People Can Fly

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Lore & Background

People Can Fly's involvement with Bulletstorm grew out of a partnership with Epic Games that began after Epic acquired a majority stake in the studio in August 2007. The two companies collaborated on Bulletstorm, released in 2011, with People Can Fly reaching about 120 staff members around that time. The studio's earlier work on Painkiller (2004) had established a reputation for fast-paced, physics-driven shooters, a design philosophy that carried into Bulletstorm's emphasis on creative violence and the Skillshot system. During development, People Can Fly worked on Epic's Unreal Engine, which they had first evaluated after the cancellation of Come Midnight. The studio's approach to combat prioritized player creativity over traditional scripting, turning every encounter into an opportunity for high-score potential. This philosophy permeated the game's world, where the environment itself became a tool for combat rather than just scenery. The Skillshot system categorized kills based on style and physics interaction, requiring enemies to be programmed with specific vulnerabilities and behaviors that reacted to grenade bounces, ricochets, and environmental hazards. Their design influence ensured that violence felt dynamic and responsive rather than static.

In Their Own Story

In the corridors of Krom’s prison, combat flowed like a puzzle waiting to be solved. Every enemy fell not just by force, but by calculated physics, echoing the unseen hands that built this digital arena. A rocket curved around a pillar; a grenade bounced into a choke point. The system rewarded imagination over aim, turning violence into a rhythmic performance of points and style.

Reader's Guide

People Can Fly developed Bulletstorm during a period of experimentation with physics-based combat systems within the action genre. Working alongside Epic Games, the studio prioritized player agency over linear scripting, resulting in the Skillshot mechanic that rewarded creative eliminations. This design philosophy shifted focus from traditional cover shooting to dynamic movement and environmental interaction, defining the franchise's core identity. Production involved significant iteration on enemy AI to ensure they could react to varied kill methods without breaking immersion or logic. Post-launch content included downloadable maps and character skins, though the core experience remained defined by the original campaign's structure and pacing. Critics praised the innovation in gunplay while noting that narrative pacing sometimes struggled against the chaotic action sequences during initial reviews. Over time, the studio’s legacy within the franchise is cemented by their unique approach to violence as a puzzle-solving element rather than simple attrition. Their work influenced subsequent shooters seeking more interactive combat loops and higher skill ceilings. Despite later projects diverging into different genres or collaborations, Bulletstorm remains the primary example of their signature style during this era.

Did You Know?

• People Can Fly was founded in February 2002 by Adrian Chmielarz, Michał Kosieradzki, and Andrzej Poznański.
• The studio's first game was Painkiller, released in 2004.
• Epic Games acquired a majority share in People Can Fly in August 2007, leading to the collaboration on Bulletstorm.
• People Can Fly was rebranded as Epic Games Poland in November 2013, then spun off under its original name in June 2015.
• As of December 2024, the company employs roughly 500 people in eight locations.