Joystiq

A look into Twisted Metal's 'greenlight' process, with cut content

JC Fletcher — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 09:30:00 EST

David Jaffe posted a video made for a "green light" meeting - an early Twisted Metal clip put together to demonstrate modes that were being considered for the final game. Some of the content in this video never made it into the retail game!

For example, in early versions of the game, Sweet Tooth was not a clown, but a librarian. A sexy librarian. Are we kidding? You'll have to watch the video to be sure!

A look into Twisted Metal's 'greenlight' process, with cut content originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaffe walks through the Twisted Metal car customizer web app

Ben Gilbert — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 01:00:00 EST

You've had Twisted Metal for a few days now, and you're already sick of Sweet Tooth's vanilla-style ice cream truck. Frankly, you want a cheetah print one. And series creator David Jaffe is happy to walk you through just how you'll be able to do that in a yet-to-be-released web application, as seen above.

Jaffe walks through the Twisted Metal car customizer web app originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Feb 2012 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Sony preparing Twisted Metal movie

Mike Schramm — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST

Sony has reportedly signed a deal with writer and director Brian Taylor (the auteur behind both Crank movies, the Jonah Hex screenplay, and the most recent Ghost Rider flick) to make a movie based on the Twisted Metal car combat games. Avi and Ari Arad (who formerly worked with Marvel on the Spider-Man series, among other projects) are said to be producing the movie, should it come to fruition.

If the deal pans out, the screenplay would follow the story of the games, pitting a series of vehicular combatants, including the iconic Doll Face and Sweet Tooth, against each other in a tournament to win a wish from the devilish Calypso. We don't have a lot of attachment to the game's "story," so we already expect Taylor to take all of the liberties he wants. We do have one fan request, though: Can we get a David Jaffe cameo? Please?

Report: Sony preparing Twisted Metal movie originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaffe outlines plans post-Eat Sleep Play; no Twisted Metal DLC or sequel planned

Jordan Mallory — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST

As we learned earlier this week, Twisted Metal creator David Jaffe will be leaving Eat Sleep Play sometime after the series relaunch of Twisted Metal hits store shelves. Jaffe sat down with our own Alexander Sliwinski during this week's DICE summit for a segment on The Joystiq Show, during which he elaborated on his waning presence at Eat Sleep Play and his plans for creating a new studio based out of San Diego.

"I will be with Eat Sleep Play until we finish what's called the 'maintenance contract' we have and have been working on with Sony. That will allow us, post-launch, to stay and address issues that there's no way we can know of. Cleaning things up in terms of balance, bugs, tuning, tweaks." This maintenance contract expires at the end of March, at which point Jaffe plans on cultivating new ideas, as well as a new team, for his fledgling studio.

"There's no corporate filings, there's no official company name yet; 99 percent of my day is Twisted Metal right now. There's four games I would love to do, the one I do really depends on the team I can put together and the money that I can find to make it." His ideas for new titles include both console and browser-based offerings, with a "guerilla-style" survival-horror thrown in for good measure: "There's a survival-horror genre in there, a real low-budget survival horror, kinda guerilla film making style. Not in terms of the look, but in terms of that kind of financing and that kind of production."

Jaffe recently told Game Informer that there are no sequel or DLC plans for Twisted Metal, although that doesn't mean he's left the series for good. "You never know what the future holds, I'd love to make another Twisted down the road with these guys one day, if that opportunity presents itself." For now, though, Jaffe's focus is on building new experiences with new IPs.

Jaffe outlines plans post-Eat Sleep Play; no Twisted Metal DLC or sequel planned originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Joystiq Show - DICE 2012: David Jaffe and Kevin Dent

Jonathan Downin — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts

The annual industry-focused trade show. DICE, kicked off last night with a keynote from Bethesda Game Studios' Todd Howard, but he's not the only industry veteran at the conference with insight into the inner workings of game development and publishing.

In this special DICE edition of The Joystiq Show, Alexander Sliwinski talks with Eat Sleep Play's David Jaffe about the imminent launch of Twisted Metal, his current status with the company, and his plans to move into next-gen and browser game development.

The second interview features IGDA Mobile SIG's Kevin Dent, the man responsible for shining the spotlight on THQ's business practices and potentially disastrous financial predicament several weeks ago. Dent joins Alexander to delve into the details of his public statements and motivations for why he spoke out.

Part 1 (0:13) - Interview: David Jaffe
Part 2 (13:31) - Interview: Kevin Dent

Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Joystiq Podcast in iTunes
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[MP3] Download the MP3 directly

Host: Alexander Sliwinski (@XanderSliwinski)
Guests: David Jaffe (@davidscottjaffe) and Kevin Dent (@TheKevinDent)
Producer: Jonathan Downin (@jonathandownin - Game Thing Daily)
Music: "Bust This Bust That" by Professor Kliq

View the full guest list, related stories, and stream the show after the break.

Continue reading The Joystiq Show - DICE 2012: David Jaffe and Kevin Dent

The Joystiq Show - DICE 2012: David Jaffe and Kevin Dent originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Jaffe leaves Eat Sleep Play, layoffs hit developer [Update]

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

Eat Sleep Play, which will shortly ship Twisted Metal, has reportedly laid off eight employees. The Salt Lake City Tribune also reports that co-founder David Jaffe is out and expected to pursue "casual games." Jaffe responded to the "rumor" of him making casual games after Twisted Metal as "highly exaggerated."

Eat Sleep Play now has a staff of 26 and will transition to iPhone and iPad development. "It's a platform that is in our pockets almost 24/7. It's kind of the size and types of games we're playing," said other co-founder Scott Campbell to the Salt Lake Trib. "You can certainly reach a lot more people. That's pretty exciting for us."

Campbell confirmed Jaffe's departure and said that the company and Jaffe are "going down two separate paths." Twisted Metal is Eat Sleep Play's second project, following the disappointing reception and sales of Calling all Cars. We've contacted Jaffe for clarification of his current status.

Update: David Jaffe has confirmed that following the release of Twisted Metal (along with sticking around for balancing and bug fixing), he will step away from Eat Sleep Play. Jaffe also confirmed an undisclosed number of layoffs. ESP's office is located in Utah, while co-founder David Jaffe currently resides in California. Jaffe cited issues with directing a big game from a distance and a fondness for internal game development as reasons behind his decision to leave.

The Twisted Metal director plans to open a new studio in San Diego and says he is "talking2peeps" for his new company to tackle some "big, huge next gen game ideas" or even "stuff in the browser space" that he labeled as "gamer centric."

David Jaffe leaves Eat Sleep Play, layoffs hit developer [Update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twisted Metal demo shoots up PSN on January 31

David Hinkle — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST

During this week's PlayStation Blogcast, on which our own Ludwig Kietzmann is a "special guest," PlayStation Sr. Social Media Specialist Sid Shuman (yay, alliteration!) confirmed the planned multiplayer demo for Twisted Metal would hit PSN next week, on January 31.

If you like your manslaughter a bit less vehicular, you may want to check out a demo for another February-bound title, EA's rebooted Syndicate. It will also be a multiplayer demo, focusing on the game's co-op side, but you already knew that. Who needs expensive implants and cool tech for remembering things? Not you, buddy!

Twisted Metal demo shoots up PSN on January 31 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twisted Metal includes Twisted Metal: Black download code

David Hinkle — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:02:00 EST

Over on the PlayStation Blog, David Jaffe reveals that early adopters of Sony's upcoming Twisted Metal reboot will get a bonus game free of charge. Each "Limited Edition" copy of Twisted Metal will be bundled with a download code for Twisted Metal: Black, the 2001 PS2 title, as "a thank you to our hardcore fans," Jaffe notes.

The download voucher will only be included in the first pressing of the game - similar examples of recent memory include Battlefield 3 and Bulletstorm, both of which included bonuses in their first pressings - though Jaffe didn't say how many "Limited Edition" copies would be sent out to retail. Twisted Metal launches in North America on February 14, 2012.

Twisted Metal includes Twisted Metal: Black download code originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twisted Metal pushed to 'early 2012' worldwide

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 11:33:00 EST

Once pinned to an October launch date, the reboot of Twisted Metal apparently won't arrive until "early 2012." Eat Sleep Play head David Jaffe took to the PlayStation Blog (in all territories) to announce the delay, citing "extra time needed to polish our demented baby" for the delay.

If you, like us, are wondering what exactly that means, he goes on to channel Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto: "A late game is only late until it ships. A bad game is bad until the end of time." He also assured fans, "If we shipped Twisted Metal tomorrow -- going off the response from folks who have played it -- I assure you, it would never be a bad game."

Jaffe promises a big showing at both of this summer's game industry shows, Gamescom and PAX Prime, so we'll be sure to find out specifically what's being done with the extra development time.

Twisted Metal pushed to 'early 2012' worldwide originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twisted Metal preview: Something old, something new

Mike Schramm — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 12:18:00 EST

Playing the new Twisted Metal for my first time (I didn't personally cover last year's E3 build), I was surprised by just how powerful the feelings of nostalgia were that swept over me. The old characters and vehicles, the old environments, and the old power-ups and weapons -- though updated by the current technology and featuring new elements -- bring back fond memories of many long nights playing split-screen with friends on the original PlayStation.

"The essence or the fantasy of it that inspires me and Scott [Campbell] -- that hasn't changed since the very first one," game director David Jaffe said at a preview event this week, but it's not just about taking players back to the mid-90s. "We've added stuff -- we wanted to build a deeper more relevant game in multiplayer, online, things like that."

Still, the "fantasy" that inspired the original game -- an over-the-top demolition derby set loose in the streets -- "is still just as relevant today," Jaffe suggested, "and we can bring it to next-gen gamers using next-gen artwork."

Continue reading Twisted Metal preview: Something old, something new

Twisted Metal preview: Something old, something new originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 12:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twisted Metal to darken the holiday season with Oct. 4 launch

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 10:30:00 EST

Buried deep within the latest world exclusive trailer of Twisted Metal that aired during this week's GameTrailers TV episode was a launch date for the Eat Sleep Play-developed title: October 4. Unsurprisingly, the game will be tearing into retail outlets ahead of Halloween.

Additionally, the trailer is rife with the usual cast of vehicular homicidal maniacs. Marvel as Sweet Tooth corrupts a rural farm house simply by driving past it! Stare in disbelief as Axel pilots his physics-defying two-wheel death trap! And, ya know, there are some explosions too. Head past the break and see for yourself.

Continue reading Twisted Metal to darken the holiday season with Oct. 4 launch

Twisted Metal to darken the holiday season with Oct. 4 launch originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaffe: Console makers should limit game updates to four per year

Randy Nelson — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 18:20:00 EST

During the GDC "micro-talk" panel, God of War and Twisted Metal creator David Jaffe declared that console makers should cap the number of bug-fix patches publishers can release for their games. "Hardware manufacturers, I feel, should only allow one to four updates to the software per game per year," he said, drawing a huge round of applause. "None of them should come within the first one to two months the game is shipping," he added.

Jaffe was speaking to what he sees is an industry-wide need to cut down on the amount of time it takes console gamers to actually get into playing their games -- the main topic of his five-minute speech -- but he also wanted to remind developers that releasing games with bugs is actually not okay. "When I first started, when the disc was shipped it was our last chance [to get rid of bugs] off the bat," Jaffe recalled. "If developers could make it work then, then today they can at least make sure our games don't have to be updated the first week they hit shelves."

Jaffe also suggested that hardware makers implement a feature that lets players bypass boot sequences and system menus, so they can launch directly into the latest save files for whatever games are in their consoles' drives. He noted that mobile device manufacturers and some game makers have gotten it right, citing the likes of New Super Mario Bros. on DS and pretty much all iOS titles.

We'll see if any of these bold new ideas make it into Jaffe's next release, the Twisted Metal reboot.

Jaffe: Console makers should limit game updates to four per year originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaffe loves fan-made Twisted Metal movie, wants one on PSN

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST

When Twisted Metal co-creator David Jaffe tweeted back in June about his interest in a "low-budget slasher movie" starring TM character Sweet Tooth, Blue Goggles Films took the idea and ran with it. The studio recently cut its first trailer for Twisted Metal: Home Sweet Home, and we checked in with both Jaffe and Blue Goggles to gauge the reception. "Fucking fantastic -- and yes, please quote me on that," was Jaffe's initial response. "Just great and totally the kind of thing I want to see happen with the character."

Blue Goggles, of course, had no idea what kind of response to expect upon the trailer's release. "We've lived in a bubble for the past month while we were making it and, while we thought the project was going to be cool, we didn't know if other people would," director Ben Moody told us. He confirmed the genesis of the idea, saying, "The whole concept for the trailer was directly inspired by Jaffe's quote/tweet about wanting a Sweet Tooth slasher movie for the PSN."

As for the project's future, both Jaffe and Blue Goggles would like to see Sony pick up the would-be feature (the film is currently planned as a free release since Blue Googles does not have the rights to commercially distribute it.). "This is what needs to happen: a straight-to-PSN Sweet Tooth slasher flick! Will it happen? I dunno -- but man I hope so!" Jaffe urged. "Either way, this fan film is really, really cool. What a neat thing to see. Whoever made it -- thank you! Great job that captures the low budget slasher flicks of the '80s that I hold so near and dear to my heart. Now let's just hope Sony jumps on board and we can get a whole feature out of it!"

Moody is equally enthusiastic, saying, "Since we've seen such a great response in just one day, we plan to get in touch with Jaffe and Sony to see if they are interested in making a full-on slasher movie starring Sweet Tooth for the PSN."

As of publishing, Sony had yet to respond to our request for comment.

Jaffe loves fan-made Twisted Metal movie, wants one on PSN originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fan-made Twisted Metal trailer makes a slasher out of Sweet Tooth

Ludwig Kietzmann — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST

Back in June, Twisted Metal designer David Jaffe shared the idea of a movie based partially on his game's automotive carnage, but focused on one of its most iconic characters, Sweet Tooth (real name: Needles Kane). "I want us to make an honest to goodness, low-budget slasher movie and sell it on PSN exclusive," he told his Twitter followers and fans.

While it's unknown whether the concept has gotten the green light since then, a handful of fans have created a free trailer based on Jaffe's initial pitch. "Twisted Metal: Home Sweet Home" sees the psychotic clown offing obligatory, oblivious young people one by one and driving his decidedly unsavory ice cream truck.

If the violence makes you feel uncomfortable, just remind yourself that Sweet Tooth's victims are probably those people who think it's still cute and quirky to tell everyone how scared they are of clowns. They deserve it.

Continue reading Fan-made Twisted Metal trailer makes a slasher out of Sweet Tooth

Fan-made Twisted Metal trailer makes a slasher out of Sweet Tooth originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony invites public to God of War documentary taping in Los Angeles

Mike Schramm — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

If you live in Los Angeles and love God of War, you're in luck. Sony is getting the directors of all of the God of War games so far -- that's David Jaffe, Cory Barlog, Stig Asmussen, Ru Weerasuiya and Dana Jan, for those of you keeping score -- together this Wednesday in the City of Angels to film a documentary extra for the upcoming Ghost of Sparta preorder bundle, and it's inviting the public to watch.

Starting at 4:00 p.m. PDT on September 1, fans can arrive at the El Portal theater in North Hollywood, and the first 150 on the scene (which means you better show up early) will get seats to see the show. You can RSVP on the Facebook page (though it doesn't appear that you have to -- it's just first come, first served) and you must be 18+ or accompanied by a parent to enter. Sony's also promising "gifts and prizes for all in attendance," so if you make it in, you'll probably get to take something home, too. We mean besides the insight and wit of David Jaffe and company.

Sony invites public to God of War documentary taping in Los Angeles originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaffe's got a filmmaking Sweet Tooth for PSN

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

We've been fooled before by Twisted Metal creator David Jaffe and his Twitter account, so we'll treat his recent statements expressing interest in making a Sweet Tooth-based, "low-budget slasher movie," with with the same trepidation we reserve for buying ice cream from an evil clown. That said, his phrasing is pretty straightforward: "I want us to make an honest to goodness, low-budget slasher movie and sell it on PSN exclusive. Peeps saying we are making a PSN Sweet Tooth GAME got it wrong."

He later clarified that the "Sweet Tooth PSN thing" he wants to do "is a MOVIE on PSN, like THE TESTER in terms of exclusive PSN programming ... not a game." Perhaps his brief involvement with ... The Tester gave him a taste of almost-television stardom that he just can't let go? Or maybe it's just his love for low-budget slash flicks. We're not totally sure, but you can bet we've reached out for comment from the man himself.

Jaffe's got a filmmaking Sweet Tooth for PSN originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interview: David Jaffe on Twisted Metal, E3 and ... lying to us

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:30:00 EST

Just before E3 2010, we asked Twisted Metal creator David Jaffe to confirm that he wasn't working on a new entry in the long-dormant car combat franchise, per a series of messages he released via Twitter. And confirm that he did. Unfortunately for us -- though perhaps not for gamers -- it turns out that his words to us were actually part of a larger plan of "misdirection," as he told us in an interview one day after last week's big reveal.

Aside from our initial harassment about what he told us in the past, we spoke with him about what he wants out of E3, what he's most excited about in his forthcoming game, the current trend of series reboots in the game industry, and what else is going on at Eat Sleep Play (the studio he co-heads with Scott Campbell) -- among many other things. And though we were initially hurt by his "misdirection," the fact that he was a perfect gentleman during the interview helped to mend those wounds. Continue after the break for our conversation.

Gallery: Twisted Metal (E3 2010)

Continue reading Interview: David Jaffe on Twisted Metal, E3 and ... lying to us

Interview: David Jaffe on Twisted Metal, E3 and ... lying to us originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Preview: Twisted Metal

James Ransom-Wiley — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 07:00:00 EST

David Jaffe is a big fat liar. He's a liarface. But at E3, he was finally able to tell the truth: Twisted Metal for PS3. The return of this beloved demolition murder derby series isn't so much a surprise as it is a relief for dedicated fans, fingers sore from begging for an original console sequel on any forum that will listen. Still in pre-alpha (and in the garage until 2011), Twisted Metal is up and running at Sony's E3 booth.

A 15-player demo (the game does support up to 16 players) staged in the "Slaughterdale" map showcased what Santa Monica Studios producer Chad Cox called the key feature of the new Twisted Metal: "online factions." While there will be free-for-all gametypes, the team-based matches appear to be the feature modes. You pick a side: in the demo, Clowns or Dolls (though more factions are to be revealed), and then you're free to choose and change your vehicle throughout a match; much like you might change up your character class or loadout in an online shooter before you respawn.

Gallery: Twisted Metal (E3 2010)

Continue reading Preview: Twisted Metal

Preview: Twisted Metal originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twisted Metal crashes onto PS3 in 2011

David Hinkle — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:48:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

David Jaffe just emerged onstage at the PlayStation keynote in a surprise reveal: Twisted Metal. The series is returning to PlayStation consoles in an all new iteration on PS3, complete with flight. Yes, you read that correctly: you'll be able to fly helicopters in Twisted Metal. You'll be able to get your vehicular slaughter on in 2011 or, if you're an E3 attendee, you can check it out on the show floor now.

Twisted Metal crashes onto PS3 in 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Jaffe not working on new Twisted Metal [update: yes he is]

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 24 May 2010 13:04:00 EST

Aside from answering questions about the current state of documentary film and divulging his current love affair with Black Rock Studios' Split/Second, Eat Sleep Play head David Jaffe is busy bustin' through speculation about his current game project. "By the way, I WISH we were making a new Twisted Metal. Making [a] game you've already worked on is tons easier cuz your core blueprint is already there. This new game design stuff tho? Man, that is hard ... reason I'm so stressed these days!" Jaffe recently tweeted.

Jaffe also suggested that his studio's current project is unlikely to be revealed during E3. "Sony has not asked us and given it's 3 weeks away, my guess is u r correct: no Eat Sleep Play game at E3," he tweeted, busting through his own expectations from last year. So, he's presumably working on a car-based game, but it's not Twisted Metal ... uh, the Indiana Jones (mine) kart racer we've all been waiting for, perhaps?

Update: David Jaffe told Joystiq via email this morning, "As for my Twitter, I stand by what I said: we are not making a new Twisted Metal altho [sic] I think doing one WOULD be fun...but we simply are not. Also a game by Eat Sleep Play will NOT be at E3 2010. I can't speak to what we ARE working on because it's not my place to."

Update from E3 2010: What David Jaffe meant to say was, "We are making a new Twisted Metal. A game by Eat Sleep Play WILL be at E3 2010."

[Via CVG]

David Jaffe not working on new Twisted Metal [update: yes he is] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 24 May 2010 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How God of War 3 could have ended

JC Fletcher — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 21:00:00 EST

The God of War trilogy ended in the recent God of War 3 with Kratos [redacted]. But each God of War game before 3 (directed by Stig Asmussen) had a different director, and, as Asmussen told GamePro, each director had a different idea of how to end the saga of Angry Man Kratos.

Series creator David Jaffe had stories in mind beyond Greek myth. "Basically, you destroy Greek mythology and then Norse mythology is right around the corner," Asmussen recounted. "That's the next thing that Kratos would go after. It becomes clear at the end that he's going to become this harbinger of death across different mythologies in the world and maybe carry the series on from there." God of War 2 director Cory Barlog's ending, according to Asmussen, would turn Kratos into Death. "He pretty much becomes the Grim Reaper at the end of the game and his blades become sickles."

1UP points out that Jaffe had issues with both claims. On Twitter, Jaffe said that the Norse mythology idea was more complicated than Asmussen made it sound. "There is an element of truth but it goes far beyond." Later, he clarified further: "For the love of the Gods, I was NOT proposing Kratos go thru each mythology one by one and milk the series with new myths each time. It was to be a focused singular story that INVOLVED Norse myths- among others." He also mentioned that the "Death" idea attributed to Barlog was actually his.

How God of War 3 could have ended originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Peruse the God of War copyright infringement judgment

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:30:00 EST

The Hollywood Reporter has uploaded the 27-page judgment [PDF link] in the God of War copyright infringement case. The case was already revealed as dismissed last week, but the full document bestows all the gritty details upon us mortals.

In her summary, Judge Marilyn Hall Patel notes, "An examination of articulable similarities between the plot, themes, dialogue, mood, settings, pace, characters and sequence of events of God of War and plaintiffs' works reveals far less similarity than would be required to overcome summary judgment, even if plaintiffs had proven access. Plaintiffs have pointed to no persuasive similarity in dialogue or narration that would suggest actual copying."

Reading the entire decision reveals that Sony was on the money with its original assertion that alleged similarities were "inaccurate, incomplete, abstracted and/or misleading."

Peruse the God of War copyright infringement judgment originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War copyright suit dismissed, Jaffe reveals document

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:45:00 EST

Game developer David Jaffe has posted on his personal blog what appears to be a dismissal notice of a 2008 lawsuit against him and Sony over God of War. There is no further explanation given, so unless Jaffe is starting some obtuse alternate reality game, we'll take the document at face value.

The lawsuit was an alleged copyright infringement claim, filed by a pair of plaintiffs who had submitted a screenplay entitled Olympiad to Sony Pictures in 2002. At the time, they claimed there were several similarities between their work and God of War. Sony called the alleged similarities "inaccurate, incomplete, abstracted and/or misleading." Apparently a judge in the northern district court of California agreed.

[Via Kotaku]

God of War copyright suit dismissed, Jaffe reveals document originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meet the Testers, cast of PSN reality show

James Ransom-Wiley — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:20:00 EST

With a host that's "crazy for RPG" and a model, plus guest appearances by the "legendary" David Jaffe, upcoming PSN reality show, The Tester, has already locked up the celebs. But what about the unknowns -- those everyday, real folk -- vying for an entry-level job in the industry?

Today, we're introduced to these eleven strangers, picked to work for Sony, to test games and have their lives taped, to hopefully get smashed and hook up and puke and then start some real drama if the video editors are any good, 'cause, boy, game testing is really kinda boring and ... hey, did we mention there's still an unannounced celebrity that's gonna show up? Stay tuned!

[Via PlayStation.Blog]

Meet the Testers, cast of PSN reality show originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Jaffe talks death of Calling All Cars as servers go offline

Mike Schramm — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 13:00:00 EST

This week heralded the end of the Calling All Cars saga, as David Jaffe finally saw the lights go out on his PSN baby. He's got a set of final thoughts over on his blog -- he says that as his first online game, it was definitely a learning experience, and while there were good times, it wasn't the most fun he'd ever had. He's suprisingly regretful about the whole thing: He says that he seriously thinks he probably should have "made it war themed and ['ditched'] the cartoony stuff," and that it was really a problem of expectation. At $10, he says, they were expecting gamers buying downloadable titles to just be "sampling them like candy," not looking for a full game experience.

But we wouldn't worry too much about Jaffe -- while he jokes that the CAC server shutdown "marks the beginning of the end of my career," we're sure there's still more fun to be had from that mind of his. We're hoping to see what he's got planned next by the time E3 rolls around this year.

David Jaffe talks death of Calling All Cars as servers go offline originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 16 Jan 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twisted Metal's Sweet Tooth becomes a ModNation Racer

Andrew Yoon — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:15:00 EST

It was only a matter of time before beta testers of ModNation Racers would start recreating classic gaming icons. However, this Mod-recreated version of Twisted Metal's Sweet Tooth seems simultaneously cute, murderous and appropriate for the weapons-based racer.

Series creator David Jaffe posted this (and a number of other Twisted Metal Mods) on his blog, proudly proclaiming that "Twisted Metal on PS3!" would be "a cool idea." We're inclined to agree.

Twisted Metal's Sweet Tooth becomes a ModNation Racer originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Calling All Cars servers calling it quits in January

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:15:00 EST

David Jaffe's Calling All Cars will have its internets removed on January 14, 2010. An official announcement within the game (pictured) declares that the servers will be shut down, and thanks players for thar support.

Though it's sad to see the game's online bouts coming to an end, it won't affect a majority of users -- there are currently zero games being played and zero players online.

[Thanks, Kassatsu; Via PSN Stores]

Calling All Cars servers calling it quits in January originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaffe 'not showing anything' at E3, definitely next year

Jason Dobson — Tue, 26 May 2009 09:40:00 EST

David Jaffe will be roaming the halls at next week's E3. His mysterious new project, however, "absolutely" won't make an appearance. In fact, the Twisted Metal creator noted on his latest video blog that he's "not showing anything" at the big show.

Commented Jaffe, "Part of me would love to announce at E3, and so you walk into the Sony booth and bam -- there's our game." Next year, however, is another story. The Eat Sleep Play co-founder says that he "fully expects" the presumably car-heavy game to be on the show floor in 2010. Certainly no later than that.

Jaffe 'not showing anything' at E3, definitely next year originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 May 2009 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Even David Jaffe likes these LEGO Twisted Metal vehicles

Randy Nelson — Sat, 09 May 2009 00:01:00 EST

His name might not be Jack, but Amando Tanedo is undoubtedly a LEGO maniac. Tanedo also likes him some Twisted Metal, as evidenced by his use of interlocking blocks in recreating several of the series' iconic vehicles. His work has even caught the eye of series creator David Jaffe, who recently ~~blocked~~ blogged about it.

In addition to Darkside, Tanedo has fashioned LEGO likenesses of Minion, Auger, Crusher, Mr. Slam and Gen. Warthog. Like Jaffe, we have to ask where the Sweet Tooth love is, Amando. Nevertheless, good work! Check out the rest of the vehicles on Tanedo's site.

[Via David Jaffe's blog]

Even David Jaffe likes these LEGO Twisted Metal vehicles originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 09 May 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: David Jaffe's next game will feature cars

Jem Alexander — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:30:00 EST

Oh, Jaffe. You really shouldn't be posting images of secret internal emails on your blog, even if you have applied heavy blurring to some of the more pertinent sections. Now we know your dark secret: your next game will involve cars. That's right, some photoshop whizz managed to see through the image's blurred section -- which probably explains why Jaffe has replaced the blurring with solid chunks of red, but the damage has already been done.

The super secret information does indeed reveal that the game involves cars, as evident from the lines "dragging him behind your car" and "when he is launched out of a car." The email also states that character animation for the "human characters" needs improvement because "right now it's so dry, it needs to feel like an action movie." Cars and humans? This game is going to be awesome.

All joking aside, this could indicate that Jaffe is currently working on a Twisted Metal sequel. Or it could not. It could be another car game entirely. With human characters. The blog post mentions a big milestone at the end of the month, which may mean we'll be seeing whatever game this is at E3 in early June.

[Thanks, Brad]

Rumor: David Jaffe's next game will feature cars originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 May 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why David Jaffe's still working with Sony

Justin McElroy — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST

After David Jaffe got his independence from Sony, it seemed like a given he'd branch out to some other platforms. In a new video, the dev explains why he's still sticking with Sony, rather than a big, multi-platform third party. Not only does he just like the PS3 better, he added that "we have a great collaborative process going on when we make games [with Sony] and we have a lot of creative freedom."

Jaffe also says he believes that Sony's more likely than a third-party publisher to greenlight a game that may not necessarily be profitable, but pushes the platform brand forward, specifically mentioning Shadow of the Colossus, Ico and LittleBigPlanet. Lest there be any confusion, Jaffe says he's not working on anything like that. In fact, he describes his new project as a "big commercial game." We think we speak for everyone when we say we can't wait to see what he has cooking, no matter who's publishing it.

Continue reading Why David Jaffe's still working with Sony

Why David Jaffe's still working with Sony originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaffe loves Indiana Jones, wants Lucas to toss him the whip

Dustin Burg — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:30:00 EST

Known for his adoration of the Indiana Jones franchise, Eat Sleep Play developer David Jaffe recently admitted that the adventurous Indy was a huge inspiration for his God of War work, and that he'd be willing to partner with LucasArts on an Indiana Jones project.

"There was, and will always remain until I get to do it, a desire to work with Indiana Jones in the interactive medium," Jaffe said in an interview with 1UP. "I would still to this day love to do that." Though not much more than a dream at this point, the designer has a plan hidden under his own fedora. "I have a great idea for how LucasArts could really take that property and do cool things with it, and if they're reading this, they should give us a call at Eat Sleep Play. We'd love to talk to them."

We'd just like to say that we're with you, Jaffe. Call up those LucasArts folks, demand a meeting and pitch your heart out. While you're at it, follow your dreams and go after the Metal Gear franchise too. We've got your back.

Jaffe loves Indiana Jones, wants Lucas to toss him the whip originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Jaffe is most jealous of Metal Gear Solid 4

Justin McElroy — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:55:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Action

During an interview with The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, God of War creator David Jaffe said the game he was "most jealous" of was Metal Gear Solid 4. "To make a game of that scale and at that level of quality clearly took a whole hell of a lot of tenacity and vision," he explained.

We've hit some choppy waters with Mr. Jaffe in the past, so as part of our continuing efforts to smooth things over, we'd like to remind him of what he has that Kojima doesn't. For one, though the story in Jaffe's may be more limited in scope, it makes sense. Also? Swords on chains. Oh, and no monkeys crapping themselves. Big plus.

David Jaffe is most jealous of Metal Gear Solid 4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Which game is David Jaffe 'most jealous' of? MGS4

Alan Tsang — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

David Jaffe is the focus of The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' weekly feature Ten Questions, where a member of the industry is subjected to ... well, ten questions. When asked about which title the acclaimed video game designer is "most jealous" of, he named Metal Gear Solid 4 as his choice, praising it as "an amazing achievement of both gameplay and mastering the process of game production. To make a game of that scale and at that level of quality clearly took a whole hell of a lot of tenacity and vision."

You know what we think? Jaffe states in the feature that if he wasn't a game developer, he would be a movie director or film editor -- and we gotta say, MGS4 is as film-like as they come.

[Via Joystiq]

Which game is David Jaffe 'most jealous' of? MGS4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaffe: God of War 3 'looks 25-30% better' than VGA trailer

Randy Nelson — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Action

Commenting on the 40-odd seconds of God of War III shown during last night's VGAs, series creator David Jaffe says that it looked good, but not as impressive as the game does in its most current form. You may recall that Jaffe had heaped some extremely high praise on the game's visuals after he recently saw it in action.

Last night's footage is only part of what he saw during an internal SCEA meeting, Jaffe revealed on his blog. "The stuff I saw that I raved about was probably finished 1-2 days before I got to the studios. The Spike stuff I saw had aleady been turned into Spike so it was 100% older," he explained.

"To give you an idea, the stuff I saw that I raved about looked about 25-30% better [than the HD footage Spike broadcast]," he said of the closed meeting footage, adding, "It happened to blow me away and remains the best looking console game I've ever seen ... beyond Gears 2 which so far is the best looking console game ever released." As for what Jaffe had to say to those who questioned his likening of GOW3 to a painting, well, you'll have to hit his blog to read that colorful prose (and watch a video of his thoughts on video game awards shows).

Jaffe: God of War 3 'looks 25-30% better' than VGA trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaffe admits 'meh' GOW3 debut, promises game looks much better

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

Some of you were underwhelmed by God of War III's VGA debut ... including franchise creator David Jaffe. The outspoken developer did a little rant on his blog, indicating a small amount of disappointment in the presentation. "The footage aired on Spike looked meh. It was dark and grainy and I was watching on a SD television." However, he does promise things will look up. "The stuff I saw that I raved about was probably finished 1-2 days before I got to the studios. The Spike stuff I saw had aleady been turned into Spike so it was 100% older. Not that I thought it was bad- again- just I can see how the new stuff I saw looked further along, for sure. And to give you an idea, the stuff I saw that I raved about looked about 25-30% better than what you see in this thread."

Looks like the game may have been shown off a bit too early. Rest assured, though. Jaffe reassures us that the upcoming PS3 God of War game will be "the best looking console game" besting his current fave, Gears of War 2. We'll hold you on that sentiment, Mr. Jaffe.

The new game director of the God of War franchise has a lot of work on his hands, especially considering this will be the "last installment" of the franchise. "We have large shoes to fill following the success of the previously released God of War titles," said Stig Asmussen . "But with refined gameplay and jaw-dropping visuals, I guarantee that God of War will give fans what they have been eagerly waiting for, and much more."

[Via Joystiq]

Jaffe admits 'meh' GOW3 debut, promises game looks much better originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Jaffe impressed by God of War 3 ... we think?

Jem Alexander — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

Even though David Jaffe snuck off to create his own game development studio he's still regarded as Kratos' daddy, so it's no surprise that he's been given a sneak peak at the next chapter of the God of War series. It's also no surprise that he took the opportunity to post about it on his blog in order to let people know, in true Jaffe style, exactly what he thought of it. Cue the expletives.

"HOLY HOLY HOLY F***NG HELL!!!!" he begins. "I thought GEARS OF WARS 2 looked about as good as a next-gen game could look.... And unless I get blown away by POP or something else I missed, GEARS 2 is the S***....this year. Dudes and dudettes, f***ing WAIT till you see the amazing graphics..." We think this means he liked what he saw. Don't go mistaking him for a fanboy, though. He'll have some harsh words to say to you:

"F*** YOU! I ain't no fan boy but this mother f***ing game looks like nothing you've ever played...and you can hold me to that when this thing hits and when they start showing gameplay footage. It looks like a painting come to life- it's THAT good looking." We thought we'd have to wait until at least 2009 started before the hype for God Of War III began to build. Apparently not.

David Jaffe impressed by God of War 3 ... we think? originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaffe: God of War 3 looks 'like nothing you've ever played'

Ludwig Kietzmann — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:40:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Action

"I ain't no fan boy but this mother f***ing game looks like nothing you've ever played...and you can hold me to that when this thing hits and when they start showing gameplay footage."

Well, it probably looks a little bit like God of War II, since we imagine it still features the antics of world's angriest breakfast cereal Kratos. However, outspoken designer David Jaffe, currently tinkering away at an unannounced project with Eat Sleep Play, insists that an early glimpse of Sony's God of War III left him reeling. To quoth: "HOLY HOLY HOLY F***ING HELL!!!!"

As if to prematurely defuse any cries of, "Well, you did design the original game, you know!" Jaffe adds that his favorite game this year isn't even on the PlayStation 3. "And unless I get blown away by POP or something else I missed, GEARS 2 is the SHIT....this year," he noted. But does it look "like a painting come to life," as God of War III allegedly does? We'll let the forthcoming battle between the GoWs decide that.

Jaffe: God of War 3 looks 'like nothing you've ever played' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaffe's next game 'certainly not later' than 2010

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:20:00 EST

Filed under: News

Remember David Jaffe? Y'know, that guy that made Twisted Metal and God of War? He made his own studio after the tiring effort put into the PS2 God of War games. Since then, we've seen small hints at his next game (which is supposedly a new Twisted Metal for PS3). According to a recent post made on his personal blog, he's "going to visit Sony" to talk about his new game. "My gut/guess tells me we're looking sometime in 2010. Certainly not later than that. Perhaps sooner."

Sooner would certainly be nicer. However, with no concrete details about his next game available yet, it does seem like 2010 is a guess as good as any.

[Via GamePro]

Jaffe's next game 'certainly not later' than 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Industry vets sound off on sex, violence, ratings and design

Xav de Matos — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews, Fable 2, Gears of War 2

Peter Molyneux, Greg Zeschuk, Cliff Bleszinski and David Jaffe are four of the industries most respected, creative developers working today and also have the distinction of creating some of the industry's most controversial titles. From the over-the-top violence in Gears of War to the sexual content found in Mass Effect, this quintet of creators know their way around industry hot-buttons.

Over the past few months the team at the content knowledge site What They Play have interviewed each of the creators for their distinctive views on the sex, violence, ratings and design in videogames.

"If the blood is graphic, exploding out and all over the screen, you instantly know you're successful. I'd use flowers and confetti but I don't think it would be nearly as effective," Bleszinski said of the violence level found in the upcoming Gears of War 2. "You know, there's a huge M on the freaking box. If your eight year-old kids can acquire $60 and you're not aware what they're doing with it, you've got bigger problems than your kid playing God of War. You're a sh*tty parent," adds Jaffe.

BioWare president Greg Zeschuk, whose 2007 role-playing title Mass Effect was lambasted by the mainstream media for its sexual content, pointed out how our society is dictating content. "It's all obviously a reflection on society," says Zeschuk. "The bottom line is that violence is just more acceptable than sexual content in the U.S., which makes an interesting situation for game developers. You have to really balance these tolerances."

Check out the entire feature at What They Play and let us know what you think about sex, violence, ratings and design of videogames in the comments.

Industry vets sound off on sex, violence, ratings and design originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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