Tag Archives: Jenova Chen

Thatgamecompany has said its looking at ways to expand beyond just PlayStation platforms and take its games to “a bigger audience”.

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2012 just got a whole lot more attractive; Journey is finished.

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Sony’s announced this afternoon that Journey will arrive in spring 2012.

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thatgamecompany’s Jenova Chen talks about the studio’s next title Journey as we see a new demo for the game in London.

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Lauded designer Jenova Chen, founder of thatgamecompany and creator of flOw and Flower, has described fighting and shooting games in harsh terms – but confirmed he enjoys and values them anyway.

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With Flower being one of PSN’s stand-out products, Jenova Chen’s That Game Company’s next step has always been one of interest. Dan Boutros went along to see the firm’s next title, Journey, in LA during E3 week.

This is what came back.

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Thatgamecompany’s Jenova Chen said at GDC last week that the firm will not release a new game this year.

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While speaking at develop regarding thatgamecompany’s flOw and Flower, Jenova Chen told attendees that games need more mature content by way of emotional engagement, not necessarily violence. Otherwise titles become nothing more than “toys”.

“I never see that sense of thrill any more in today’s games,” he said. “Yes, today’s games are more real and satisfying but the underlining mechanics are no different from toys. But the human brain likes information – it’s like a sponge that sucks up information and wants more all the time.

“Other pursuits are enjoyed by adults and not viewed as toys. As grown up gamer I don’t want to see the games I have been playing with love turn into toys. I think games need to have more mature content – but not like [Dead of Alive] or [Manhunt], but more sophisticated works.

“Games should make the player think and touch the gamer’s emotion. Gameplay needs to be like any other medium – it has to evoke all kinds of responses. Otherwise our industry will flatline.

“It shouldn’t be about one feeling – like excitement or happiness. Humans have a range of emotions, and life is stressful. Games should reflect that.”

Chen said developers could accomplish this by incorporating contemporary themes and approaching games as one would approach the creation of art.

“Most people in the games industry are jaded with this argument about games being art,” he admitted. “But it is important. I’m not an artist, I’m a computer science guy, and as game designer I think art is a component that is necessary.

“Look at the greatest artists and their works [Van Gogh, Tolkien and Alan Moore], they reflect the time and the world around them at the time.”

More over on Develop.

A renaissance of sorts is happening in the games industry, according to Flower creator Jenova Chen.

He feels that new developers now coming out of college will usher in a new era of cheaper and more emotional content.

“All these companies are designing these games particularly to these groups; they never really focus on the old,” he told GamesIndustry.biz.

“But as more companies make games for this audience, they are overlapping in terms of emotional content. They are really competing with each other on production values.

“You have two space marine games. Which are you going to choose? Gears of War 2 or Resistance 2? The decision is based on who has the better-looking character, more levels, or a longer play-time.

The industry is focusing on who has the best tech rather than who has the more emotional or intellectual experience.”

More through the link.

That Game Company director and co-founder Jenova Chen explained to Kotaku that the theme of Flower is “Life in Balance.”

“As reflected in flOw, That Game Company’s goal is explore what is possible to communicate through video games, from the complex concept of evolution and adaptation to the power found in a simple potted flower,” says the piece.

The article goes on to look at the game more closely, revealing that your petal enters three dream-like states as you play. Or something.

Go for it through the link.

By Mike Bowden