"There is something about this concept that I call 'hard core heist' that has never really been done well in a video game, yet everyone on the planet has thought about robbing a bank or something at one time or another," Gearbox Software president Randy Pitchford said. " 'Heat' pretty much defined what hard core heist means and it gives us a narrative mechanism to consider both sides."

The game will either be a prequel story to the film, or a sequel. If it is a sequel, De Niro will appear in flashback. And should Pacino come aboard, his character from the film will hunt down the new crew. If he doesn't, a new character will step into the role and track down the new crew.

Foxhoven said De Niro would potentially be used in the game through flashbacks and training levels. Kilmer's character would be able to interact with the crew directly because he survived the shootout at the film's end.

Pitchford said the challenge is to avoid merely retreading the space the film already covered, but to let players choose their own paths and make their own decisions that the characters in the film didn't have to make or perhaps wouldn't have made if they got into the situations the game is going to create.