The Downfall of LawBreakers: A Critique of Cliff Bleszinski’s Explanations

Six years after LawBreakers failed to make a significant impact in the gaming industry, its director, Cliff ‘Cliffy B’ Bleszinski, has come forward to provide his perspective on what went wrong. Bleszinski attributes part of the game’s failure to the unfortunate timing of its release, just a year after the massive success of Blizzard’s Overwatch. According to Bleszinski, the similarities between LawBreakers and Overwatch, particularly in terms of heroes and abilities, made it difficult for his game to stand out in a crowded market.

While Bleszinski acknowledges that there were multiple factors that contributed to LawBreakers’ demise, he seems to place a significant amount of blame on the arrival of Overwatch. He mentions that despite positive reviews, the game failed to maintain an active audience. In retrospect, Bleszinski suggests that he should have approached the development of LawBreakers differently by scaling down the project and focusing on a smaller, simpler game with a smaller team.

Bleszinski’s reflections on the failure of LawBreakers offer some valuable insights into the challenges faced by game developers in a competitive market. The story of Boss Key Productions and the downfall of LawBreakers serves as a cautionary tale for aspiring developers, highlighting the importance of market research, strategic planning, and differentiation in a saturated industry.

Despite the setbacks faced by Boss Key Productions and the lukewarm reception of LawBreakers, Bleszinski remains optimistic about the future. While there are no concrete plans for the revival of the game or for Bleszinski’s return to game development, the lessons learned from the failure of LawBreakers are likely to inform his future decisions in the industry.

The demise of LawBreakers offers a sobering reminder of the challenges faced by game developers in today’s competitive landscape. While there may have been missteps in the development and marketing of the game, there is much to be learned from Bleszinski’s reflections on the project. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, it is essential for developers to adapt, innovate, and differentiate their products to succeed in an increasingly crowded market.