Game designer Cliff Bleszinski recently closed the doors to his studio, Boss Key Productions, following the commercial failure of its gameLawBreakers, and you shouldn’t expect him to be working on another title — ever, if we can take him at his word.
Answering an upset fan who demanded a refund forLawBreakers, Bleszinski explained that he didn’t take a salary for himself for the last two years, despite paying all of his employees their own salary and benefits. He added that this reaction from players that was “another reason” he would never be making another video game.
https://twitter.com/therealcliffyb/status/1063145769321013249
Bleszinski added in aseparate tweetthat the majority of video game fans are “rad,” including those he has met in person. Of course, on the internet, it doesn’t always seem that way.
This wouldn’t be the first time Bleszinski effectively retired from the industry. Hetook a breakafter the release ofGears of War 3, leaving Epic Games behind. He had worked there since he was a teenager, helping to create the Gears of War franchise, as well as develop games in the Unreal series.
The Gears of War series continued after Bleszinski left Epic Games, with the developer supporting People Can Fly to create the prequelGears of War: Judgment.Following that game’s release, Microsoft bought the rights to the series and began developing it in-house with its studio, The Coalition.Gears of War 4has been released, withGears 5,Gears Tactics, andGears Pop!on the way.
Several figures in the game industry voiced their support for Bleszinski in his most recent decision.God of WardirectorCory Barlog was among them, saying Bleszinski “did right by [his people]” and his actions “should be held up as a standard for how we should all aspire to treat those we create with.”
FollowingLawBreakers’launch as a paid multiplayer title, Boss Key briefly converted the game to a free-to-play model before opting toshut it down completely. The studio then pivoted to developing a battle royale game calledRadical Heights, which received scathing reviews. Thestudio folded about a monthafter the game launched in early access.
