Cliff "CliffyB" Bleszinski leaves Epic, is taking a "much needed break"

Quite the surprise today, with news that Cliff "CliffyB" Bleszinski has decided to leave game developer, Epic Games. Epic Games are the development team behind huge titles such as the Unreal series, and Gears of War series of games.

Bleszinski has been with Epic for over 20 years, and had influence on some of those most memorable games of our time such as Jazz Jackrabbit, Unreal, Gears of War, and more. Tim Sweeney, Epic's founder, CEO and technical director, had the following to say:

In 20 wonderful years with Epic, Cliff Bleszinski has grown into a true design luminary, and his contributions to the 'Unreal' and 'Gears' series have helped shape the game industry into what it is today. Cliff leaves Epic with our gratitude for his many contributions, and our wishes for continued success in the next chapter of his life!

Bleszinski also had a personal note to his colleagues, which said:

I've been doing this since I was a teenager, and outside of my sabbatical last year, I have been going non-stop. I literally grew up in this business, as Mike likes to say. And now that I'm grown up, it's time for a much needed break.

I will miss the projects, the playtests, the debates, and most importantly, the people. Epic only hires the best of the best, and it has been a joy working with each and every one of you on a daily basis, whether you were hired weeks ago or decades ago. I have been fortunate enough to collaborate with a variety of disciplines, from code to art to marketing and PR - it's been one big, rewarding learning experience. I'm confident that each project that is being built, whether at Epic, Chair, PCF, or Impossible will be top notch and will please gamers and critics alike.