and reconnecting with Tim at various events, Marc received an email a year ago inquiring about optioning "400 Boys" for the series. The project finally came to fruition, with Tim taking over the script while maintaining fidelity to the original story, and incorporating visual enhancements.

Marc, who narrated an audiobook version of "400 Boys" during the pandemic, enjoyed a more hands-off role this time around, appreciating the visual storytelling brought to life by the team. He praised the episode's setting, characters, and the accents, particularly noting John Boyega's contribution.

Reflecting on his younger self, Marc acknowledges the distance between the person he was when he wrote "400 Boys" and who he is now. Despite this, he remains content with the story, given his youthful age at the time of writing.

After leaving Valve in 2016, Marc found himself in a position to pursue projects of his choosing. While he admits to "retiring too hard," he has since ventured into music and shared content on his YouTube channel, including a lost development video from the early days of Half-Life 2. This has provided him with a new audience and a different creative outlet.

Discussing the Half-Life anniversary documentaries, Marc appreciated the chance to reconnect with old colleagues and reflect on his time at Valve. However, with those chapters closed, he feels that his involvement with Valve's future projects, like Dota 2 or potentially Alien Swarm, is unlikely.

Regarding the possibility of returning to video game writing, Marc remains open but emphasizes that he hasn't received compelling offers. He humorously mentions wishing Hideo Kojima had reached out during the development of Death Stranding, suggesting he could have polished the dialogue. Yet, he acknowledges that the industry may not see his involvement as necessary for new projects.

Finally, Marc firmly states that he would not return to work on a hypothetical Half-Life 3. He feels that his time with the franchise is over and that new talent should take the helm. He has not played the VR game Half-Life: Alyx and believes he is no longer suited to the intense, collaborative work required in game development.

Marc's journey from a young writer of "400 Boys" to a key figure in video game storytelling illustrates his diverse contributions to creative media. As "400 Boys" finds new life on Netflix, it underscores the enduring impact of his early work, proving that the stories we tell can resonate far beyond our initial expectations.