People Can Fly

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Lore & Background

Before People Can Fly, Adrian Chmielarz had founded Metropolis Software with Grzegorz Miechowski in 1992. They published titles including Teenagent. Due to a personal conflict with Miechowski, Chmielarz left Metropolis in 2002. He considered leaving the industry but decided to try a new venture. He contacted Andrzej Poznański and Michał Kosieradzki, and together they founded People Can Fly in February 2002. Chmielarz, Kosieradzki and Poznański served as creative lead, lead artist and principal artist respectively. The studio developed its first title, Painkiller, released in 2004 to critical success. Stemming from that success, People Can Fly struck a partnership with THQ to produce Come Midnight. THQ cancelled the project in 2006, leaving the studio with about one month of operating capital. Chmielarz contacted Epic Games, and after creating a demo, Epic arranged for the studio to work on a port of Gears of War to PCs, saving the studio. Epic acquired a majority stake in August 2007. The two companies collaborated on Bulletstorm and Gears of War: Judgment. During development of Judgment, Epic discussed full acquisition, completed in August 2012. Chmielarz, Kosieradzki and Poznański departed and founded The Astronauts. People Can Fly was rebranded Epic Games Poland in November 2013. On 24 June 2015, the studio split from Epic to become independent again, reverting to its former name and logo. The company retained the rights to the Bulletstorm franchise. PCF opened a satellite studio in Newcastle upon Tyne in September 2017, a second Polish studio in Rzeszów in May 2018, and People Can Fly New York in June 2019. People Can Fly became a public company on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in December 2020. In April 2021, PCF acquired Phosphor Studios in Chicago and Game On in Montreal. With the purchase of Incuvo Studios in December 2021, headcount reached 490. In January 2024, the company laid off roughly 30 employees, and a further 120 in December. PCF announced cancellation of two projects in June 2025: Project Gemini and Project Bifrost.

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 is a Polish video game developer. The studio's first game was Painkiller (2004). Notable games include Bulletstorm (2011) and Gears of War: Judgment (2013). The studio was acquired by Epic Games in August 2012, rebranded as Epic Games Poland in November 2013, and spun off under its original name in June 2015. As of December 2024, it employs roughly 500 people in eight locations. Its most recent game is Outriders (2021).

Did You Know?

• The studio was founded in February 2002 by Adrian Chmielarz, Michał Kosieradzki, and Andrzej Poznański.
• Epic Games acquired a majority share in August 2007 and bought the studio outright in August 2012.
• People Can Fly was rebranded as Epic Games Poland in November 2013 and spun off under its former name in June 2015.
• The studio's most recent game is Outriders, released on 1 April 2021.