Gears of War Creator’s Untold Struggle to Bring Aliens to Gamers
Years ago, renowned game designer Cliff Bleszinski, best known as the mastermind behind “Gears of War,” had an ambitious vision to create an Aliens game, inspired by the iconic film franchise. Bleszinski’s dream was to immerse gamers in the thrilling world of extraterrestrial horror, but this vision never came to fruition, largely due to the intervention of Disney, as disclosed by Bleszinski.
In an interview with ComicBook, Bleszinski revealed that he was “essentially” in discussions to develop an Aliens game. He had even presented his pitch to the team at Boss Key, the game development studio he co-founded. However, just as the project was gaining momentum, Disney entered the picture, disrupting Bleszinski’s plans. Disney’s involvement came as a consequence of its acquisition of 20th Century Fox, the owner of the Alien franchise. Bleszinski shared his frustration, saying, “I had a whole pitch gathered together, and then of course the House of Mouse had to kick in the door and mess everything up, which was one of the many chain reactions that led to the downfall of Boss Key.”
In 2019, Disney sealed a monumental deal to acquire the majority of Fox’s entertainment assets for a staggering $71 billion, encompassing beloved properties like Aliens, Deadpool, Family Guy, The Simpsons, and X-Men.
Despite the setback, Bleszinski’s passion for the Aliens franchise remains undiminished. He expressed his reverence for the original “Alien” film and its perfect blend of suspense, as well as his admiration for “Aliens,” a movie that marries suspense with adrenaline-pumping action, courtesy of director James Cameron. Bleszinski even indicated that Aliens and the beloved TV series “Firefly” were the only two existing entertainment franchises that would have lured him back into the industry. He squarely pointed to Disney’s acquisition of Fox, the guardian of the Alien franchise, as the source of the project’s downfall.
Over the years, multiple Alien-themed games have been developed, with the most recent release being “Aliens: Dark Descent” in June 2023. Despite Bleszinski’s unfulfilled ambition, the Aliens universe continues to captivate gamers and fans alike.