Those in the gaming world who have been eagerly awaiting news about what Cliff Bleszinski would do next after his award-winning career at Epic Games got an update via Twitter this week.

But it wasn’t what many had expected since Bleszinski had tweeted in August an image about what appeared to be a game-related project.

Instead, the former creative guru at Epic Games in Cary is a partner in The Station, a new restaurant and pub on Person Street in Raleigh.

He tweeted this news to his more than 213,000 followers on Thursday:

“On a side note, I opened a restaurant today in Raleigh with my business partner @NiallHanley. Come say hi! @StationRaleigh”

Another tweet noted:

“As a sort of retired guy who just opened a restaurant I think a car dealership is next.”

The Station is now open daily from 11 a.m. and closes at 2 a.m.

Photos posted at Facebook show a wide variety of cuisine – but no obvious references to the blood-and-gore days at Epic where Bleszinski was a creative force behind the “Gears of War” and “Unreal Tournament” series.

Still Thinking Gaming

Not that Bleszinski has left gaming behind. 

“Shout out to my friends in Redmond on launching the Xbox One,” he tweeted Thursday night.

Microsoft’s new Xbox hits store shelves today. Microsoft is the publisher of Epic’s “Gears” series.

“Here’s a sneak peek at something I’m working on that has been cropped,” Bleszinski tweeted in August.

Gamezone reported 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?”

Just a year ago, Bleszinski cashed out from Epic when the privately held company sold a 40 percent share to China-based Tencent. He decided to remain in Raleigh, and he has told WRALTechWire that if he does open a game studio it would be in the city of oaks, which he has grown to love.

But for now, the game he has in mind remains very secretive – and he just may be seen working the crowd at The Station.