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David Jaffe officially leaves Sony and forms Independant Studio

Unco-ordinatedUnco-ordinated NZRegistered User regular
edited July 2007 in Games and Technology
FOSTER CITY, Calif., July 27 -- Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. (SCEA) today announced an exclusive game development deal with Eat, Sleep, Play(TM), a new software development company formed by legendary game creators David Jaffe and Scott Campbell. Under the agreement, Eat, Sleep, Play is signed on for a multi-year, multi-title deal to create titles for the PlayStation family of products, with the first slated for release in 2008.

Based in Utah, Eat, Sleep, Play is a newly formed company founded by David Jaffe, a former creative director for SCEA's Santa Monica Studios; and Scott Campbell, the founder of Incognito Entertainment, a dedicated development studio also under the SCEA Santa Monica Studios banner. Jaffe is perhaps best known as the co-creator and game director behind the multi-million PlayStation(R) platform franchises Twisted Metal(R) on PS one(R) & PlayStation(R)2 and God of War(R) on PlayStation 2. Campbell, a long-time collaborator with Jaffe and co-creator of the Twisted Metal titles, is currently receiving industry praise for Incognito's PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(TM))-exclusive online air and ground combat game Warhawk(TM). Additionally, Jaffe and Campbell recently collaborated efforts on Calling All Cars(TM), a popular exclusive downloadable title for PLAYSTATION(R)Network.

In addition to the multi-year, multi-title deal to create titles for the PlayStation family of products, the company will also be creating Twisted Metal(R): Head On for PlayStation 2, which is scheduled to be released this winter. Twisted Metal: Head On will feature lost levels from the never released Twisted Metal: Black(R) Part II and a documentary on the series.

"We are extremely pleased to be working with David and Scott and supporting them in their new endeavor," said Shuhei Yoshida, senior vice president, product development, SCEA. "Through hit after hit, they have established themselves as two of the most talented individuals this industry has ever seen, and I look forward to seeing what kind of further gaming innovation they can bring to the PlayStation brand through our new development deal."

In conjunction with today's news, SCEA confirmed that the core members of the Incognito team responsible for Warhawk will remain within the SCEA Santa Monica Studios fold, headed up by Dylan Jobe, and will continue to produce content for this highly-anticipated title. Jobe, game director for Warhawk, is known for his work on the popular hit titles War of the Monsters(TM) and Twisted Metal: Black(R) for PlayStation 2.

SOURCE Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

So basically, David Jaffe, Scott Campbell and some of others from Incog left Sony to form an independant company called Eat, Sleep, Play. Sony then signed them up as second party developers and now they're working on Twisted Metal: Head On for the PS2 (of all places) and another untitled game (probably for the PSN). Oh and the remainders of Incog (developers of Warhawk) will be dissolved into Sony Santa Monica.

What does this mean for the God of War series? Nothing really. Cory Barlog is in charge of it now and he did a fantastic job on God of War 2.

Steam ID - LiquidSolid170 | PSN ID - LiquidSolid
Unco-ordinated on

Posts

  • XenoXeno Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    I am NOT missing Twisted Metal Black again.

    Fuck that shit. Day one purchase for me.

    Hopefully it has online.

    Xeno on
  • LewiePLewieP Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    I never quite get why he has the reputation he has, he has made some solid games, but is hardly a trailblazing developer.

    But bloody hell, I predict the last PS2 game to be released will be in like 2010.

    LewieP on
  • darleysamdarleysam On my way to UKRegistered User regular
    edited July 2007
    why has he left, to go form a studio, to (i'm assuming, being signed on as a second party.. whatever that actually means) do exactly what he was doing before: make games for Sony. Just seems rather unnecessary, when he was doing that all anyway.

    darleysam on
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  • Dublo7Dublo7 Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    I really want Jaffe to restart making that game he was developing, which had something to do with the Chinese Military. It looked amazing.

    Dublo7 on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • EvilBadmanEvilBadman DO NOT TRUST THIS MAN Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    Pretty much coming in expecting Jaffe might be working on other platforms, I find a Sony shift bordering on masturbation. Meh.

    EvilBadman on
    FyreWulff wrote: »
    I should note that Badman is fucking awesome
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  • GyralGyral Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    I miss Singletrac.

    Gyral on
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  • Unco-ordinatedUnco-ordinated NZRegistered User regular
    edited July 2007
    darleysam wrote: »
    why has he left, to go form a studio, to (i'm assuming, being signed on as a second party.. whatever that actually means) do exactly what he was doing before: make games for Sony. Just seems rather unnecessary, when he was doing that all anyway.

    There's a couple of reasons. First off, he gets more freedom. And secondly, when he was developing Calling All Cars, he was developing it in co-junction with Incog (who were also working on Warhawk). Sometimes during development, staff would be pulled off of Calling All Cars because they were needed on Warhawk and since Warhawk was a much bigger priority, Jaffe had no input into the decision. Now, he's got his own team and they'll work on whatever the hell he (and Scott Campbell) want them to work on.

    Unco-ordinated on
    Steam ID - LiquidSolid170 | PSN ID - LiquidSolid
  • Target PracticeTarget Practice Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    LewieP wrote: »
    I never quite get why he has the reputation he has, he has made some solid games, but is hardly a trailblazing developer.

    But bloody hell, I predict the last PS2 game to be released will be in like 2010.
    Didn't the PS1 at least get the standard sports games for this year?

    Target Practice on
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  • bloodyroarxxbloodyroarxx Casa GrandeRegistered User regular
    edited July 2007
    I just want to say I'm not thrilled with this at all, With all do respect is kind of a cop-out for jaffe he makes 1 amazing PS2 game TM:B does some other stuff while at some point there is a sequel in development he doesn't make for what ever reason (God of War I'm assuming) then quits making real games cause it gets hard during crunch time. Man where is my PS3 Twisted Metal?

    bloodyroarxx on
  • GyralGyral Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    LewieP wrote: »
    I never quite get why he has the reputation he has, he has made some solid games, but is hardly a trailblazing developer.

    But bloody hell, I predict the last PS2 game to be released will be in like 2010.
    Didn't the PS1 at least get the standard sports games for this year?

    Both Madden and Gameday had 2005 versions for the PSOne, but nothing more recent.

    Gyral on
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  • LewiePLewieP Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    LewieP wrote: »
    I never quite get why he has the reputation he has, he has made some solid games, but is hardly a trailblazing developer.

    But bloody hell, I predict the last PS2 game to be released will be in like 2010.
    Didn't the PS1 at least get the standard sports games for this year?
    I think the last one was Madden 03 or 04

    LewieP on
  • NofrikinfuNNofrikinfuN Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    EvilBadman wrote: »
    Pretty much coming in expecting Jaffe might be working on other platforms, I find a Sony shift bordering on masturbation. Meh.

    Same. Total letdown.

    NofrikinfuN on
  • chaossoldierchaossoldier Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    Twisted Metal. Apply Directly to the forehead

    Twisted Metal. Apply Directly to the forehead

    Twisted Metal. Apply Directly to the forehead

    Twisted Metal. Apply Directly to the forehead

    Twisted Metal. Apply Directly to the forehead



    I'm sorry. Couldn't help myself. That's pretty strange that he'd form another company just to continue developing with Sony when he could have done that with the previous studio he was with, unless he intends to branch out to other systems once the deal ends. Could also be for the freedom as well as Unco explained.

    Ah well. Hopefully after Twisted Metal, he'll get started on more original games.

    chaossoldier on
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  • Radikal_DreamerRadikal_Dreamer Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    I saw Twisted Metal and instantly freaked. Then, I saw it was just PS2 and was let down. I want a PS3 Twisted Metal with a lot of online multiplayer support. I hope they work on that after this PS2 thing.

    Radikal_Dreamer on
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  • Unco-ordinatedUnco-ordinated NZRegistered User regular
    edited July 2007
    I'm sorry. Couldn't help myself. That's pretty strange that he'd form another company just to continue developing with Sony when he could have done that with the previous studio he was with, unless he intends to branch out to other systems once the deal ends.

    He's stated multiple times that even if he left Sony, he'd continue to work on their systems. Why people suddenly think he'd jump over to Microsoft, I have no idea.

    Unco-ordinated on
    Steam ID - LiquidSolid170 | PSN ID - LiquidSolid
  • bongibongi regular
    edited July 2007
    it's not really an independent studio, is it

    bongi on
  • GyralGyral Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    I'm sorry. Couldn't help myself. That's pretty strange that he'd form another company just to continue developing with Sony when he could have done that with the previous studio he was with, unless he intends to branch out to other systems once the deal ends.

    He's stated multiple times that even if he left Sony, he'd continue to work on their systems. Why people suddenly think he'd jump over to Microsoft, I have no idea.

    For the same reason they wish every game was on the Wii or DS: wishful thinking.

    Gyral on
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  • darleysamdarleysam On my way to UKRegistered User regular
    edited July 2007
    I'm sorry. Couldn't help myself. That's pretty strange that he'd form another company just to continue developing with Sony when he could have done that with the previous studio he was with, unless he intends to branch out to other systems once the deal ends.

    He's stated multiple times that even if he left Sony, he'd continue to work on their systems. Why people suddenly think he'd jump over to Microsoft, I have no idea.

    well in this instance, he was already working for Sony, making games under their banner for their console. If a developer in that position goes "right, i'm gonna start my own studio", it gives the impression they want to branch out, maybe work for another platform or something. That's how it could be misinterpreted.

    darleysam on
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  • YardGnomeYardGnome Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    Wait. Twisted Metal: Head On was the PSP game.

    Do they have him working on a PSP->PS2 port?

    YardGnome on
  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    If this press release is to be believed, there was a sequel to Twisted Metal: Black that was started, but never finished.

    Apparently, this means he's going back to finish it. Huh.

    cloudeagle on
    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • jb7jb7 Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    bongi wrote: »
    it's not really an independent studio, is it

    It is in the sense it has a lot of freedom in designing games. These games just have to be made for Sony.

    jb7 on
  • bloodyroarxxbloodyroarxx Casa GrandeRegistered User regular
    edited July 2007
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    If this press release is to be believed, there was a sequel to Twisted Metal: Black that was started, but never finished.

    Apparently, this means he's going back to finish it. Huh.

    No it sounds more like a port of TM Head On with the levels from TM:B 2 shoehorned in

    bloodyroarxx on
  • YardGnomeYardGnome Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    If this press release is to be believed, there was a sequel to Twisted Metal: Black that was started, but never finished.

    Apparently, this means he's going back to finish it. Huh.

    No it sounds more like a port of TM Head On with the levels from TM:B 2 shoehorned in

    So, my reaction goes from "Alright, new TM game!" to "Port of a 2 year old psp game woo"

    YardGnome on
  • Vargas PrimeVargas Prime King of Nothing Just a ShowRegistered User regular
    edited July 2007
    "Eat, Sleep, Play" is kind of a shitty name for a game studio.

    It sounds more like a hacky slogan for a studio.

    Vargas Prime on
  • bruinbruin Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    I was not expecting that to be his announcement. I thought it would definitely be sometimes on next-gen systems. It's a little weird and something I don't give two shits about.

    But whatever.

    bruin on
  • AkatsukiAkatsuki Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    I never really got all the hype surrounding Jaffe. I don't really like Twisted Metal,so what did he do except God of War? Don't get me wrong, I love God of War, but it just seems people treat him like some sort of God for little reason.

    Akatsuki on
    Preacher wrote:
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  • bloodyroarxxbloodyroarxx Casa GrandeRegistered User regular
    edited July 2007
    Akatsuki wrote: »
    I never really got all the hype surrounding Jaffe. What did he do except God of War? Don't get me wrong, I love God of War.

    Twisted Metal 1, 2 and Black

    bloodyroarxx on
  • bruinbruin Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    Akatsuki wrote: »
    I never really got all the hype surrounding Jaffe. I don't really like Twisted Metal,so what did he do except God of War? Don't get me wrong, I love God of War, but it just seems people treat him like some sort of God for little reason.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jaffe
    * Calling All Cars (2007) (PS3)
    * Heartland (cancelled) (PSP)
    * God of War (2005) (PS2)
    * God of War II (2007) (PS2)
    * Kinetica (2001) (PS2)
    * Twisted Metal Black (2001) (PS2)
    * Twisted Metal 2 (1996) (PSone)
    * Twisted Metal (1995) (PSone)
    * Mickey Mania (1994) (Super NES/Sega Mega Drive/Genesis/Sega CD)

    bruin on
  • EvilBadmanEvilBadman DO NOT TRUST THIS MAN Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    bongi wrote: »
    it's not really an independent studio, is it

    It's independant the "ant" means it's a sack of shit and a slow news day.

    EvilBadman on
    FyreWulff wrote: »
    I should note that Badman is fucking awesome
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  • AkatsukiAkatsuki Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    So out of those I like 2 games and one of them is a sequel. Yay.
    I don't think I played Mickey Mania though.

    Akatsuki on
    Preacher wrote:
    ...my inner weaboo can kawaii all over this desu.

    Pokémon HGSS: 1205 1613 4041
  • muninnmuninn Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    bruin wrote: »
    Akatsuki wrote: »
    I never really got all the hype surrounding Jaffe. I don't really like Twisted Metal,so what did he do except God of War? Don't get me wrong, I love God of War, but it just seems people treat him like some sort of God for little reason.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jaffe
    * Calling All Cars (2007) (PS3)
    * Heartland (cancelled) (PSP)
    * God of War (2005) (PS2)
    * God of War II (2007) (PS2)
    * Kinetica (2001) (PS2)
    * Twisted Metal Black (2001) (PS2)
    * Twisted Metal 2 (1996) (PSone)
    * Twisted Metal (1995) (PSone)
    * Mickey Mania (1994) (Super NES/Sega Mega Drive/Genesis/Sega CD)


    Wow. So two good franchises. And GoW2 was a billion times better than the original in my eyes soooo.... I couldnt really give a shit about Jaffe I guess...

    muninn on
  • JebralJebral The guy nobody pays attention to Down South in the land of free thinkingRegistered User regular
    edited July 2007
    Wasn't Heartland that game where his goal was to make people cry? Then later the game was canceled and he was like all "Yeah, I deem making an emotionally charged game impossible because I can't do it." Then he quit making full fledged console games entirely, right?

    Jebral on
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  • Lindsay LohanLindsay Lohan Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    He's very overrated, not as much as CliffyB, but still overrated.

    Mickey Mania was pretty good actually - although I think it used alot of code from other Disney games from that time period (Lion King to be exact, Mickey running from the moose = Simba running in stampede for example) so I don't think he gets much credit from that.

    I didn't really like God of War that much - it was fun but I didn't really see how it was significantly better than the PS2 Rygar game or Devil May Cry series. Twisted Metal I do love though.

    Lindsay Lohan on
  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    I'm not a huge fan of any of those games, besides Mickey Mania. Still, I think this is an excellent move, whether you find the guy overrated or not. More control, more freedom, but still a close working relationship with a company he has been with for years. This is playing it smart.

    There is a metric fuckton of games co produced and paid for games by virtual first party sony entities. Technically they are seperate development studios that only work on Sony funded projects. This seems to be a good place to be, as they do a lot of the Playstations best games these days.

    Xenogears of Bore on
    3DS CODE: 3093-7068-3576
  • Mei HikariMei Hikari Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    Eat Sleep Play

    Warning: no mention of the company inside

    If you want to actually learn a bit about Jaffe:
    http://www.gametrailers.com/bonusround.php?ep=4&pt=1

    Mei Hikari on
  • FreddyDFreddyD Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    "Eat, Sleep, Play" is kind of a shitty name for a game studio.

    It sounds more like a hacky slogan for a studio.
    People are just going to call it ESP.

    FreddyD on
  • Unco-ordinatedUnco-ordinated NZRegistered User regular
    edited July 2007
    Jebral wrote: »
    Wasn't Heartland that game where his goal was to make people cry? Then later the game was canceled and he was like all "Yeah, I deem making an emotionally charged game impossible because I can't do it." Then he quit making full fledged console games entirely, right?

    Uh, no. Whoever told you that is an idiot. It was cancelled because Incog just didn't have the staff to handle developing two big projects.

    Unco-ordinated on
    Steam ID - LiquidSolid170 | PSN ID - LiquidSolid
  • ZombiemamboZombiemambo Registered User regular
    edited July 2007
    A...PS2 game? I mean, it's Twisted Metal, but still. He isn't going to develop it for the PS3?

    Zombiemambo on
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  • Unco-ordinatedUnco-ordinated NZRegistered User regular
    edited July 2007
    Jaffe's posted on his blog:
    Friday, July 27, 2007
    One Door Closes...

    ++++++++++++++++++++
    EDIT#1- Just to be clear, the port of TM:HEAD ON does NOT count as our first title in the Sony 3 game deal...it's a port we are doing and THEN we start full time work on game #1. But unless the powers that be shoot us down mid-pro, we know what game #1 will be, the concept art is fucking amazing, and I am crazy in love with game #1 already. Hope ya'll like it when you see it in a bit...


    Edit #2- Ok, so my comic-con post is coming soon but I can't contain my excitement so:

    file-22.bin.jpeg

    How fucking cool is that?!?!

    Ok, back to the original post:

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    So, as some of you may have heard, today is my last day at Sony.

    After 14 years, I’m leaving the mothership that has protected me, nurtured me, sustained me, taught me, and- in the early days when I was an insecure kid who didn’t know any better-defined me.

    Scott Campbell and I are starting a new games company called EAT SLEEP PLAY. We're teaming up with a host of the key folks from the Twisted Metal games (not to mention many of the other great Incognito/Singletrac games) and trying to give this indy game thing a shot! I’ve worked with these folks- on and off- for about 13 years and we figured it was high time to pull back the sheets and jump into bed together all permanent like.

    We have a 3 game console/handheld exclusive deal with Sony and hope to have our first original game out sometime in 2008. In the meantime, we’ll be putting out a port of TWISTED METAL: HEAD ON this Xmas season. The port- going from PSP to PS2- is pretty cool for a port because:

    - It has the original HEAD ON title but it’s now running at 60fps and has resed up textures as well as some gameplay tweaks.
    - It has 5-7 levels from the never released TWISTED METAL BLACK: PART II.
    - It has a documentary on the history of the series.

    So for a port, we think it’s a pretty sweet package and a pretty good deal. We're also trying to get the powers that be to throw in an art book that ships with the game (nothing fancy,just something packed in with the disc).

    So the new company will be based out of Utah, but I’ll remain here in San Diego, working from my home office. No real difference between the way I’ve worked with SingleTrac/Incog over the years, so we don’t expect much to change, other than the fact that all of us now own a piece of the company.

    Again, we are working with Sony and that just feels great. We met with some other interested parties but at the end of the day, Sony is our home, our family, and we’re really thrilled and honored they wanted to work with us and continue the relationship we’ve spent almost 15 years cultivating. So in many ways, it’s like very little has changed, other than the pay cut ☺.

    But it’s what we wanted: to go independent and see where we could steer our very own ship. Granted, our new ship is no longer the grand, unstoppable beast that is Sony. Instead, it’s a smaller vessel, scrappy even, manned with a crew of experienced sailors who felt the need to venture out into the unknown seas and and see what we could see. And the cool thing is, a small as our ship is, it’s not the least bit scary. It’s exciting as hell. It feels right; like the time is right, the crew is ready, and the grand voyage is just beginning.

    As always, I hope you guys/gals will join us on our journey (ok, enough with the shitty metaphor). As soon as I can reveal more about our new titles, I will share all. Maybe in the next 8-12 months, I would imagine, but who knows.

    Anyway, so there’s my big news. As I said, it’s really big news for us, we’re real excited, and we hope our new company name- Eat Sleep Play- becomes synonymous with some of the most fun games of the future.

    Ok, my oldest kid is awake. Gotta get her dressed for the day, then head upstairs to report for my first official day of work ☺. Oh, and stay tuned for my ‘report’ from Comic Con. I had a BLAST yesterday. I wish I could go back today for day #2, but hell, I got games to design! ☺

    Talk to ya’ll later!

    David

    Link

    Unco-ordinated on
    Steam ID - LiquidSolid170 | PSN ID - LiquidSolid
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