David Jaffe goes indie

God of War director founds Eat Sleep Play; three-game deal with Sony to start with PS2 port of Twisted Metal: Head On.

Last year David Jaffe made it known that he wanted to test the waters of smaller-scale, downloadable games, starting with the PlayStation 3 title Calling All Cars! (originally titled Criminal Crackdown). Now the director and designer of God of War is venturing out into another new frontier: independent development.

Jaffe has updated his blog (warning: profanity) with news that today is his last day as a Sony employee, as he has joined up with Incognito founder Scott Campbell (designer of Downhill Domination and producer of Twisted Metal: Black) to form the independent studio Eat Sleep Play. While the outfit is an independent, it has already signed an exclusive three-game deal with Sony to make console and handheld games.

"We met with some other interested parties," Jaffe wrote, "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."

The first game to come from the collaboration will be a PlayStation 2 port of the PlayStation Portable launch title Twisted Metal Head On, which Campbell directed. Set for release this year, Head On for the PS2 will include the original PSP game, but will run at 60 frames per second with higher-resolution textures and alterations to the gameplay. It will also include up to seven levels that were originally intended to be included in a sequel to Twisted Metal: Black, as well as a Twisted Metal series retrospective.

The first original game from the Sony-Eat Sleep Play deal is slated for 2008. While the studio is based in Utah, Jaffe will telecommute from San Diego, much in the same way he worked with Incognito and SingleTrac, he said.

"[I]t's what we wanted: to go independent and see where we could steer our very own ship," Jaffe wrote. "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 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."

210 Comments

  • ewjim

    Posted Feb 7, 2008 4:46 am PT

    So David Jaffe choosed the EASY way... I mean - he CAN create 3 new games, but instead he just port it from one system to another... Cheater!

  • nate1222

    Posted Jan 16, 2008 3:33 pm PT

    Jaffe is indie. That doesn't mean his crew can't work with Sony. It means he can work with Sony as well as other publishers. Y'all have enjoyed his games this far, stop dissing him.

  • Shmoe82

    Posted Dec 24, 2007 1:45 am PT

    How about Twisted Metal for the PS3; many here have said it and it sounds like a great idea. Make it like TM2, the others weren't as good and Black sucked!

  • Shinkada

    Posted Nov 13, 2007 7:15 am PT

    No, sadly, God of War will not come to the XBox.

    All's this means is that Jaffe isn't affiliated with God of War anymore. Which makes me wonder how 3 will turn out...

  • ziyad888

    Posted Sep 8, 2007 11:35 am PT

    does that mean that there is a chance that twisted metal and god of war might go to the xbox 360 if microsoft make a good deal with david jaffe ?

  • shortster1

    Posted Aug 5, 2007 3:19 pm PT

    condemned300 you ignorant because it says right on the case of god of war SONY!!!!! as if it is going to come out for the xbox 360 and you do not know how much i want to hurt you!

  • Batch86

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 10:03 am PT

    @ReggieNametaker:

    Maybe it's just me, but I've never gotten the impression that Cliffy B thinks he's rock and roll. I do, however, remember him creating an eye-gasmic gaming experience with Gears of War. In a non-related manner, I just thought I would let you know that when you have a political opinion it IS your personal opinion. You can't have someone else's opinion

  • condemned100

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 7:58 pm PT

    God of War 1 is literally limited edition now here since David Jaffe is the creator of it. God of War II Cory Barlog made it happen he is Lead Director of God of War II and is bound to also be Lead Director of God of War 3 for the PS3 and Xbox 360.

  • condemned100

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 7:52 pm PT

    Twisted Metal for the Playstation 1 is awesome.

  • RunningMansKid

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 9:53 am PT

    TTDog.......
    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    lolololol
    its funny because he's telling the truth.

  • TTDog

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 8:28 am PT

    Independant... yet straight away signs a deal with Sony.

    Thats about as independant as a kid leaving home and moving into the family garage.

  • Arath_1

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 8:25 am PT

    Well being an independant developer doesnt mean you dont need/want a publisher. One thing has nothing to do with the other. The difference here is basically he can do what he wants in terms of development while Sony agrees to fund him and publish the game.

    Oh dont get me wrong he could have been more hardcore than this but I dont really care all that much to be honest. I enjoyed some of the twisted metal games and loved the original God of War but as an individual and in terms of his track record Im not impressed with David Jaffe. Also theres a difference between being humble and having tact. I agree with Timpysan.

  • Tamashii-sosaku

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 8:11 am PT

    Is it just me or is Jaffe possibly the most overated developer in history? He's made one decent game which was God Of War preceded by a long list of average to poor games and franchises. When the best thing he's ever made besides GOW is Twisted Metal then you know your in trouble. I don't understand all the praise he's been getting recently.

  • ReggieNametaker

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 7:04 am PT

    I guess, a little bit pointless I must admit (y)

  • timpysan

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 6:43 am PT

    What I'm saying is that tact doesn't equal censorship. I've never seen a Jaffe interview where he didn't go off-topic, get belligerent and angry, and start ranting about social and political issues. Even when he's not the sole person being interviewed, he tends to grab the spotlight so he can rant about one of his pet topics.

    I don't "expect him to change his ways". However, "his ways" and constant, unsolicited, angry rants are what I disrespect about him. That's all my original post was saying.

    Obviously we don't see eye to eye on this one and we should probably just leave it at that.

  • ReggieNametaker

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 6:29 am PT

    So what you're basically saying is that he should limit himself and his opinions to suit your needs and that digression is the key to 'respect'?

    Also, he mainly keeps to proper channels but also goes beyond that. If what he says offends you or irritates you then thats your right to say otherwise and theres no denying that, but at the same time you can't expect him to change his ways so to speak because he allegedly says too much.

  • timpysan

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 6:10 am PT

    ReggieNametaker - How did I get it compeletely wrong? His political opinions ARE his personal opinions. Honesty doesn't annoy me. Unwarranted ranting does. Just like I don't watch a movie to get the director's or actors' soapbox opinion, I don't read/watch gaming news to get Jaffe's. Like I said, stick to making and discussing games. Shut up about the rest. At the very least, he should keep it to the proper channels and spare the rest of us.

  • ReggieNametaker

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 3:38 am PT

    timpysan, you've got it completely wrong. It's not 'political opinion' that Jaffe always expresses but instead his PERSONAL opinion. Whats wrong with that? Is it the fact that he's not as needlessly 'humble' as somebody like Shigeru Miyamoto? Or is it that honesty in general annoys you?

    David Jaffe is not necessarily a 'genius' but he's no phoney either, something that more than half of the gaming community and its developers are...

  • SephirothSyZtem

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 9:41 pm PT

    What a waste. A psp port to an almost dead system. David! Get back with the times man.

  • godofwarowns

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 6:49 pm PT

    meh hes a good guy

  • Blazer88

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 4:52 pm PT

    Yeah it is hard to have much respect for him. Every time he speaks he comes off as such an a-hole.

  • timpysan

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 4:15 pm PT

    I'd have a lot more respect for Jaffe if he would just make games and shut up. I don't need to hear his political opinions in every game discussion he's part of.

  • Poltergeist13

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 4:03 pm PT

    Right....so working on a Twisted Metal: Head-On port is indie. HAHAHA...

  • _Impmacaque_

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 8:35 am PT

    Indie is short for independant. From what I've gathered of this article; Jaffe is still very much intent on remaining on Sony's leash. If anything, that's even lamer than remaining with Sony in the first place.

    If all you plan to do is develop games exclusively for Sony consoles, sell your creative rights to Sony, and lavish Sony with unwarranted praise at every interview opportunity you get, why not just stay with Sony instead of pretending you actually have some semblance of independance? I'll believe he's "Indie" once we've seen some true independant titles released on XBL. If he's really severed his leash with Sony, they shouldn't mind him releasing titles in this manner since it would make sense business wise, wouldn't it?

    We'll see.

  • ReggieNametaker

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 4:21 am PT

    Jaffe has always said it like it is. Independent farce or not he's still a great game developer and doesn't carry a fake rock and roll persona like Cliffy B or the producer of the DOA games.

    Y'know, he's one of the few developers around that has self respect...

  • rexdeaz

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 4:05 am PT

    the headline should have read "David Jaffe goes indie, continues to make games exclusively for Sony."

  • GIJesse77

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 10:43 pm PT

    there has to be some sort of catch to this.

  • Digital-Hero

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 7:39 pm PT

    Lets get another crappy game like Calling All Cars 2...

  • synapticflow

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 3:48 pm PT

    weird

  • eduardjm

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 3:26 pm PT

    so he left the god of war franchise to go indie to rework....twisted metal? for ps2?

    does something sound odd here? why not develop for ps3? and why twisted metal -- a remake of a twisted metal title, at that....

  • DeadBullet

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 2:14 pm PT

    OMFG Twisted Metall!! the Forza 2 killer!!!! *SARCASM* (nothing compares to Forza 2)

  • skyvader

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 2:10 pm PT

    So for being "independent" Sony sure was quick to sign a deal with him. To me independent is not tied to any one company. I'd like to hear what he has in store for DS, Wii, 360, PSP. We will see how "indie" this company really is.

  • CJM3408

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 2:01 pm PT

    for makemeweak and space q and anyone else who mentioned god of war incorrectly. Jaffe only made the first one. He was done with it then. Also, there was no other company just another guy at SCEA took over the job.

  • Farzan777

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 1:45 pm PT

    hmm, 3 exclusives for Sony right? What happens when there done with their 3rd game for Sony? "Cough" Xbox 360 games

  • makemeweak

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 1:11 pm PT

    Guess he was tired of God of War...

  • Space-Q

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 10:16 am PT

    "Xbox 360 titles, nuff said."

    dude, by the time they are done with the 3 sony exclusives microsoft will probably have moved on to a new system.

  • Space-Q

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 10:12 am PT

    sony probably owns god of war. they don't need his permission to make more god of war games. A different studio already made chains of olympus.

    well, good luck jaffe. make somethin cool

  • gatsbythepig

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 9:58 am PT

    Indie is the only way to go.

  • sandy4v

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 9:58 am PT

    best of luck make more games

  • Some_One_Plays

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 7:40 am PT

    That would be nice, a new Twisted Metal on the PlayStation 3. [Shinedown220]

  • Evinco_DX

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 5:45 am PT

    Now that he's gone Indie good possibility that we'll see multiplatform titles.

  • Selfdestruct9

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 1:24 am PT

    Xbox 360 titles, nuff said.

  • kappareign

    Posted Jul 29, 2007 8:50 pm PT

    so his new studios first game will be a port of a handheld onto a last generation console? wow

  • breakdown84

    Posted Jul 29, 2007 6:58 pm PT

    I totally agree with you Shinedown220

  • Shinedown220

    Posted Jul 29, 2007 6:46 pm PT

    We want a new Twisted Metal on the PS3. Please Jaffe deliver that game .

  • MichaeltheCM

    Posted Jul 29, 2007 6:45 pm PT

    and we care b/c?...

  • Razzi65

    Posted Jul 29, 2007 2:52 pm PT

    wht abt god of war 3>>>???wil that better than first 2's caz of independence????????????????/ 50 50

  • MrSickVisionz

    Posted Jul 29, 2007 2:08 pm PT

    As far as ownership, it all depends on contract. When you work for a company and you make IP (intellectual property) for them, usually its done under wahts called a "Work for Hire". Basically means that anything you make is owned by the company. Its as if they are the creators of the ip and they can do whatever they want and don't even owe you a name credit, let alone money.

    Disney got a bad rap in the early 90s for shafting alot of its animators and Marvel and Stan Lee had a bit of a scrap because they weren't giving him any royalties related to Spider-Man/X-Men (he made them under a "work-for-hire" situation). Usually if the talent is good enough, contracts get renegotiated or you get a high salary to make up for lake of royalties, etc.

    I'm thinking God of War was done under a work-for-hire thing and Jaffe was pieved about it. Sony liked him and he liked Sony, so rather than end on bad blood they let him loose to form his own company, then paid him big bucks to do exclusives. Sony still keeps great games and creative talent, but now Jaffe owns his IP.

  • jfz

    Posted Jul 29, 2007 1:31 pm PT

    that its true God of War is own my Sony.... yyyyyy!!!!!! because if someone sues God of War they are sueing Sony not David Jaffe

  • Tseng

    Posted Jul 29, 2007 12:16 pm PT

    It could be that one of the original titles that is exclusive to Sony is GoW III. That is, if Jaffe got the rights to it and not Sony.

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