Cliff Bleszinski Reveals Struggle With Alcoholism, Plots Return to Video Game Development - IGN

What the report says

IGN reported that veteran game designer Cliff Bleszinski has publicly discussed his alcoholism, saying it affected major periods of his career, including work on Gears of War and the later collapse of Boss Key Productions. The report, based on an interview Bleszinski gave to 80 Level, says the 51-year-old former Epic Games designer described himself as having moved from functioning alcoholism to a point where he could no longer sustain it.

Bleszinski is known for work on Jazz Jackrabbit, Unreal and, most prominently, the Gears of War trilogy, where he served as lead designer. According to IGN, he told 80 Level that his drinking began around 2003 during the Unreal Tournament era and continued through Gears of War’s development. He also reflected on industry events and social drinking as part of that period, while acknowledging that ego and personal decisions contributed to later mistakes.

The IGN article says Bleszinski accepted much of the blame for Boss Key’s failure. The studio, which he founded after leaving Epic, released the hero shooter LawBreakers and the battle royale game Radical Heights before shutting down. He also said he declined to co-found the company with former Gears colleague Rod Fergusson, a decision he now views as part of a wider pattern of misjudgments.

IGN reported that Bleszinski said he suffered a seizure in March, went to hospital and stopped drinking afterward. He told 80 Level he is now four months sober, in therapy, and considering a return to game development. However, he indicated he does not plan to make another player-versus-player game, reflecting the difficult market for competitive multiplayer titles.