Jaffe leaves Sony Offices, apparently "wanted better view."

[schild]

David Jaffe is no longer a part of the internal workings at Sony Computer Entertainment America. 1UP confirmed with multiple sources that Jaffe is currently working with Incognito Entertainment head Scott Campbell on the formation of a new studio to be based out of Utah.

When asked, SCEA would not comment on the so far unannounced change. "We have made no announcements regarding any change in David Jaffe's relationship with Sony Computer Entertainment," said a company spokesperson. Jaffe himself also has not yet responded to repeated requests for comment, since he started teasing the new studio on his personal blog.

What happens to Incognito? The company is flying high on the positive buzz surrounding online-centric Warhawk and is unlikely to be affected by the shift. Jaffe has traveled back and forth between Incognito and his San Diego headquarters over the development of a number of Incognito-based games, including the recent PlayStation Network release Calling All Cars. Jaffe is expected to continue the relationship.

We hope to hear more on this new studio shortly, so stay tuned.

Second party maybe PLEASE? Fuck, Sony needs to dish out some cash. They Can Not Lose Jaffe. And you know Microsoft has the checkbook out.

[Velorath]

David Jaffe is no longer a part of the internal workings at Sony Computer Entertainment America. 1UP confirmed with multiple sources that Jaffe is currently working with Incognito Entertainment head Scott Campbell on the formation of a new studio to be based out of Utah.

When asked, SCEA would not comment on the so far unannounced change. "We have made no announcements regarding any change in David Jaffe's relationship with Sony Computer Entertainment," said a company spokesperson. Jaffe himself also has not yet responded to repeated requests for comment, since he started teasing the new studio on his personal blog.

What happens to Incognito? The company is flying high on the positive buzz surrounding online-centric Warhawk and is unlikely to be affected by the shift. Jaffe has traveled back and forth between Incognito and his San Diego headquarters over the development of a number of Incognito-based games, including the recent PlayStation Network release Calling All Cars. Jaffe is expected to continue the relationship.

We hope to hear more on this new studio shortly, so stay tuned.

Second party maybe PLEASE? Fuck, Sony needs to dish out some cash. They Can Not Lose Jaffe. And you know Microsoft has the checkbook out.

Jaffe has been hinting at this for a while now in interviews and on his blog.  Given his opinions of Sony, I fully expect him to continue to support the PS3.

[schild]

It doesn't matter. Microsoft can buy anyone. And yea, I saw him hinting at it, but I figured they'd be a second party, like Rare or Silicon Knights.

[Velorath]

Jaffe's focus for the forseeable future still seems to be downloadable games.  Obviously we don't really get a lot of sales figures from Sony, MS, or Nintendo in regards to their downloadable stuff, so it's hard to tell if MS would really find it worth pursuing at this point in time.  If there's one category where PSN can quickly overtake Live though, it's original games (as opposed to old console or arcade ports).  If MS could at least get Jaffe to go multi-platform, it would help them keep that from happening I suppose.  I just don't really see Jaffe's current work being a big factor in the console war at this point in time (which is a shame since even his smaller-scale stuff is good.)

[Nonentity]

Interesting. This is actually somewhat of a big deal.

I enjoyed Calling All Cars, but I was listening to the 1UP Yours podcast for last Friday, and they seemed to think that while he was renting out a new warehouse for an office, he'd continue to work with Sony.

I don't know either way - I regrettably own all of the consoles, so I'm just content with popcorning it up and seeing what happens.

[squirrel]

It doesn't matter. Microsoft can buy anyone. And yea, I saw him hinting at it, but I figured they'd be a second party, like Rare or Silicon Knights.

Yeah and there's really no question that MS not only has the chequebook out but are cutting alot of cheques. I like the 360 but I dont think any industry - particularly in gaming - is well served by near monopoly situations, not that MS has that yet. I wish both consoles success, but in a limited fashion. Sony needs to start taking the current situation seriously as a strategic threat. good games and sales on both = competition and a better environment for us.

[schild]

I don't think Microsoft wants to kick Sony out of the arena. I think they want to buy Nintendo and coattail their way into portable gaming - where the real money is.

[Velorath]

I like the 360 but I dont think any industry - particularly in gaming - is well served by near monopoly situations

For the most part I agree, although I do sometimes think it strange how we tend to hate format wars like blu-ray vs. HD-DVD because we don't want to have to buy into both in order to be able to watch every movie we want to watch, while every single console generation we put up with multiple formats of games requiring people two buy 2 or 3 consoles if they want to play everything.

[KyanMehwulfe]

Jaffe responsed to a topic about this elsewhere and denied it. The 1UP editor that made the article made some amends to the original wording as well. It was on gaf, Schild, if you're curious.

[Murgos]

I like the 360 but I dont think any industry - particularly in gaming - is well served by near monopoly situations

For the most part I agree, although I do sometimes think it strange how we tend to hate format wars like blu-ray vs. HD-DVD because we don't want to have to buy into both in order to be able to watch every movie we want to watch, while every single console generation we put up with multiple formats of games requiring people two buy 2 or 3 consoles if they want to play everything.

Because multiple video formats do nothing to improve the Movie/TV genre?  Competing games platforms push development of games as each platform tries to 'win', having more video formats doesn't affect the quality of movie produced in Hollywood.

[Hokers]

Second party maybe PLEASE? Fuck, Sony needs to dish out some cash. They Can Not Lose Jaffe. And you know Microsoft has the checkbook out.

Why does this matter?  You own a 360 as well.  Now if he went to Nintendo... 

We should be happy as long as he keeps creating good games for any system.

[Azazel]

Schild has a particular love for Sony and the PS3 at present.

[Soln]

This doesn't bode well.  Sony AGM this week to shareholders: "forgiveness, pls!"


Edit: Aaaaan just found teh seppuku thread.  Deh luvely.

[schild]

Correction, from a post by David himself at NeoGAF:

I can promise you guys I am still part of SCEA...I just got a paycheck from them! I am still 100% a Sony employee and unless I got fired today and they didn't tell me, I'm still working for them. Also, I love working with the guys at Incog and hope to work with them for a long, long time but I sure as shit ain't moving to Utah...nice as it is, I don't think I could live there long term and I don't think the good people of Utah would want me to


David

Ok then.

[Sky]

I thought for a second Al Jaffe was working at Sony. Maybe they should consider him. He's got good snappy answers to stupid questions.