Cliff Bleszinski has been with Epic Games since he was a teenager, joining the company early on and helping create franchises like Jazz Jack Rabbit, Unreal and Gears of War. But it seems this year the winds of change are blowing through the industry. Late last month both Bioware founders left the company to pursue other interests and now "Cliffy B" is leaving Epic for a much deserved break.
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, as Mike likes to say. 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 only hires the best of the best, and it has been a joy working with each and every one of you on a daily basis, whether you were hired weeks ago or decades ago. I have been fortunate enough to collaborate with a variety of disciplines, from code to art to marketing and PR – it’s been one big, rewarding learning experience. I’m confident that each project that is being built, whether at Epic, Chair, PCF, or Impossible will be top notch and will please gamers and critics alike.
We do know Bleszinski has been working on a Minecraft like game called Fortnite. It's unclear the state of that game or how this move affects it. All that said - we wish Cliff the best of luck. Enjoy your time off!