Gears of War co-creator Cliff Bleszinski has addressed the long-standing competitive meta of 'wallbouncing,' clarifying that the high-speed movement technique was never an intended feature of the series. Bleszinski, who served as a lead designer on the original titles, compared the phenomenon to the unexpected evolution of his earlier work on Jazz Jackrabbit.
In recent comments, Bleszinski explained that the game's cover system was not designed to allow players to zip across maps with the speed and frequency currently seen in Versus mode. While he acknowledged that the movement is entertaining to watch and execute, he noted that it has created a barrier for casual players by making the gnasher shotgun meta nearly inescapable.
Impact on the Competitive Meta
According to Bleszinski, mastering wallbouncing makes a player "unstoppable," which forces a specific playstyle that effectively sidelines other strategies within the game's sandbox. He described the current state of competitive play as something that "breaks the game for anyone else trying to play it in any other way."
Looking Ahead: Gears of War: E-Day
The discussion arrives as anticipation builds for Gears of War: E-Day, which is scheduled to launch on PC and Xbox Series X|S this October. The developer is aiming to address these long-standing balance issues in the new title. The series has recently seen a surge in interest, with Gears of War: E-Day beta engagement helping player counts on Steam reach new all-time peaks during its second week.