Cliff Bleszinski Swears Off Making Videogames Forever

Megalith

Megalith

24-bit/48kHz
Staff member
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
13,003
Following the failure of 2014’s LawBreakers and the closing of his studio, Boss Key Productions, Cliff Bleszinski claims he will “never” make another game again. The announcement was made on Twitter after a gamer advised that all LawBreakers players should have been given refunds, as the title barely lasted a year.

"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 sh*t is another reason I am NEVER making another game."
 
Shmee

Shmee

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
1,148
Sad part was that this game wasn't that bad. He is one of those dudes that I don't like, but he has made some good games, and from all accounts has treated his employees right, so I hope ends up making more games.
 
Mode13

Mode13

Gawd
Joined
Jun 11, 2018
Messages
899
Should have stuck with Jazz Jackrabbit. I'm into my 30s now and would happily waste my money on jazz microtransactions and irl underpants merch. But instead he went solo mission and epic has that measely little flop battle royale game that noone plays.

Teehee.
 
C

Comixbooks

Fully [H]
Joined
Jun 7, 2008
Messages
20,027
He's probably stressed gaming consumers only see what is in front of them and not the development.
 
J

Jim Kim

2[H]4U
Joined
May 24, 2012
Messages
3,924
He must have a new game in the works and forgot to "not tweet" while freebasing Ambien.
 
oldmanbal

oldmanbal

2[H]4U
Joined
Aug 27, 2010
Messages
2,613
"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 sh*t is another reason I am NEVER making another game."[/QUOTE]

As a business owner, the sheer amount of money you spend from the 'company accounts' on all your personal needs is typically astronomical. I'd reservedly claim that he spent over 50k/year of the company money on himself 'in the name of the company'. To claim he didn't get paid a salary may be technically accurate, it still had no impact on his lifestyle or comfort level.
 
H

HeadRusch

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jun 8, 2007
Messages
1,661
Dude made a cookie cutter game........not sure why he expected to have Gears-like success with a game that was lumping itself into an already-saturated pool. Meanwhile, single player based western game sells a billion copies in 2 weeks.
kromc5 said:
I would add Chris Roberts with SC/sq42 as well.
Click to expand...

Hey that could be the most epic game ever....but yeah he's absolutely ready to take his seat with the Quorum :D
 
J

jfreund

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Sep 3, 2006
Messages
1,510
I swore off Cliffy B's games at least a decade ago. It sucks the studio closed and people lost their jobs, but there are really good games that don't do well commercially. A substandard game without a major franchise title on it will not keep a business running.
 
S

steakman1971

2[H]4U
Joined
Nov 22, 2005
Messages
2,433
Software development is a tough business. I've been in the software industry for the last 20 years. I've worked at a large company that made enterprise software (that everyone hated), startup companies making mobile apps (only one out of about 30 apps did anything, and it was for a non-profit and didn't even make money but did get a lot of publicity), and now I'm working on internal software at a company. I've not been in the design role often - just the development side. When you are developing something and know its a turd, it makes it hard to stay focused on it.

I'm glad to read he did the right things for his employees at least.
 
T

tetris42

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Apr 29, 2014
Messages
4,518
bobdabilder said:
People like to whine.
Click to expand...
The_Capulet said:
He's not wrong. Little shits are too entitled nowadays.
Click to expand...
People bought this game. It got shot down and was rendered unplayable after a year. They may not deserve a refund, but they deserve a way to play the game they paid for.

Being able to play a game you paid money for is entitlement now, despite that being the standard for decades? Fucking amazing. This is how we lose rights. By carrying water for anti-consumer practices like this.
 
N

Nolan7689

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jun 5, 2015
Messages
1,694
oldmanbal said:
As a business owner, the sheer amount of money you spend from the 'company accounts' on all your personal needs is typically astronomical. I'd reservedly claim that he spent over 50k/year of the company money on himself 'in the name of the company'. To claim he didn't get paid a salary may be technically accurate, it still had no impact on his lifestyle or comfort level.
Click to expand...

Well also of note is that he was already somewhat well off from prior successes with EPIC.
 
Mozgus

Mozgus

n00b
Joined
Jul 7, 2016
Messages
56
46373406_1810680235717801_4018582495485231104_n.png
 
dgz

dgz

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Feb 15, 2010
Messages
5,838
Jim Kim said:
He must have a new game in the works and forgot to "not tweet" while freebasing Ambien.
Click to expand...

This throws my entire perception of reality into question. Clone? New IP? Or long-lost crap? Taking all bets! I also offer video poker.
 
M76

M76

[H]F Junkie
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
13,309
HeadRusch said:
Cliff Bleszinski......John Romero......Derek Smart......can you imagine how badly the game these three could create would fail......
Click to expand...
Are we listing a-holes who like to rip into gamers when their games fail, or simply failed devs? Either way the list is not complete.
 
T

TMCM

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Apr 15, 2003
Messages
1,529
tetris42 said:
People bought this game. It got shot down and was rendered unplayable after a year. They may not deserve a refund, but they deserve a way to play the game they paid for.

Being able to play a game you paid money for is entitlement now, despite that being the standard for decades? Fucking amazing. This is how we lose rights. By carrying water for anti-consumer practices like this.
Click to expand...

Just so you know, the word entitlement, means something you have a right to. For instance: when you exchange money for something, you have a right to it ie you are entitled to it. It really seems to be over the last few years peopel have started thinking the word entitlement means freebie when that is completely incorrect.
 
Last edited:
V

Vercinaigh

Gawd
Joined
Jul 31, 2008
Messages
849
trentchau said:
I don't know man. As much flak as Star Citizen gets...literally Chris Roberts made my favorite space games ever. I still have fond memories of Freelancer.
Click to expand...
Too bad that doesn't equate anything to today. Every about everything has changed since then. It's -almost- the equivalent of saying I used to make board games before computers, now I'mma make a video game, surely it's the same thing and I'm still awesome :D
 
T

THRESHIN

2[H]4U
Joined
Sep 29, 2002
Messages
3,517
HeadRusch said:
Cliff Bleszinski......John Romero......Derek Smart......can you imagine how badly the game these three could create would fail......
Click to expand...

Imagine if they made a game together? It would be proof that there is no god. Each copy would open a black hole and devour the entire universe.
 
M

Meeho

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Aug 16, 2010
Messages
5,780
trentchau said:
I don't know man. As much flak as Star Citizen gets...literally Chris Roberts made my favorite space games ever. I still have fond memories of Freelancer.
Click to expand...
We got Freelancer in spite of him, not because of him. Star Citizen is in the state it is because no company was willing to salvage his mess this time.
 
C

Crystoff

Weaksauce
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Messages
111
Bleszinski had a lot to do with the greatness of Unreal Tournament, and maybe Unreal itself. I didn't care for the persona he pushed, but that has nothing to do with talent. He has certainly contributed.
 
J

jfreund

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Sep 3, 2006
Messages
1,510
He also said long ago that he would only work on console games, because all PC gamers pirate their games.
 
Zarathustra[H]

Zarathustra[H]

Extremely [H]
Joined
Oct 29, 2000
Messages
36,097
This is the fault of using servers run by the studio. If a game allows for online play, it should be required to be designed for community servers, so it can survive if the studio folds.

IMHO, I'd be happy if all non-community servers were banned. Online gaming has gone downhill in the era of automatic matchmaking on official servers.

The sense of community is gone, even in games that offer community servers as an alternative, as the community servers are typically dead, because no one is forced to play on them as everyone is too lazy and just wants to click a "play now" button.

I barely ever play online games anymore for this reason. The official server area has killed a huge part of the magic.

The death of official servers as a thing would be hugely beneficial to online games.
 
C

ChadD

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Feb 8, 2016
Messages
5,934
trentchau said:
I don't know man. As much flak as Star Citizen gets...literally Chris Roberts made my favorite space games ever. I still have fond memories of Freelancer.
Click to expand...

Did he though ?

Think you should thank Warren Spector for wing commander... and Phil Wattenbarger / Jörg Neumann for freelancer. Roberts is a flim flam man.

One interesting thing about Spector.... he also worked with John Romero who allowed him (wiht $) to create DeusEx. Romero at least was about designing actual games and knew well enough to get out of Spectors way of a more talented designer. Roberts is a guy that sinks studios, dumps vaporware on MS (ok kudos there) and bilked little old Germans out of their savings.... now he is forever ruining the idea of crowd sourcing.
 
Last edited:
Zarathustra[H]

Zarathustra[H]

Extremely [H]
Joined
Oct 29, 2000
Messages
36,097
ChadD said:
Did he though ?

Think you should thank Warren Spector for that. Roberts is a flim flam man.

One interesting thing about Spector.... he also worked with John Romero who allowed him (wiht $) to create DeusEx. Romero at least was about designing actual games and knew well enough to get out of Spectors way of a more talented designer. Roberts is a guy that sinks studios, dumps vaporware on MS (ok kudos there) and bilked little old Germans out of their savings.... now he is forever ruining the idea of crowd sourcing.
Click to expand...


I was under the impression he had a pretty large creative hand in the development of WC Privateer, which I LOVED in the early 90's, but maybe not?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top