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ashecitism · Oct 9, 2015

http://www.thechineseroom.co.uk/blog/blog/why-im-sort-of-leaving-the-chinese-room

She gives 3 reasons: 1. illness, 2. publisher relationship and the stress coming with it and 3. the industry itself (sexism)

As for the sort of, she's still company director and she will still write music for their games. Edit to clear this up a bit: It's just that the studio isn't a priority now, she won't participate in its everyday life, but she'll be doing her own thing, mostly writing music.

Won't quote, just read it.

Transistor · Oct 9, 2015

EGTT Rapture had some amazing music, it's a shame to see her go. Points 1 and 3 are pretty self explanatory, but I'm wondering about point 2. Was working with Sony that bad?

But wait.... She's NOT leaving, but she is?

LegendofDragoonLives · Oct 9, 2015

I'm curious what happened with 2 and 3.

Stone Ocean · Oct 9, 2015

She's leaving but she's not leaving

Huh?

Dog Problems · Oct 9, 2015

Sounds like things with Sony weren't too great, at least on her end.

Stone Ocean said:
She's leaving but she's not leaving

Huh?

She'll still compose music for their games but The Chinese Room is no longer a priority and she'll go on to do other things.

ashecitism · Oct 9, 2015

Transistor said:
But wait.... She's NOT leaving, but she is?

Stone Ocean said:
She's leaving but she's not leaving

Huh?

She still has her office, but she won't participate in the studio's everyday life. She likes writing music, so she will still do that for their games, but also has an upcoming big music project and is open to write music for others as well.

bluesun.exe · Oct 9, 2015

Hope stepping down helps her health. Did Chinese room deal with any other publisher beside sony? There's not many publishers she could be talking about from their past games.

Dangansona · Oct 9, 2015

Did Sony publish Everyone's gone to the rapture?

Toki767 · Oct 9, 2015

bluesun said:
Hope stepping down helps her health. Did Chinese room deal with any other publisher beside sony? There's not many publishers she could be talking about from their past games.

Only for Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs.

I think she made it clear that she was talking about Everybody's Gone to the Rapture though.

hosannainexcelsis · Oct 9, 2015

bluesun said:
Hope stepping down helps her health. Did Chinese room deal with any other publisher beside sony? There's not many publishers she could be talking about from their past games.

Frictional Games published Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs.

Dog Problems · Oct 9, 2015

bluesun said:
Hope stepping down helps her health. Did Chinese room deal with any other publisher beside sony? There's not many publishers she could be talking about from their past games.

They also worked with Frictional Games but the third section hints that the trouble was with Rapture.

Dangansona said:
Did Sony publish Everyone's gone to the rapture?

Yes.

Bloodrage · Oct 9, 2015

Hope she gets better.

gogogow · Oct 9, 2015

Wtf is wrong with some people?!

On a personal level I look back at my huge contribution to the games that weve made and I have had to watch Dan get the credit time and time again. Ive had journalists assuming Im Dans PA, I have been referenced as Dan Pinchbecks wife in articles, publishers on first meeting have automatically assumed that my producer is my boss just because hes a man, one magazine would only feature Dan as Studio Head and wouldnt include me. When Dan has said Jess is the brains of the operation people have knowingly chuckled and cooed that its nice of a husband to be so kind about his wife.

Piggus · Oct 9, 2015

Best of luck to her. I absolutely loved the soundtrack for Everyone's Gone to the Rapture.

Garrett Hawke · Oct 9, 2015

Huh, interesting post from her (although very sad). Most people say Sony is great to work with. I wish her the best with her health + it sucks about 2 and 3

Reading number 3 has me really pissed off, actually. Smh.

Dog Problems · Oct 9, 2015

Bloodrage said:
Hope she gets better.

People are left at a loss because they cant proclaim, youll beat this thing or you will get better and they cant tell you to just whoop its ass. I am going to get worse- thats a simple fact and no amount of medication, wheatgrass, mindfulness, positive thinking or acupuncture is going to change that.

.

Corpekata · Oct 9, 2015

It's clearly Sony she's talking about, not Frictional, she mentions Rapture in the same paragraph.

wouwie · Oct 9, 2015

I was sad to read this, on multiple levels. I only discovered her work with Everybody's gone to the Rapture but it thought it was amazing.

On the plus side, it's great that she is focusing on making music now. Because she's very talented.

Toki767 · Oct 9, 2015

Garrett Hawke said:
Huh, interesting. Most people say Sony is great to work with. I wish her the best with her health + it sucks about 2 and 3

It could just be something like there's a lot more stress having a publisher in general as you actually have to meet timelines and have someone to answer to. With Dear Esther and maybe in a smaller sense Amnesia, they probably had much more freedom to miss deadlines and such.

Warxard · Oct 9, 2015

Gaming Industry just flexing those awful blemishes that'll never fix at this rate. Shame, I genuinely enjoyed the music in Rapture.

Here's hoping she can continue what she loves without the bullshit scrutinization from the industry growing.

pje122 · Oct 9, 2015

Read the title as Chuck E. Cheese...

Dangansona · Oct 9, 2015

Something doesn't sit right with me about her post. Partially because wouldn't this be the first time in years a dev has even hinted at Sony being a demanding publisher? I mean look at the games they will just let stay in development for years.

Edit: but as for points 1 and 3 that is sad to hear. I have no attachment to the studio, but that disease sounds incredibly scary and while I understand how press are going to screw up when 98% of their interviews are done with men, it's sad that those things happen. And calling her Dans wife in articles is unacceptable.

RedAssedApe · Oct 9, 2015

#2 sounds like something common that happens when you go from indie to being funded by a publisher. you trade complete creative freedom to having to answer to the people funding your game.

GrantDaNasty · Oct 9, 2015

“Dan went to LA and while he was there he told Sony about it,” she wrote. “When he returned I said ‘what did they think of my idea?’ He admitted that he’d ascribed the idea to one of our team members, not me. He was genuinely bewildered by my anger and asked “but why does it matter who gets the credit?’

One needs to go into personal accounts with an expectation of bias obviously, but this sounds incredibly shitty of her husband if true. Why would he not fight harder to make sure she gets a proper credit? Hell, why was it necessary to give credit to someone else in the first place?

show me your skeleton · Oct 9, 2015

Dangansona said:
Something doesn't sit right with me about her post. Partially because wouldn't this be the first time in years a dev has even hinted at Sony being a demanding publisher? I mean look at the games they will just let stay in development for years.

I don't think it's right to dismiss her post because of other experiences.

benny_a · Oct 9, 2015

Dangansona said:
Something doesn't sit right with me about her post. Partially because wouldn't this be the first time in years a dev has even hinted at Sony being a demanding publisher? I mean look at the games they will just let stay in development for years.

It's hard to know how good or bad Sony is as a publisher.

Game players only have a fraction of an idea what goes on. We only see what projects gets completed and sometimes the time it seemingly spent in development.

But one doesn't know about the emails and the producers involved and all that day to day stuff. We can only speculate.

But yeah, they certainly are no Bethesda based on what has been said. ;-)

Dangansona · Oct 9, 2015

show me your skeleton said:
I don't think it's right to dismiss her post because of other experiences.

It's not a full dismissal, just seems like to me the publisher part seems worse than it was because she prefers working under the freedom that being independent provides.

Ridley327 · Oct 9, 2015

henhowc said:
#2 sounds like something common that happens when you go from indie to being funded by a publisher. you trade complete creative freedom to having to answer to the people funding your game.

Quantic Dream expressed some concerns with Sony in the past, haven't they? They were pretty forthcoming about some of the pre-emptive censoring that Sony told them to do with regards to Jason's death at the beginning of Heavy Rain, which did wind up hurting the scene. I think thatgamecompany left Sony on a something of a downbeat, too.

eFKac · Oct 9, 2015

GrantDaNasty said:
One needs to go into personal accounts with a bit of bias obviously, but this sounds incredibly shitty of her husband if true. Why would he not fight harder to make sure she gets a proper credit?

Not only this, but (I assume she implies sexism), Sony Santa Monica is a studio managed by a woman ffs, so it's really hard to believe there is a culture of sexism there.

Warxard · Oct 9, 2015

Dangansona said:
Something doesn't sit right with me about her post. Partially because wouldn't this be the first time in years a dev has even hinted at Sony being a demanding publisher? I mean look at the games they will just let stay in development for years.

Way to dismiss her post because Sony's relationships with other independents is good.

Buttonbasher · Oct 9, 2015

Tragic read. I'll follow her music where ever she makes it. I wish her the best of luck on her new project.

aeolist · Oct 9, 2015

Dangansona said:
Something doesn't sit right with me about her post. Partially because wouldn't this be the first time in years a dev has even hinted at Sony being a demanding publisher? I mean look at the games they will just let stay in development for years.

it sounds like she's talking about things that everyone takes for granted. sony may not be a particularly awful outlier when it comes to publishers, but she's saying that the system itself is shitty and nobody talks about it.

ashecitism · Oct 9, 2015

GrantDaNasty said:
One needs to go into personal accounts with an expectation of bias obviously, but this sounds incredibly shitty of her husband if true. Why would he not fight harder to make sure she gets a proper credit? Hell, why was it necessary to give credit to someone else in the first place?

Was thinking the same thing, almost made a remark in the OP, but decided not to.

Bloodrage · Oct 9, 2015

Dog Problems said:
.

Yeah, that's really, really depressing.

Kayant · Oct 9, 2015

Dangansona said:
Something doesn't sit right with me about her post. Partially because wouldn't this be the first time in years a dev has even hinted at Sony being a demanding publisher? I mean look at the games they will just let stay in development for years.

Isn't that most publishers in general? Also she said

So Ill tread carefully and please be aware that Im speaking entirely on my own behalf now.

So we don't know what others members of the team are thinking.

I mean given Sony now owned their I.P and where publishing it you can see how from her and anyone's prospective for that matter the change from owning your work and having full control to someone coming in and commanding a lot of things.

Best of luck to her with her illness.

stuminus3 · Oct 9, 2015

Fuck everyone responsible for this (including her own husband, apparently?):

Ive had journalists assuming Im Dans PA, I have been referenced as Dan Pinchbecks wife in articles, publishers on first meeting have automatically assumed that my producer is my boss just because hes a man, one magazine would only feature Dan as Studio Head and wouldnt include me. When Dan has said Jess is the brains of the operation people have knowingly chuckled and cooed that its nice of a husband to be so kind about his wife.

Get a fucking clue, games industry people.

Dangansona · Oct 9, 2015

Boo Boo'n said:
Way to dismiss her post because Sony's relationships with other independents is good.

Ok, because I totally said that her illness is made up and she probably is imagining the sexism directed towards her.

stuminus3 said:
Fuck everyone responsible for this (including her own husband, apparently?)

Isn't it weird that he wouldn't credit his own wife with a good idea of hers? It would be one thing if he lied and said it was his, but damn.

Dictator93 · Oct 9, 2015

"we had to watch Dan get the credit time and time again. I’ve had journalists assuming I’m Dan’s PA, I have been referenced as “Dan Pinchbeck’s wife” in articles, publishers on first meeting have automatically assumed that my producer is my boss just because he’s a man, one magazine would only feature Dan as Studio Head and wouldn’t include me"

Reminds me of the whole "john romero's wife" thing

That sucks

CheesecakeRecipe · Oct 9, 2015

Broke my heart when I read this blog post earlier, both touching upon the health issues she will unfortunately continue to face and the darker side of the industry she stumbled upon. I've been a TCR fan ever since I first loaded up the absolutely broken original Dear Esther mod, and when they were finally gaining recognition, it came at a great cost. I wish her the best of luck and look forward to whatever compositions she produces in the future.

TouchMyBox · Oct 9, 2015

Jessica Curry is awesome and her music is awesome and she deserves better.

Easy_D · Oct 9, 2015

Ah that sucks, her music is incredible, only played Dear Esther and A Machine for Pigs but her contributions to both of those were integral to the experience for me. You could tell the music was meant to be there for more reasons than just "Hey we want a song conveying feeling Y", it felt as if the music was as important for what they were going for as the script or the level design.

bluesun.exe · Oct 9, 2015

Corpekata said:
It's clearly Sony she's talking about, not Frictional, she mentions Rapture in the same paragraph.

Just surprised she talked about her difficulties with the publisher with her stepping down. She's must be very frustrated, since she mentions she doesn't want cause trouble to her friends and husband still working full-time.

Garlador · Oct 9, 2015

Dictator93 said:
"we had to watch Dan get the credit time and time again. Ive had journalists assuming Im Dans PA, I have been referenced as Dan Pinchbecks wife in articles, publishers on first meeting have automatically assumed that my producer is my boss just because hes a man, one magazine would only feature Dan as Studio Head and wouldnt include me"

Reminds me of the whole "john romero's wife" thing

That sucks

Don't you mean "Brenda Romero's husband"?

Honestly, both the people in that coupling are awesome...

TheOddOne · Oct 9, 2015

When Dan has said Jess is the brains of the operation people have knowingly chuckled and cooed that its nice of a husband to be so kind about his wife. I dont have enough paper to write down all of the indignities that Ive faced. Partly it was my fault. I dont like doing talks, Dan loves them and he naturally became the public face of the studio. People assumed that he was the creative force behind the company and I didnt want to seem like an egotist so I let them carry on thinking that. Last year I had a beautiful idea for Rapture. Dan went to LA and while he was there he told Sony about it.

When he returned I said what did they think of my idea? He admitted that hed ascribed the idea to one of our team members, not me. He was genuinely bewildered by my anger and asked but why does it matter who gets the credit? My reply: It only doesnt matter who gets the credit when youre the person who always gets the credit! There is a famous quote that behind every successful man there is a strong woman. Well sod that. Ive realized that the only way Im going to get credit for the work that I do is if I take a step away from Dan. I love Dan so, so much. He is a talented, intelligent, shining-souled man. This is not a rejection of him but of the society that still cant cope with the fact that a woman might just be as talented as the man she shares her life with.

This is absolutely heartbreaking.

hosannainexcelsis · Oct 9, 2015

aeolist said:
it sounds like she's talking about things that everyone takes for granted. sony may not be a particularly awful outlier when it comes to publishers, but she's saying that the system itself is shitty and nobody talks about it.

Exactly. This passage in particular:

Ive heard so many people say, well, this is just the way publishers are and this is just what the games industry is like. What I would say to that is while we all keep accepting this, while we are so afraid to challenge this behaviour then it wont change and we all deserve nothing but the meager crumbs we are thrown.

It's clear that she's not singling out Sony as an unusually bad publisher in the video game industry, but saying that all publishers are bad for artists.

SomedayTheFire · Oct 9, 2015

Such a shame

Dicktatorship · Oct 9, 2015

Ridley327 said:
Quantic Dream expressed some concerns with Sony in the past, haven't they? They were pretty forthcoming about some of the pre-emptive censoring that Sony told them to do with regards to Jason's death at the beginning of Heavy Rain, which did wind up hurting the scene. I think thatgamecompany left Sony on a something of a downbeat, too.

Most large publishers are creatively suppressive; for them the money lies on the safe side.

pje122 said:
Read the title as Chuck E. Cheese...

Would it be awkward for an adult male to go there alone? I haven't been there is sooooooo long.

Morrigan Stark · Oct 9, 2015

What a sad, heart-breaking letter.

eFKac said:
Not only this, but (I assume she implies sexism), Sony Santa Monica is a studio managed by a woman ffs, so it's really hard to believe there is a culture of sexism there.

Obama is black, therefore there's no racism in the White House. Right?

Come on son.

AgeEighty · Oct 9, 2015

But I heard there is no sexism problem in the games industry.

BriareosGAF · Oct 9, 2015

Man, as a dev this bums me out. But best wishes to her.

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