Cliff Bleszinski Leaves Epic Games

Cliff Bleszinski, design director known for his creative work on the Gears of War and Unreal Tournament series, has departed Epic Games. In an EpicGames.com blog post, Bleszinski seems to hint he may be leaving the industry outright.

“I’ve been doing this since I was a teenager, and outside of my sabbatical last year, I have been going non-stop. I literally grew up in this business,” Bleszinski said. “And now that I’m grown up, it’s time for a much needed break. I will miss the projects, the playtests, the debates, and most importantly, the people.”

Epic Games stated, “During the past two decades, Cliff has helped shape many successful games that have captured the imaginations of millions of players around the world. We are grateful for his influence on Epic’s legacy, from the wild adventures Jazz Jackrabbit to the visceral combat of Gears of War.”