Seven years later, CliffyB admits he’s still bitter about how gleeful people were when Boss Key Productions went under: “It was amazing at first and then, well, it broke me for a good long while.” The legendary developer isn’t exactly rushing back into the industry.

Legendary designer Cliff “CliffyB” Bleszinski—famous for his work at Epic Games during the Unreal era and as the lead on the original Gears of War trilogy—just marked a bittersweet anniversary.

“11 years ago I started Boss Key. Sigh. It was amazing at first and then, well, it broke me for a good long while,” he posted on X, July 21. “Still bitter about the internet finding it hilarious that my studio folded.”

Bleszinski left Epic in 2012 to launch his own studio, Boss Key Productions. Their debut, LawBreakers, was a 2017 arena FPS with breakneck action, Overwatch-style heroes, and a ball voiced by Justin Roiland.

The game never quite broke through—a high skill ceiling and cringe-worthy jokes limited its reach, so it never found a consistent fanbase. Nexon pulled the plug in 2018, and Boss Key closed its doors that same year after a last-ditch battle royale attempt flopped.

LawBreakers became an early case of a now all-too-familiar tale: a promising multiplayer title shut down before it could find its feet, with plenty online practically celebrating its failure.

Bleszinski—once seen as the archetypal “dudebro” at a time when the industry was tired of such figures—truly believed in LawBreakers, and for good reason: a $30 FPS with slick movement, classic arena modes, and zero FOMO was a blast. But in 2017, selling an arena shooter was about as likely as a teenager asking for a flip phone. Overwatch dominated the FPS landscape, and PUBG was exploding in popularity.

To put Boss Key’s 2017 predicament in perspective: a month after LawBreakers hit shelves, Bleszinski’s former Epic colleagues unleashed a new “side mode” for their co-op shooter—the one that became Fortnite Battle Royale.

Would a LawBreakers-type game work today? Concord suggests otherwise; that $40 FPS had more issues than just its price. And when failure now means internet-wide mockery, it’s no surprise Bleszinski’s not keen to return to game dev.

“I’m happy consulting at this point,” he replied on X.

Source: PC Gamer