Cliff Bleszinski, former lead designer at Epic Games, has revealed more information on his upcoming title, Project BlueStreak, and also an update regarding the studio he formed for the project, Boss Key Productions.
CliffyB announced earlier this year on Twitter that “I’m officially coming out of retirement to make video games again,” with Project BlueStreak, a free-to-play title developed specifically for PC, set to be his first game since returning to game development.
Bleszinski released an in-depth press release regarding both the studio and title, with it stating:
Right now we’re up to 12 hires, which is still pretty small, but to be honest I’m attempting to facilitate a very family like vibe when it comes to the company’s culture. People are honest but kind and straightforward. Company culture comes from the very top, and I’m attempting to be a CEO who does what he says he’s going to do. We’re targeting at least six more active candidates as I type this. If you grow too fast, you crumble under your own weight. People need to learn how to work together, especially considering that I’m recruiting from a variety of studios. I’ve always said that development teams are like rock bands, you play your garage first and build up to the Staples Center over time!
Figuring out which positions to fill when you’re starting from scratch is an art form. For example, if your guns are hardly even prototyped, do you need a particle FX artist? (FX artists are like technical animators or UI specialists, they’re hard to find, so if you’re one, you should ask for a raise…or apply at BKP!) We’ve had a lot of great talent reach out to us via bosskey.com, as much as I’m impressed with some of the more experienced folks it’s the folks that are fresh to the industry that excite me the most.
It’s funny, looking at level design candidates, I can almost tell which ones I’m going to want to consider seriously by the thumbnails of their work and the design of their website. Clean Arena Shooter map lineage goes a long way, finding the spatial balance between tight corridors and open arena areas is an art form, be it in UT, Quake, TF2, or CS:GO. It’s almost like I’m picking the “Ownage” back from the UT days, only this time we’re offering full time employment!
After making console focused games for so long I can’t describe how nice it feels to get back into a keyboard and mouse state of mind. The possibilities for aiming and movement are boiling out of my head, imagine what happens when someone plays with mobility in a PC FPS when they’re inspired by 16 bit platformers, strafe jumping, and Tribes Skiiing, not to mention the possibilities with weapons!
For those of you who have been asking for BKP T shirts (flattered, we haven’t even made a game yet!) we’re working on getting an online shop together, so stay tuned for updates there.
One final thought. Although I’m fortunate enough to have made games for over 20 years and I had a good track record I truly feel like I’m starting over. From scratch. I need to re-earn the trust of as many gamers out there now that it’s my baby, my studio, and my vision. I want Project: BlueStreak to be my baby that grows into the company’s teenager that flourishes into the community’s adult.
That’s about all for now. Our COO, Arjan Brussee, has arrived in Raleigh and has proceeded to kick butt and take names. Time to roll up the sleeves and unlock some fun.
-Clifford
CliffyB is yet to confirm an official release date for Project BlueStreak.
