Death of a Game: LawBreakers
nerdSlayer Studios・31 minutes read
Cliff Bleszinski's career in game design includes successful projects like Unreal Tournament and Gears of War, but Lawbreakers, a class-based shooter, failed to attract players due to issues like failing to adapt to market trends and lack of distinguishing features from competitors like Overwatch. Despite Cliff's efforts to update and improve Lawbreakers, the game struggled with low player numbers, ultimately leading to its failure in the gaming market.
Insights
- Cliff Bleszinski had a successful career in game design with hits like Unreal Tournament and Gears of War, but Lawbreakers, his class-based shooter, struggled due to challenges in capturing an audience and differentiating itself from competitors like Overwatch.
- Lawbreakers' failure to adapt to market trends, reluctance to go free-to-play, and lack of unique character classes compared to Overwatch contributed to its decline, emphasizing the crucial role of distinct and engaging character design in the success of class-based shooters.
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What games is Cliff Bleszinski known for?
Unreal Tournament and Gears of War
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Summary
00:00
Cliff Bleszinski: Game Design Career Overview
- Cliff Bleszinski, known for Unreal Tournament and Gears of War, had a career spanning over two decades in game design.
- Lawbreakers, a class-based PC shooter, failed to meet expectations and struggled with low player numbers.
- Cliff Bleszinski started his career at Epic Megagames, submitting games like "Dare to Dream" and "Jazz Jackrabbit."
- He continued to work on Unreal titles, including Unreal Tournament, which gained critical success.
- Cliff then worked on Gears of War, a mega-hit emphasizing cover mechanics and gore, using Unreal Engine technology.
- Gears of War trilogy sold over 22 million copies worldwide, grossing over $1 billion.
- Cliff left Epic Games after Tencent Holdings acquired a significant share, leading to the departure of key figures.
- Cliff returned in 2014 to form Boss Key Productions with Arjan Brussee, teasing a new arena-like title.
- Project Blue Streak became Lawbreakers, initially planned as a free-to-play game but later switched to buy-to-play.
- Lawbreakers faced challenges in capturing an audience, with Cliff's reluctance to follow market trends impacting its success.
14:59
Lawbreakers: Struggles and Decline in Competitive Market
- Lawbreakers, a game with over 35 million players, was considered a niche game with hardcore, skill-intensive gameplay.
- Lawbreakers, dubbed a double A title, aimed to compete with Overwatch, potentially alienating some audiences.
- Cliff admired Overwatch but expressed frustration at younger players attributing game mechanics to it.
- Overwatch's success lay in simplifying mechanics from previous games, making it easy to pick up.
- Lawbreakers struggled to distinguish itself from Overwatch, focusing on shooter gameplay over character abilities.
- Lawbreakers faced challenges during beta testing, with player numbers not meeting expectations.
- At launch, Lawbreakers received average critical reviews, with praise for combat but criticism for lack of ranked mode.
- Lawbreakers' unique game modes like Blitzball failed to engage players, leading to low sales and player counts.
- Lawbreakers' failure to adapt to the market, reluctance to go free-to-play, and lack of a team deathmatch mode contributed to its decline.
- Despite updates and additions, Lawbreakers continued to struggle, facing competition and failing to attract new players.
28:46
"Lawbreakers Struggles with Character Class Design"
- Cliff mentioned the struggles faced by Lawbreakers in October 2017, just before a major content drop, with stagnant numbers indicating issues.
- The departure of Arjan Brussee from the company in December 2017 to return to Epic Games left Lawbreakers without a key founder, potentially impacting the game's future.
- Lawbreakers is critiqued for its lack of distinctive character classes compared to Overwatch, highlighting the importance of unique and recognizable character design in class-based shooters for player engagement and success.
