E3, 2001: “He turns before the mirror in the men’s room. White suit, white snakeskin shoes, hair bleached wite to match. Looking good, he thinks, although, in truth, his arms and legs are gangly under his suit, his chest thin beneath a black shirt and tie, and his hair, capping a somewhat sallow complexion, is more brassy blond than white.

Ten years ago, Cliffy B. was that kid on the school bus who got Coke poured on his head and gum smeared in his hair. Back before he transformed into a pimp-suit-wearing game designer, Cliffy was an acne riddled, miserable-at-school small-town kid, filled with unbridled fury at his low status in life (…)”

GDC 2002: “Cliffy B’s plans for industry dominance aren’t panning out quite as he’d hoped. (He) introduced a new look at every industry gathering (…) This year Cliffy B’s hair is brown and brushed into his face à la early-ER George Clooney. He’s wearing a silky shirt and a stiff black leather jacket; a heavy silver chains lies around his neck.”

Las Vegas, 2003: “Cliffy B’s look for 2003 is grunged-out rocker – dyed red hair made sticky by hair product, raggedy fake fur-trimmed coat that hangs almost to his knees, and orange-tinted sunglasses. Bicep muscles show beneath his T-shirt, his skin is now flawless, and his eyes shine with enthusiasm.”

Uma pequena nota que também penso ser curiosa: Clifford, que já não gosta de ser chamado Cliffy, estudou no liceu de Columbine durante o fatídico massacre de 1999. Serão os seus jogos, centrados em mecânicas de disparo, armas e violência, um mecanismo para exorcizar os seus próprios demónios? Será Cliffy um auteur incompreendido?

Claro que não é.

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