Fri, Mar 05, 2010 | 20:32 GMT
Jaffe says Sony should send a “stern letter” to Microsoft
David Jaffe has posted on his blog that Sony should “send a sternly worded legal letter” to Microsoft over the vehicle combat game Scrap Metal, as it is just a bit too close to Twisted Metal.
Furthermore, he feels Sony should do the same with the producers of the upcoming film with Mickey Roarke heading to theaters in 2011 called War of the Gods (Dawn of War on IMDB).
“Sony should [sue] or if I owned the rights to TWISTED METAL and GOD OF WAR, I sure as hell would at the least send a sternly worded legal letter,” he wrote. “Heck, I’d send two legal letters if it were me.
“I mean, first Microsoft puts out a car combat game and calls it SCRAP METAL? Hey, looks like a great game! Right up my alley! Day one purchase for me. But come on guys, isn’t that just a little too close to Sony’s own car combat game TWISTED METAL?
“And then Sony has GOD OF WAR, a game and potential movie about mortals fighting ancient Greek Gods. And then this movie gets announced called WAR OF THE GODS about- yep!- mortals fighting ancient Greek Gods.
“And look: Sony doesn’t- and should not- own the concept of the Greek Myths. Nor should they own the idea of mortal fighting ancient Gods, Greek or any other kind. That’s all public domain stuff. But the TITLE? Sony DOES own that. And GOD OF WAR/WAR OF THE GODS seem a little too close to comfort ya’ll.
“Anyway, like I said, not my fight. I don’t own shit! 
”
Later, Jaffe updated his post telling people to lighten up as his post was all in fun and he is not by any means “sue happy”.
“For the love of FUCK – finally, for the people who are like, ‘JAFFE! GET BACK TO WORK ON YOUR GAME!’…please, let me assure you, I am working very hard,” he wrote. “The team is working very hard. Sony is working very hard. We are all busting ass and- even tho we may not agree on these particular legal issues- we are still eager to entertain each and every one of you with what we’ve got cooking.
“Just like you, I don’t work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Even during my day, I take breaks. But as some of you know, I work at home. So while at your job you may hang in the breakroom with your buddies and chat about last nite’s episode of LOST or what game you are playing, I video chat with friends and I blog.
“Fucking sue me. But the point IS, we are working hard on our game and we’re looking forward to showing it to you today on GTTV…oh wait…that’s not us
“Ok so that’s my update. Thanks for reading. Later.”
So there you go. Another entertaining post from Jaffe.
Thanks, Eurogamer.
27 
Posted in: Development, Sony
Tags: david jaffe, eat sleep play, god of war, Scrap Metal
27 comments
#1
alimokrane
05/03/10, 8:41 pm
I have a better idea: David Jaffe Should STFU!
#2
DJ Deathstar
05/03/10, 8:46 pm
^HAHA exact same reply as everywhere else i’ve seen this story^
Seriously though old jaffer cake should shut his face!
#3
ReeceHeywood
05/03/10, 8:47 pm
Jesus Christ. *eyes roll*
#4
Gekidami
05/03/10, 9:02 pm
Sort of right though isnt he. I mean, Scrap Metal? Really?
As for War Of The Gods first time i heard of it/what it was about i thought “God Of War rip-off”, i’m sure loads of people did/will. I’d say Sony should probably do something about that, not really for the game but because a GoW movie is meant to be in the making.
#5
theevilaires
05/03/10, 9:05 pm
Its M$ dude, all they do is copy and buy out everyone because they can’t even design a damn operation system which they are famously known for.
Scrap metal….get the hell out of here man. How can anyone respect these people really. SONY get off your ass and protect your market share you dumb JAP fat heads. Stop sniffing little girls panties out of vending machines for God sake and wake the fuck up!
Good flame article BTW too Stephany.
#6
joshua nash
05/03/10, 9:14 pm
Mr. Jaffe quit your bitching a get to making a new twisted metal
#7
Zeus
05/03/10, 9:17 pm
The guy who took Rygar: The Legendary Adventure for PS2, added Shenmue/Dragon’s Lair Quick-Time-Events, and called it “God of War” is crying ripoff?
That’s original.
#8
theevilaires
05/03/10, 9:21 pm
You would be pissed too if someone is ripping off your ideas. The only thing Jaffe can do is ensure his game is 10x better….like SingStar Vs Lips, FFXIIIps3 Vs FFXIII360, XMB Vs NXE, PS3 Vs 360
#9
theevilaires
05/03/10, 9:24 pm
Zeus that’s 3 games into 1, that’s fair in the world of Video Game biz, look at Borderlands
Plus GOW games have non stop over the top gore action that never gets tired….Have you ever played GOW2….that game should have gotten GOTY it released, but I think Halo3 did or something?
#10
Zeus
05/03/10, 9:35 pm
theevilaires, it’s not three games, it’s one game–Rygar for PS2–with an added feature from another game–Shenmue. (I only mentioned Dragon’s Lair because oldschoolers were bound to rightly say it came first, but Shenmue was the first “normal” game to incorporate quick-time events in special segments, as opposed to Dragon’s Lair where they served as the entirety of the gameplay.)
I’m sure God of War has non-stop tons-a-gore megabooms! but the point is, David Jaffe was obviously “influenced” by Rygar, never admitted as much in an interview, and cries lawsuit when his ideas “influence” other developers.
Maybe he’d be singing a different tune if Tecmo had taken him to court over God of Rygar.
#11
Dannybuoy
05/03/10, 9:41 pm
A letter? Jesus. Send an email.
#12
Gekidami
05/03/10, 9:49 pm
It would seem that you’re getting games of the same genre, and games of the same genre which bare nearly the exact same name, probably to try and leech of the others fame (what Jaffe is talking about) confused, Zeus.
#13
MushroomStamp
05/03/10, 10:01 pm
How about just making the next TM a great game and people won’t give a shit about Scrap.
#14
Zeus
05/03/10, 10:05 pm
@Gekidami:
God of War goes far beyond the “same genre” as Rygar. Everything from the Greek architecture and the main character who wars with the Greek Gods (or Titans, in Rygar’s case–hey that’s a big change!) to the chain-based weapons and combo system, to the massive bosses, seem to have been directly influenced by Rygar.
Rygar’s influence on God of War is infinitely more obvious than GoW’s influence on any of its so-called “clones.” At least the hero of Dante’s Inferno had the decency NOT declare war on Greek gods or swing his primary weapon around a chain, etc.
I’ll give Al Jaffe this much: he did manage to change the name.
#15
YoungZer0
05/03/10, 10:13 pm
I’m actually surprised he doesn’t complain about Dante’s Inferno, that i would understand.
#16
Old MacDonald
05/03/10, 11:23 pm
Microsoft has nothing to do with the title. It was known as Scrap Metal before it was announced for XBLA.
#17
Blerk
05/03/10, 11:29 pm
Don’t drink and blog, Mr Jaffe! I thought you’d worked through that phase? He’s always so sensible when he’s on podcasts, too.
#18
DJ Deathstar
06/03/10, 1:39 am
@16 thats what i was about to say, its being developed by slick entertainment lol, anyways scrap metal is top down with some events focused on racing some on battles. Is it because it features cars and the word metal? How about God of War ripping off the old game War Gods you know cause they pretty much have the same title
#19
Moonwalker1982
06/03/10, 1:42 am
What a clown….
In that case..
Microsoft should write letters to Sony about them ‘stealing’ the idea of achievements called trophies. And alot more. Nintendo could write letters to Sony for ‘stealing’their idea with the six-axis.
Sigh…
#20
Phoenixblight
06/03/10, 1:47 am
Apparently David didn’t learn anything from his hiatus from the internet. Not sure whose worse with Davids asinine comments or Kotick’s.
#21
hitnrun
06/03/10, 2:15 am
Yeah Mr Jaffe, that’s what everyone needs, all 3 major companies plus EA and Activision to boot, suing and counter-suing the hell out of each other over every idea that they’ve stolen from one another over the last 25 years.
Maybe the Scrap people could include a 5 second marquee “Special Thanks to David Jaffe” in their credits, and it would calm the thunderous tides of his ego.
#22
The_Deleted
06/03/10, 7:04 am
Jaffe has been more than honest about his influences re: God of War. Maybe he’s never played Rygar. It’s not unheard of for different people to have similar ideas.
#23
Mike
06/03/10, 7:08 am
Does TEA ever stfu?
#24
theevilaires
06/03/10, 11:24 am
Does Mike ever say something worth while and true?
#25
onlineatron
06/03/10, 4:53 pm
Is it just me or has JAffe completely gotten the story of his own game wrong?
It’s not ‘humans against Gods’ it’s a ‘God/demi-God/Spartan/Titans against Gods’
#26
Goliath
07/03/10, 1:58 am
This guy is an idiot.
#27
zoopdeloop
07/03/10, 7:07 am
Lol the guy is joking…that’s Jaffe