The former lead designer of Gears of War Cliff Bleszinski states that Epic Games “didn't really know what to do with the franchise”, with the company later selling it to Microsoft.
Speaking in an interview, Bleszinski predictably had a lot to say about his time at Epic and the sale that brought such a large part of his fame to Microsoft. Bleszinski left Epic a couple of years before the sale, but suggests it was all planned once he and other key members of the Gears of War team left.
While Bleszinski doesn't give the impression of someone who necessarily holds a grudge against Epic or the sale of Gears of War, the creative wanted to get a few pebbles off his chest. Speaking about what happened right after Microsoft acquired the franchise, Bleszinski says it was the buyer who contacted him, not his former employer.
“When the IP was sold to Microsoft, the only phone call I received was from Phil Spencer. Understood? And this is Phil. Phil is, as they say, a gentleman” said Bleszinski. Spencer is the head of Xbox to this day and has seen several Gears of War games developed since then.
Speaking about why he thinks Epic ultimately decided to part ways with Gears, Bleszinski believes it was about money. “They were growing and probably needed income” he says, before making the comment that Epic didn't know what to do with a franchise that had proven so popular.
Source: GamingBolt
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