Cliffy B Turned Down Offer From Hideo Kojima to Work on Silent Hill(s)

[The Wooster]

Cliffy B Turned Down Offer From Hideo Kojima to Work on Silent Hill(s)

//cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/library/deriv/1277/1277377.jpg
And you thought that Kojima/del Toro pairing came out of left field.

Hideo Kojima collaborating with Guillermo del Toro and Junji Ito on a Silent Hill game was the kind of news that forced horror fans into cold showers en masse. It's <url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/140601-Konami-Confirms-Silents-Hills-Cancelled-Silent-Hill-Will-Continue>not happening, of course, because Konami is strictly averse to positive publicity and Hideo Kojima managed to escape the publisher's development compound during the launch of MGSV.

It's all very tragic.

While teaming up with del Toro was certainly unexpected, apparently Kojima had an even weirder pairing in mind before he approached the Pan's Labyrinth and Pacific Rim director: He wanted Cliff Bleszinski.

He of Gears of War and Unreal fame. Seen above at the tender age of 25.

Yep. According to <url=https://twitter.com/therealcliffyb/status/697943663939289090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>a tweet from Cliffy B (he will forever be Cliffy B to me), Kojima approached him about making "a new Silent Hill game." He declined because he didn't want to move to LA where the game would be produced, and because wanted to work on new IP.

"I woulda fucked up SH," he added.

While some of you might be silently mouthing the words "what," and "the," followed by an expletive of choice, I can actually see why Kojima might tap Cliffy for the project. While it's largely remembered for its chunky cover system, frenetic multiplayer and the holy union between chainsaw and gun, the original Gears of War was absolutely dripping with atmosphere in the rare moments when it slowed down and let its art and sound design do the talking. That being said, Bleszinski is definitely a shooter kind of guy, and the quality of a givenSilent Hill game seems almost inversely proportional to the quality of its shooting, so it's probably a good thing he passed on the project.

Kojima has stated he'd still like to work with del Toro now that he's founded his own production company, Kojima productions.

Source: Gamespot

Permalink

 

[Shocksplicer]

Gotta respect someone who acknowledges they're not right for a project. Requires a level of integrity and self-awareness i wouldn't typically associate with Cliffy B.

 

[luvd1]

Yes cliffy boy. You would had fucked it up.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

There is something about that picture that makes me want to deck Cliffy. He's got one of those faces you just wanna punch for no adequate reason.

Anyway, I find that Kojima giving him an offer in the first place to be bizarre. If anything that shows that Kojima might have bungled the whole affair anyway by not having a good eye for talent.

 

[Andy Shandy]

Fair play to him for not taking it on since he didn't think he was right.

Now, I am a little intrigued as to how it might've turned out though.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

He looks, for lack of a better word, a bit of a douche. Never heard of him before either. At first i thought it was that terrible band Cliffy Biro or Biffy Clyro, i dont fckin know. So neither is a good first impression.

Edit: I thought i recognised that style from somewhere...

I'll just leave these awkwardly hanging here

 

[luvd1]

There is something about that picture that makes me want to deck Cliffy. He's got one of those faces you just wanna punch for no adequate reason.

Anyway, I find that Kojima giving him an offer in the first place to be bizarre. If anything that shows that Kojima might have bungled the whole affair anyway by not having a good eye for talent.

Perhaps he was drunk at the time and thought it would be "wacky"?

 

[OuendanCyrus]

He looks, for lack of a better word, a bit of a douche. Never heard of him before either. At first i thought it was that terrible band Cliffy Biro or Biffy Clyro, i dont fckin know. So neither is a good first impression.

You seriously never heard of him before? Cliff Bleszinski is the lead guy behind the Gears of War games, but I don't really blame you if you don't play those games.

 

[Scow2]

Fuck Gears of War.

Unreal Tournament was where it's at!

 

[jurnag12]

To the folks noting Cliff's douchiness in the picture: Seeing as it mentions he was 25 at the time, it'd have been taken in 2000. That attire and look would hardly be out-of-place at the time.

Also feel the need to note that he was also on board for Bulletstorm, which was a ton of fun. He's the wrong guy for a Silent Hill game, but Bleszinski's got a solid pedigree when it comes to shooters.

 

[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

You know what? While I always saw Cliffy B as a bit of a fratboy all grown up, I actually commend him for knowing what his strengths and weaknesses are, and knowing that he wasn't a good fit for an established franchise. That takes a fair bit of self-awareness, as well as humility in the sense that he didn't accept the job and try to force Silent Hill to fit his "style".

In other words, he is the mirror counterpart to Michael Bay.

 

[The Enquirer]

I need to give him some respect for declining this, even if only part of the reason was because he didn't believe he was the right man for the product.

 

[JCAll]

He was probably afraid of ending up cleaning the toilets at Konami HQ.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

You seriously never heard of him before? Cliff Bleszinski is the lead guy behind the Gears of War games, but I don't really blame you if you don't play those games.

Well i played them during a more casual gamer phase, not much. I didn't know they made anybody a celebrity though.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

To the folks noting Cliff's douchiness in the picture: Seeing as it mentions he was 25 at the time, it'd have been taken in 2000. That attire and look would hardly be out-of-place at the time.

Also feel the need to note that he was also on board for Bulletstorm, which was a ton of fun. He's the wrong guy for a Silent Hill game, but Bleszinski's got a solid pedigree when it comes to shooters.

Cliffy is pretty damn good at creating NEW IP. Jazz Jackrabbit, UT, GoW, Bulletstorm. All genuinely fun games that didn't take themselves seriously It's only when he does sequels that he bogs down and sucks hard.

GoW 3 was good.

Unreal Tournament 2004/Unreal Championship 2 were good.

 

[Sheo_Dagana]

Alright, Cliffy. You managed to get a few respect points from me (for once). It's good when an artist can respect his limitations and take a pass on work, even if it would have paid well. I can understand why Kojima might reach out to Cliff, but this 'would be' situation wouldn't have been ideal.

Makes me wonder who would have been second in mind to join Kojima and del Toro.

 

[Dango]

*Lone man silently walks down the main street of Silent Hill*
*Turns to camera*
"LET'S KILL SOME GRUBS"

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

He was probably afraid of ending up cleaning the toilets at Konami HQ.

He was working at Epic Games since he was 17. He was 25 when he got the offer. 25 with Unreal and Unreal Tournament having sold millions on his resume.

I know it seems cool to hate on Cliffy B around here due to the disdain for old school FPS around here, but the guy is an insanely accomplished game designer. And seeing as how bad Silent Hill has been the last 10 years, maybe he wouldn't have been the worst choice.

 

[Darks63]

You seriously never heard of him before? Cliff Bleszinski is the lead guy behind the Gears of War games, but I don't really blame you if you don't play those games.

Well i played them during a more casual gamer phase, not much. I didn't know they made anybody a celebrity though.

He is more a Phil Fish kind of celebrity in gaming due to him being a jackass shill. He was one of the ppl telling console gamers to suck it up and accept it when the always online of the Bone was announced.