Epic’s Cliff Bleszinski has claimed that PC gaming is currently in “disarray”and because of this, Epic will now be concentrating more of its focus on console titles. Speaking to MTV Multiplayer, Cliff had this to say about the current state of PC games:
“I think people would rather make a game that sells 4.5 million copies than a million and “Gears” is at 4.5 million right now on the 360. I think the PC is just in disarray… what’s driving the PC right now is ‘Sims’-type games and ‘WoW‘ and a lot of stuff that’s in a web-based interface. You just click on it and play it. That’s the direction PC is evolving into So for me, the PC is kind of the secondary part of what we’re doing. It’s important for us, but right now making AAA games on consoles is where we’re at.”
Cliff did not name names on which games he feels are detrimental to PC gaming, and also in the interview he was asked about a sequel to Gears of War, but refused to comment on that as well. He did, however, the demographic he plans on continuing to cater to, and while he does indeed like the Wii and love to play it, he is not interesting in making what he calls “soft games”:
“I don’t want to win over [someone’s] little college sister, because that’s not the kind of game I do,” he said. “I’m not going to make f***ing Cooking Mama.”
So basically this means that he will continue making the same style of gameplay. While he admits that sometimes “you need to step back a little and take a break. If I was tasked with creating a new universe I might just step back and say, “Okay, maybe no marines in this one. Let’s make it cops or pirates or something, ” he has no plans of going soft.
So there you have it folks. Cliffy B has spoken. No soft games, less focus on PC games, more hardcore titles. How is this any different than what he was already doing? Sometimes I think he talks just to hear himself. There are two reasons why PC gamers are flocking to games that “you click on it and play”. One being the fact that the majority of MMOs give you tons of new content all the time instead of sporadically, and two being the fact that due to the popularity of XBL, gamers do not have to log on to their PC to play multiplayer games. They get to sit in their comfy chairs and frag until they cannot frag anymore. What would you rather do? Sit in your lazy boy or and uncomfortable office-type desk chair? Maybe if gaming companies focused on giving us a PC title that was worthy of the time and money spent on it console makers could or would not insult it they way they have been as of late. Especially ones that love to toot their own horn as much as Cliffy B does - it is almost like he has inherited John Romero’s godlike complex . I would suggest that he get his ego in check before it burns him in the tail-end.