Bleszinski sees RPGs as key to the shooter's future

by Ben Gilbert { Jul 6th 2009 at 12:30PM }

Look, we know, alright? Cliff "Not CliffyB" Bleszinski has a lot to say, and as such, he ends up in the headlines a bit more than anyone could expect. But how can we resist when he says such interesting stuff, like what he said during a recent interview with Develop. He dropped some pretty serious hints about the future of shooters -- and in turn, his own franchise, Gears of War. "I had a conversation with Harvey Smith – one of the lead designers on Deus Ex – and said to him the future of shooters is RPGs," the Cliffster said during the interview. "He said he completely agreed."

So, Deus Ex of War with RPG elements confirmed? Not quite. Bleszinski made sure to mention immediately afterward, "One could wean that from the comments I made earlier about the future of shooters is RPGs and see where things are going with us. It depends on where things go." Here's hoping "things go" right back to work on the game and less of the gum flapping!

(Just joshin' ya, Cliffy. We still love you.)

Tags: cliff-bleszinski, cliffy-b, cliffyb, deus-ex, develop, gears-of-war, harvey-smith, rpg

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

ignfan69 @ Jul 6th 2009 12:32PM

But it will still take you 15 minutes to get into a match online

Rick @ Jul 6th 2009 12:34PM

ORIGINAL!!!

Stupidiot @ Jul 6th 2009 12:38PM

Have you actually tried playing Gears lately? Some of the fastest (albeit laggiest) matchmaking out there.

Hyams @ Jul 6th 2009 12:54PM

Careful, EPIC don't like people complaining.

http://www.examiner.com/x-13078-Rochester-Xbox-360-Examiner~y2009m7d5-EPIC-Games-now-banning-users-for-suggestions

Storm Eagle::The Blood Edge @ Jul 6th 2009 12:58PM

@Hyams Wow. Really? I'm glad I don't play that pile of crap anymore.

nofriendo @ Jul 6th 2009 12:34PM

Yeah, you can use "Blue - 42" enchantment or you can put on the "Lettermans Jacket Cloak" in it.

Damian @ Jul 6th 2009 12:38PM

RPG Elements could be fun,maybe like Mass Effect, where your bullets always hit where you aim for a small period of time no matter what accuracy your weapon is,adrenaline burst it was called.

oncnawan @ Jul 6th 2009 12:40PM

Overkill or Marksman. Adrenaline rush reset timers on all abilities.

tcc3 @ Jul 6th 2009 12:35PM

How about if they make it so you don't have to replay the unskippable cutscene everytime you die a cheap death from the goddamn seamonster?

SilverArrows @ Jul 6th 2009 3:08PM

You can skip the cut scenes and the forced walks using the back button

tcc3 @ Jul 6th 2009 4:12PM

I don't know whether to be grateful or exasperated.

Thank you.

MrSpaceCowboy @ Jul 6th 2009 12:45PM

>You loot Locust Grunt's body
>You got 3 gold
>You got 9 bullets
>Theron Guard crit hits you with Torque Bow.
>You die.

Storm Eagle::The Blood Edge @ Jul 6th 2009 12:54PM

It's Super Effective!

NaeemTHM @ Jul 6th 2009 1:01PM

Marcus Fenix wants to learn a new ability! But he can only learn 4!

Forget an ability?

> Shoot
> Cover
> Butt pat Dom
> Reload

Spartan @ Jul 6th 2009 1:19PM

Player has leveled up!

HP +1
MP +2
Player learns chainsaw combo.

Maverick Saturn @ Jul 6th 2009 1:22PM

Marcus has become infatuated with Locust, Marcus hesitated in shooting Locust

WREturns @ Jul 6th 2009 1:35PM

Never forget the Butt-pat. Never.

scott @ Jul 6th 2009 12:46PM

that's awesome, i'm thinking theyr'e talking about things like in killzone how you can rank up with medals and stuff, and open up new abilities and be able to interchange them after using them so many times... only maybe it would cary over into the campaign as well or something i don't know, sounds great though. way more options open up.

WREturns @ Jul 6th 2009 12:51PM

You mean that thing that CoD4 did before Killzone did it?

Captain Planet @ Jul 6th 2009 12:46PM

I think Cliffy is right about RPG elements being the next thing for FPS games. It has already proved successful in the RTS genre (Warcraft 3, Dawn of War 2) and would only make sense to put it in the shooter genre.

Captain Planet @ Jul 6th 2009 1:09PM

I'd hardly call the experience/ranking system in either COD4 or Killzone 2, RPG-like elements.

Fullmetal Salchemist @ Jul 6th 2009 12:46PM

"The future of shooters is RPGs;" I like how Deus Ex came out almost ten years ago.

Vidikron @ Jul 6th 2009 12:52PM

I think it's pretty clear he means that we'll start seeing much more of it in the near future, not that it has never been done before.

FraGNeM @ Jul 6th 2009 2:22PM

You stole my (future) comment!

Well stated.

Fullmetal Salchemist @ Jul 6th 2009 11:07PM

MystileArmor:
"They're not going to turn it into an RPG but add RPG elements to the shooter."

How is that not exactly like Deus Ex?

Razorlution @ Jul 6th 2009 12:47PM

I think we will see something along the lines of a Mass Effect like "Gears," and not a Fallout "Gears."

The Fallout RPG elements would not fit well in the Gears universe and would be a very different feel.

MystileArmor @ Jul 6th 2009 12:50PM

I think they're more talking about the fact you can level up certain abillities and stats and customize your weaponry and armor a bit more, things of that nature.
They're not going to turn it into an RPG but add RPG elements to the shooter.

The Dark Wayne @ Jul 6th 2009 12:55PM

what mystile said immediately reminded me of Borderlands and another game called They(Them?Those?something like that) where you can customize your guns extensively, even as far as color in They. Of course there's the CoD sorta stuff too, i certainly don't think however that all shooters are eventually gonna become like ME or Fallout.

SEVENim @ Jul 6th 2009 3:47PM

He never said it was Gears. He could be talking an entirely new franchise

WREturns @ Jul 6th 2009 12:50PM

Great! Now Mark and Dom are going to have long, flowing hair and be even more gay. Pass!

Elranzer @ Jul 6th 2009 1:09PM

Getting kind of tired of shooters passing off as RPGs lately...

oOWallaceOo @ Jul 6th 2009 1:09PM

Shadowrun 2 confirmed :D

Babel @ Jul 6th 2009 2:14PM

Am I the only one who enjoyed Shadowrun? I mean, it wasn't perfect but I had fun with the teleport powers and wings. I didn't think it was deserving of that cruel song on Sarcastic Gamer!

modified @ Jul 6th 2009 1:19PM

I don't see Gears or War becoming any more RPG than COD. No one wants to walk around in the Gears universe talking to people, but weapon options in multiplayer could work. They need to ditch the thick character style if they do make a new IP that's RPG based because it's ugly and played out.

Spartan @ Jul 6th 2009 1:20PM

IMHO the future of RPGs is RPS.

The future of FPS is SHOOTING GUNS!!!

peternography @ Jul 6th 2009 1:28PM

no no no NO! all i see is "cliffy B." finally finished fallout 3 and thinks he can do a better job well i got news for you fallout is not a shooter if your'e gonna be living on earth you might as well pay some damn attention fallout is an rpg that just so happens to be in first person. if you ever played fallout one or two you would realize the the V.A.T.S in three is really just the the battle system you used back then in my opinion epic should forget about gears of war and focus on making an unreal tournament already because the most recent one was garbage. people need to stop this rpg element garbage and stop stealing ideas from bethesda cause clearly that's whats going on here. and i read some of your comments im dissapointed in most of you.

Wizzleteets @ Jul 6th 2009 1:32PM

So Cliffy B said Fallout 3 was a pretty good game then, huh?

AndyS @ Jul 6th 2009 1:51PM

Borderlands.

-=A.X=- | 3lite @ Jul 6th 2009 2:17PM

Exactly, my friend who is testing the game says it is still around 70% shooter, but feels that the way they implemented the RPG elements has been done really well. Im pretty excited for the game, wasnt until he started telling me about it. He also loved Deus Ex, but i dont know how similar they are. Will have to ask.

Best,

3lite