Mike Capps Leaves Epic

Hunter · Mar 8, 2013

Not only has Cliff Bleszinki recently left Epic games but now Mike Capps has also said fairwell to the company as a change of management is now taking place.

Epic have officially commented saying:

"When Mike Capps retired last year, he stayed on the board in an advisory role. As we've been mapping out the future for the new Epic Games, we decided it was best to get a fresh start with the new management. We thank Mike for his years of service at Epic and we wish him well in retirement and fatherhood."

Mike Capps has also announced over on his Facebook page:

"So what's next for me? Games have been so good to me, and I'm delighted to have the time to give back. I'm a member of several game industry boards, and I'm proud to serve as an advocate for our art in Washington," wrote Capps on Facebook this evening. "I'm considering seats on a few company and advisory boards, as well as options for teaching at one of the world-class universities in the North Carolina Triangle area. And mostly, I'm focused on being a new dad in a few short weeks."

So what does it mean for Epic Games as there has been a big change at the top...

Raynor.Z · Mar 8, 2013

Interesting times. First it was Ferguson, then Bleszinski now Capps. Who wants to guess next one?

Bgood · Mar 8, 2013

Possibly more specialization?

As in , wonder if they'll stop game development and concentrate solely on the engine(middleware ) side of things?
Many will hope they do continue with in-house game titles, how else will another UT happen?

cUnNiNg_StUnTs · Mar 8, 2013

Sweeney?

DarkSonny · Mar 9, 2013

cUnNiNg_StUnTs said:
Sweeney?

I don't think so...If were he the next to go outside Epic, The UE engine development would be stopped definitively and I cant recall correctly if Sweeney is the Epic founder or so...If were this case no more UT you know

PD: I bet next will be marky rein ( Im jokin, I dont think so either... )

tomcat ha · Mar 9, 2013

Bgood said:
Possibly more specialization?

As in , wonder if they'll stop game development and concentrate solely on the engine(middleware ) side of things?
Many will hope they do continue with in-house game titles, how else will another UT happen?

well most of their recent games have been hits.

_Lynx · Mar 9, 2013

DarkSonny said:
I cant recall correctly if Sweeney is the Epic founder

He is, with Mark Rein and CliffyB

Sir_Brizz · Mar 9, 2013

I don't think this will affect their game output. If anything, their games will get better because the people who were making them "mainstream" are all entirely gone now. I know for a fact certain higher ups in Epic were not happy with the direction their games were going which is why they even started on Fortnite.

Benfica · Mar 9, 2013

Great news. Capps was a lousy boss.

Bgood · Mar 9, 2013

Sir_Brizz said:
I don't think this will affect their game output. If anything, their games will get better because the people who were making them "mainstream" are all entirely gone now. I know for a fact certain higher ups in Epic were not happy with the direction their games were going which is why they even started on Fortnite.

If there really has been that schism over direction at the top? And the devs can get back to making the sort of games that they want to play. It could be interesting .

Sir_Brizz said:
not happy ...which is why they even started on Fortnite.

They started Fortnite as a move away from mainstream, or as a continuation down that road?

---------------

An IndustryGamers interviewer asked Mike Capps about the chances of a new UT in 2011.

Report From Eurogamer:

...Though he stopped short of confirming work on a new entry in the series was underway, he did add that a sequel would probably make Epic's bank manager happy.

"We've been sort of focused on making new properties, which you've seen with Shadow Complex, Bulletstorm and Infinity Blade, but sometimes I think just as a businessman that maybe we should be spending some more time with our existing franchises."

Sir_Brizz · Mar 9, 2013

They started Fortnite to prove to the industry that they can make games that aren't full of steroid pumped dudebros. They've been doing those for over a decade now (yeah, even 2k3/2k4 had them).

Bgood · Mar 9, 2013

Sir_Brizz said:
They started Fortnite to prove to the industry that they can make games that aren't full of steroid pumped dudebros. They've been doing those for over a decade now (yeah, even 2k3/2k4 had them).

Yeah, that image kinda attached to Epic. Still, sticking to the same formula hasn't hurt Activision's cash cow COD...yet.

Still, would prefer a new UT over Fortnite. UT's state is pretty depressing. The unloved console/PC hybrid that was UT3[with the emphasis on console]. Shouldn't have resulted in it being parked like it's been imho .

There's still room for a good Epic made sci-fi FPS- on the proviso it doesn't feel like it's been made primarily for Xbox360 players. It's reported Fortnite is the PC game they were talking about, but wasn't there talk of another PC game in development?

Sir_Brizz · Mar 9, 2013

They have recently said they have two PC games in the works. Fortnite is obviously one. No announcement of the other so far.

Psychomorph · Mar 12, 2013

Sell out time. This is epic.

Maybe their new course will make them do better games? Hmm, I think not.

QAPete · Mar 12, 2013

There are still a ton of talented people at Epic, starting with Tim Sweeney. I expect more great games coming from Cary, NC.

Vaginal Epiphany · Mar 12, 2013

I bet it's gonna be Big Video Game Business lobbying for him.
j/k

moonflyer · Mar 15, 2013

The truth is, UT3 was not a good console game either. It was just not good, no matter the PC version or the console version. That was THE problem.
If UT3 PS3 were 90% percent as good as Gears 1, things would had been totally different.
Personally I don't care which platform they goes, as long as it plays like UT with hardcore and awesome gameplay that lives up to today's GOTY standards.

Juguard · Mar 15, 2013

Epic as a business succeeded, but I'm sad unreal series failed because of that. When they announced yearly release of UT, starting with UT2003, it was bound to go downhill.

Also, multi platform is not good for PC games. I can't think of a PC game that was better as soon as it went multi platform.

moonflyer · Mar 15, 2013

Nah, Skyrim PC is better. Dishonored PC is. And Far Cry 3 PC is as good as its console versions...
Not to mention Portal 1 and 2 and other Valve games.
The interesting thing about Valve is, they actually know how to create multi platform games without ruining the PC versions.
Sometimes I wonder what if Valve had the Unreal franchise. At least I would not have to see those bulky space marines any more, and for sure a very good storytelling instead.

Kyllian · Mar 16, 2013

Sir_Brizz said:
They started Fortnite to prove to the industry that they can make games that aren't full of steroid pumped dudebros. They've been doing those for over a decade now (yeah, even 2k3/2k4 had them).

Well, at the same time 2k3/2k4's storylines were essentially a giant team deathmatch tournament to placate the masses, so the steroid pumped dudebros kinda made sense(more roid rage = bloodier deaths = more people tuning in = more money made)

If Epic ever does go back to UT, they need to take a long, hard look at previous titles and taking note of what worked(UT/2k4) and what didn't(UT3)

Mike Capps Leaves Epic

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