Here’s What Gears Of War’s Original Designer Thinks About E-Day
Cliff Bleszinski, the original creator and designer of the Gears of War franchise, shared his detailed reactions to footage of Gears of War: E-Day, which debuted at the Xbox Games Showcase. While Bleszinski is no longer actively involved with the franchise, he followed the presentation closely and provided constructive feedback on the gameplay reveal.
In his comments posted on X, Bleszinski expressed enthusiasm for the overall presentation, particularly praising the dramatic rescue and reveal moment shown in the footage. However, he offered specific technical observations about the combat encounters. He noted appreciation for the “struggle” presented in a particularly challenging Locust encounter, but questioned the game design choice where other enemies were defeated relatively easily. Bleszinski observed that the toughest enemy didn’t appear significantly more armored or visually distinct from its counterparts, making it unclear why that particular unit should be considered formidable in gameplay terms.
Bleszinski also weighed in on a design decision regarding the iconic chainsaw lancer weapon, one of the franchise’s most recognizable elements. He discussed the choice to feature a straightforward chainsaw as a weapon in E-Day and potential gameplay implications of the one-handed weapon design approach.
Overall, Bleszinski’s response reflected a veteran designer’s perspective, offering both praise for the game’s direction and thoughtful critique on specific mechanical and balance decisions.