Cliff Bleszinski, one of the creators of Gears of War, took to Twitter to express confusion as to why Microsoft hadn't asked him to consult on the series.
Bleszinski served as lead designer for the first three Gears of War games back when Epic Games was developing the sci-fi shooter. In 2014, Microsoft acquired the rights to Gears of War from Epic Games and announced that the series would continue to be developed under Black Tusk Studios, which would later be renamed The Coalition.
Though Microsoft then brought in Rod Fergusson who directed the production of the original trilogy, Bleszinski has not been approached to consult on the ongoing series, at least, not according to a new post on Twitter / X.
"We've been over this a million times re: Gears," Bleszinski's statement reads.
"I'm down to consult, Give my two cents. Crickets. I understand that Gears will always be an ENORMOUS [sic] part of my legacy. I appreciate and respect that. That said. MS/Coalition haven't hit me up. OK. It is what it is. If they were smart, they'd enlist me for my input because, just from a PR standpoint alone it would be gold."
A statement. pic.twitter.com/Hvpq9IsQW2January 27, 2024
Bleszinski departed Epic Games in 2012, and then went on to found Boss Key Productions in 2014. The studio would go on to develop LawBreakers - a multiplayer-oriented sci-fi shooter. However, after lackluster sales, Boss Key was dissolved and Bleszinski took his career in a new direction.
"I moved on," he added. "Restaurants. Broadway. My memoir. And now, comics (and standup comedy!). As much as I appreciate your support and those who know me from my Gears work [...] it's time to move on. I'm on a new journey. I have been for some time now.
"Please check out my comic Scrapper," he continued. "It comes from the heart - just like Gears did."
While Bleszinski is no longer connected to the development of the Gears series, it's clear that the veteran developer still has plenty of creative projects in the works.
For more Microsoft goodies, check out our lists of the best Xbox Game Pass games and the best Xbox Series X games.