CliffyB: developers need to get out more, PC gaming in disarray

Game development is no easy feat, and it’s almost difficult to imagine how game makers come up with countless ideas that shape into what us gamers get to play. According Epic Games‘ Cliff Bleszinski (aka CliffyB), it helps if you try to gain real life experience instead of hanging out with other developers. More on this at the full article.

Epic Games‘ Cliff Bleszinski, a major force behind Unreal Tournament and Gears of War, undoubtedly has a plethora of ideas that shape the popular titles he’s involved in. His secret? He doesn’t just work hard, he also plays hard and gains experience outside the industry along the way.

“I’ve had to work hard to put the hours in, but to be a better person and a better designer you need the real life experience… I think that’s one of the problems with the business,” CliffyB told MTV Multiplayer in an interview.

He explained that developers have an unhealthy pattern of hanging out only with other developers. He added:

Sometimes you do need to step back a little and take a break. If I was tasked with creating a new universe I might just step back and say, “Okay, maybe no marines in this one. Let’s make it cops or pirates or something.”

On the other hand, CliffyB basically confirmed that Gears of War 2 is going to happen. “I think people would rather make a game that sells 4.5 million copies than a million and Gears is at 4.5 million right now on the 360,” he stated.

While there are still no official announcements, if there will ever be Gears of War 2, it’s likely to appear on PC after it hit consoles just like what happened to its predecessor. When asked for his comment, CliffyB replied:

I think the PC is just in disarray… what’s driving the PC right now is ‘Sims’-type games and WoW and a lot of stuff that’s in a web-based interface. You just click on it and play it. That’s the direction PC is evolving into. So for me, the PC is kind of the secondary part of what we’re doing. It’s important for us, but right now making AAA games on consoles is where we’re at.