Is Cliffy B designing a new game?

Former Epic Games design director Cliff Bleszinski caused a stir in gaming circles when he signaled his latest effort via Twitter. But he gives only a snippet saying only: “Here’s a sneak peek at something I’m working on that has been cropped.”

Gamezone reports that Bleszinski said the image was created by concept artist Shaddy Safadi, who previously worked on The Last of Us. The artwork appears to depict a soldier standing in a canyon with sentries assembled in the background. The multiplayer blog on MTV.com says the image from the “Gears of War” designer looks like it could be another shooter game, but adds, “Is it even a game?”

Bleszinski left Cary-based Epic Games last October, ending what had been 20 years at the gaming company, saying in part, “it’s time for a much needed break.” WRAL TechWire last caught up with Bleszinski in April ahead of his keynote address at the East Coast Games Conference in Raleigh. He said then that he sees North Carolina evolving into a video games hub. While he didn’t disclose his plans then, he did express a commitment to the state.

“If I start a studio,” he said, “I will start it in North Carolina.”