Legendary developer, Cliff Bleszinski, most notably known as the creator of Gears of War, has announced his retirement from game development.
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Following the shut down of his newly formed studio, Boss Key Productions, earlier this year, Cliff Bleszinski revealed that he was “going to take some time off and reflect.” However, at the time, the creator left room for a return, adding that he hoped to make someting new again sometime down the road.
That said, the Gears of War creator has now revealed via Twitter that’s he’s officially retiring from games development.
The news first surfaced yesterday evening when a seemingly troll account tweeted at Bleszinski with ire about Boss Key’s debut game, Lawbreakers, and how players who purchased the game were not refunded after it was taken offline after roughly a year on the market.
Suffice to say, the entitled tweet wasn’t well received by Bleszinski.
“I paid my employees, their 401ks, and their health care – even months after the studio folded. So they could care for their families,” said Bleszinski in a reply. “I didn’t take a salary myself for two years. I get you’re sad, but god, this kinda shit is another reason I am NEVER making another game.”
I paid my employees, their 401ks, and their health care – even months after the studio folded. So they could care for their families.
I didn’t take a salary myself for two years.
I get you’re sad, but god, this kinda shit is another reason I am NEVER making another game. //t.co/RtS7l5WcAl
— Cliff Bleszinski (@therealcliffyb) November 15, 2018
At first, it was unclear how the above response should be taken. In other words, it wasn’t obvious if Bleszinski was actually done with video game development. But since the tweet, outlet GamesIndustry has reached out to ask how seriously the response should be taken, to which Bleszinki responded, “Im done.”
Bleszinski rose to prominence with developer Epic Games for his role in the development of Unreal, and shot to the top of the industry with the creation of Gears of War.
In 2012, Bleszinski left Epic Games after 20 years with the company. Then in 2014, the developer announced his new studio, Boss Key Productions. In 2017, the studio released its debut game, LawBreakers, to decent critical acclaim, but poor sales.
In a last-minute audible to save the studio, Boss Key Productions announced the free-to-play Radical Heights in 2018, but again, despite a warm response, the game failed to gain steam quick enough in a very crowded and competitive battle-royale space. Not long after Radical Heights was launched, Bleszinski announced the studio’s dissolution. At the time, it was unclear if this would be CliffyB’s last game, but now it appears it will be.
Bleszinski released his first game, The Palace of Deceit, when he was just 15 in 1991. His 27-year-long career is punctuated by not only many great games, but some genre and generational defining titles. The industry will be lesser with his absence.
