Thu, Feb 09, 2012 | 02:31 GMT
Jaffe to found new core studio, looking at next-gen and browser
Eat, Sleep, Play co-owner David Jaffe has confirmed he’s to set up a new company, after it was reported yesterday he’s to leave his current role at the Salt Lake City developer.
In a series of tweets, Jaffe said he’s to start a new studio focused on making core games. It was reported yesterday that he’s to leave ESP to move into the “casual” space. It seems, however, he’s sticking with the core.
“I am still with ESP and have not left, and will not leave until we get Twisted Metal launched (probably another 1.5-3 months),” he said.
Jaffe went on to add: “But I will be leaving to start new game studio. Talking to people about some big, huge next-gen game ideas I’d love for us to make, as well as cool stuff in the browser space (action-oriented, gamer-centric).
“Once DICE wraps and the game launches, it’s company-building time!”
Jaffe is to speak at DICE in Las Vegas tomorrow.
The God of War developer also clarified yesterday’s Salt Lake City Tribune report concerning his departure from ESP, which said Jaffe was “expected” to leave. The piece also detailed recent lay-offs at the Twisted Metal studio.
“if I may clear this up: I was not laid off. I co-own the company. There were a few lay-offs and they were very painful to do for all involved,” he said, adding: “I’m leaving because – again – games are just getting too big to direct from 300 miles away, and I miss the day-to-day of working direct with a team.”
Twisted Metal is to release exclusively for PS3 on February 14.
Related posts
Jaffe 2.0: David Jaffe on putting gameplay first
AMD confirms quad-core laptop and octo-core desktop CPUs for 2012
Bilson: THQ to announce core Kinect game “soon”, two core Move titles too
14 
Posted in: Development
Tags: david jaffe, twisted metal
14 comments
#1
absolutezero
08/02/12, 11:59 am
Who the hell keeps backing Jaffe?
#2
Strandli
08/02/12, 12:16 pm
#1: Why shouldn’t people back Jaffe? He is a great guy and a good game developer.
#3
absolutezero
08/02/12, 12:23 pm
Hes flakey and unreliable, he has a massive mouth and very little self control.
He made a new studio only to abandon it after 1 game. They made one game and hes already leaving. I don’t think the games he produces are of a high enough quality to allow him to leave one studio that he set up and just jump into another one, in which he might produce 2 browser games then say hes bored and leave again.
When developers are being fired left and right hearing about someone continue to have no problems what so ever because of his over-bearing personality is irritating.
#4
daytripper
08/02/12, 12:30 pm
i think hes ok, he can be a bit of a shit at times but who isnt? personally think he gets backing from certain people because he makes exclusive games to sony and some fans of sony make him out to be more than what he is, it would be the same if it was either nintendo or ms.
i tried the twisted metal demo and i dont see what the fuss is about, its ok to me nothing more.
#5
Gadzooks!
08/02/12, 1:07 pm
Jaffe popularised the worst evil in gaming – QTE’s, thus he should be cast out of society and never be allowed near software development ever again.
#6
mark82
08/02/12, 1:32 pm
Sorry but the guy who created one of sonys most successful franchises deserves a little bit of leeway. God of war sold a shit load of ps2′s!
When you watch one of his interviews he talks a lot of since, it’s just maybe that he tells people what they don’t wanna hear, a lot of people can’t deal with that!
#7
daytripper
08/02/12, 1:40 pm
“it’s just maybe that he tells people what they don’t wanna hear, a lot of people can’t deal with that!”
such as what? you would think what he was saying would seriously affect most peoples lives or something. unbelievable.
#8
The_Red
08/02/12, 1:46 pm
So he left Santa Monica to establish a new studio and now before their first big game is out is gonna leave that too and create another studio? I love the man but WTF?
#9
xino
08/02/12, 3:32 pm
wait I thought Eat, Sleep Play was founded by David Jaffe or let alone owned by him:/
wtf is going on?
#10
Gekidami
08/02/12, 4:20 pm
^ He co founded it, but he lives in another part of the country. He said so himself; he wants to be able to walk into the office every morning rather then work over the phone.
#11
KAP
08/02/12, 6:04 pm
I for one love the Jaffe.
With 99.9% of other devs who’s clearly trained in the art of PR bullshit, Jaffe just says it like it is, and thats why I think hes a fuckin boss.
“If your racist, dont buy my games”. After he said that I respected him fully from there on in. Good man.
#12
DSB
08/02/12, 6:10 pm
@10 Is that supposed to be an excuse though? What is he doing in the other side of the country?
I think absolutezero is spot on here. He does seem pretty unreliable.
#13
ManuOtaku
08/02/12, 6:27 pm
#3 I agree, i think the other side of the country is a lame excuse, if he did co-founded the company he should be able to forsee this, is part of the planification stage of building a new company, is one of the first things during planing you stablish,where the company is located versus where do you live, therefore IMHO is suspicious and an excuse for this, next time with his new company he will be blaming the weather affecting his aching bones too, therefore he will be creating a new one and so forth, dont get me wrong i do think he is a good developer but come on man.
#14
TD_Monstrous69
08/02/12, 6:37 pm
@11, I totally agree with you there, which is one of the reasons why I like him. I look forward to what he can deliver within the future, especially after what he said during his PAX prime keynote. I really hope he sticks by that philosophy.