Ego caused LawBreakers failure Cliff Bleszinski reveals

Some titles simply fade into the history books, leaving behind a curious blend of fan adoration and commercial disappointment. LawBreakers, a 2017 shooter developed by Boss Key, is one such example. While many regarded it as a great game in retrospect, its trajectory was far from smooth, ultimately leading to its shutdown just a year after release.

The reasons behind this commercial stumble are often complex, involving a mix of artistic vision, personal ambition, and the sometimes tricky landscape of game publishing. Speculation has lingered about why such a promising title failed to find its footing in the market, with some theories pointing toward internal dynamics rather than pure gameplay factors.

One theory centers on the concept of creative ownership. Co-founder and creator of Gears of War, Cliff Bleszinski, shared that a desire for Boss Key to operate as his personal studio cost him an opportunity to collaborate with established talent like Rod Fergusson. He reflected that attempting to build it strictly “as Cliff” fueled ego, leading him to believe brand loyalty would follow if he simply built it himself.

“I could have used Rod, but I wanted it to be my show, and that was the first step of my ego creeping in right there,” Bleszinski explained. He noted that while players are loyal to a game, they aren’t necessarily loyal to the person who made it.

Further complicating the story were the publishing priorities. The deal Boss Key secured with Nexon included retaining intellectual property rights, but Bleszinski suggested the deal was imbalanced. “When the deal is so good for one side, the other side isn’t as incentivized,” he noted. He felt that this imbalance meant the developers and publishers weren’t sufficiently motivated to make the title a major success.

Beyond internal dynamics, Bleszinski cited other factors that contributed to the project’s challenges. He suggested that the game’s art could have commanded more attention, an earlier launch on Xbox might have brought in more Gears of War fans, and personal struggles played a role in his involvement, including dealing with alcoholism.

Despite these setbacks—which he described as “death by 1,000 paper cuts”—Bleszinski remains passionately committed to the craft. He emphasized that the failure of one title does not extinguish the creative fire.

“At the end of the day, I want to create characters and worlds,” he stated. His drive is focused on building immersive experiences, aiming to create realms that people will desire to cosplay and tattoo on their bodies.