• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Jaffe: I Would Not Have Included Blu-ray in PS3

In somewhat of a shocker, God of War creator David Jaffe has admitted that if he could change something about PS3, he would have removed its Blu-ray player and sold the console at a cheaper price. He also revealed that he might one day found his own independent studio. More within...

In part two of Geoff Keighley's Bonus Round with Sony Santa Monica Studio Creative Director David Jaffe over at GameTrailers.com, the God of War creator had a number of interesting things to say, but it was perhaps his comments in a teaser clip for part three that will draw the most attention.

When asked what he would change about the PlayStation 3, he responded, "I probably would have taken the Blu-ray out and sold it for less money." Of course, hindsight is always 20/20, but Sony certainly doesn't seem to view the inclusion of Blu-ray as a mistake. Jaffe didn't outright label it a mistake either, but he's the first Sony employee (to this editor's knowledge) to even question the need for Blu-ray.

SCE Worldiwide Studios President Phil Harrison and other Sony executives have repeatedly stressed the importance of the Blu-ray format, not just as a next-gen movie format, but as a game disc format that provides game developers with plenty of storage space to build highly detailed game worlds without the need for multiple discs. Microsoft has been using standard DVD-9 discs for the Xbox 360 and has thus far (in the U.S.) avoided any multiple disc scenarios through the use of highly advanced compression techniques. [Note: In Japan, Blue Dragon was released on three discs.]

Earlier on in part two of the Bonus Round, Jaffe once again commented on his love for smaller downloadable games, such as Calling All Cars. Echoing sentiments he expressed to GameDaily BIZ during a GDC interview, Jaffe commented, "I want to do games that take 10-13 months; I want to do games that aren't always story-driven, that are more gameplay-driven."

Interestingly, when Jaffe was asked about the possibility of one day starting his own independent studio, he seemed to embrace the idea as one he's already given much thought to. "I think it's a great idea and it's an idea that I've explored and will continue to explore," he said. "You never really know – Sony's been a great home for a long time and whether or not it's with an independent studio or staying within the walls of Sony, I always want to be able to contribute to Sony's [camp], but the specific way to get to that destination is under discussion right now. So whether or not that becomes a full fledged company or it becomes a more focused role within Sony, which is sort of all about these [smaller] games is sort of TBD at the moment."

For Jaffe, it's not just a matter of his enjoying creating smaller titles, but it also comes down to his realization during the God of War development period that he just can't do those big, epic titles anymore. "God of War was an eye-opener for me; all I did was live at that studio," he revealed.

"This is your life. It's the one you get, for the moment anyway, and it doesn't make sense to do things other than what makes you excited," Jaffe said. "For me now that I've gotten the 'big game' out of my system, this is what's in my system now."

And in typical outspoken Jaffe fashion, he remarked that big games aren't necessarily "better" than smaller ones and added regarding the drive to constantly create big blockbusters, "It's like, 'F**k you capitalist society that says all I need to do is work and contribute to the bottom line. F**k you up your a**.' I want a life."

Jaffe also said that while Calling All Cars, which uses the Warhawk engine, obviously doesn't maximize the PS3's power, "It's [still] a pretty advanced game under the hood; there's a lot going on." The important thing to remember, he said, is that it's $9.99 and fun to play. Of note, Jaffe did admit to a "mistake" of sorts on the development of Calling All Cars. He said that because the game is going to appeal to real gamers anyway (not "soccer moms"), it might have been a wiser marketing move to go with an "edgier or more mature" thematic on top of the same gameplay.

Go check out the full video interview on Bonus Round; it's definitely worth watching.

http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=15762
 

szaromir

Banned
It's a bit too early to open this thread, as Jaffe will say more about this in part 3, that was a single sentence at the end of part 2 in sneak peak of part 3.
 

ram

Member
hmm, jaffe wants to become the minigame god within sony and oversee all development, but at the same time, he aknowledges a big mistake with the artstyle of his first minigame calling all cars...

on a sidenote:

yes, i would love the calling all cars gameplay with twisted metal style vsuals. i dont like the cartoon style very much.
 
Is Jaffe that imortant that everything he says or do need a topic ?
IMO no...
I know what some will post and what this thread could turn in so i'm out.
 

Goldrusher

Member
Jaffe is an idiot.
Who is he to comment on Blu-ray, when all he did for the PS3 is make a little 50 meg downloadable game ?

There, it has been said.
 

Ploid 3.0

Member
Good thing they did though. Yea it cost quite a bit more but we'd be stuck with DVD. I'm sure sony wouldnt include a blueray player either (not that blu ray isn't good for games). Xbox has hd:dvd add on, and the tvip for hd video. PS3 wouldnt built for a long life without blu ray.
 

Busty

Banned
I believe that when Jaffe does interviews like these he probably steps out onto the set or the studio and then totally blacks out.....



... and then comes to about an hour later sitting in his parked car.



JAFFE - "Oh no.... what did I say now....?"

*Mobile Phone starts to ring*

The name flashing on the phone is Phil Harrison.

JAFFE - "Shit."


Wollan said:
I think I will wait for the context.

Agreed.

Considering the first trailer was edited to make it look like Jaffe was telling the interviewer to "..go **** himself up the ass..." (or something similar) that's probably quite wise.
 

f@luS

More than a member.
xabre said:
Is this guy completely INSANE?!@!??

As if you could put a game the size of Oblivion on the 360.

Yeah i dont think u can do it without a lot of loading area though... :)
 
to be honest I would have prefered even more power than blue ray, but I dont really care as Ive bought the system now...on small games...Im generally into more epic stuff, so Icant say Im too interested, until something actually peeks my interest

peace
 

Agent Icebeezy

Welcome beautful toddler, Madison Elizabeth, to the horde!
f@luS said:
Yeah i dont think u can do it without a lot of loading area though... :)

Depends on the developer and amount of time given because GTA4 doesn't load after the initial loading screen.
 
Goldrusher said:
Jaffe is an idiot.
Who is he to comment on Blu-ray, when all he did for the PS3 is make a little 50 meg downloadable game ?

There, it has been said.

Dude, -he- was asked the question, and he gave a candid response. It's not like he's going out of his way to tell the world that blu-ray am suxx0rs.
 

BlueTsunami

there is joy in sucking dick
I'm finding that actually agree with the statment at this point in time. A year or so down the line? Maybe not. The BD advantage remains to be seen. Jaffe knows more than most of us though.
 

Sjoerd

Member
Well it's certain the high price must come from somewhere so it would be logical if it was because of the blu-ray drive.
 

Blunty

Member
guise said:
Youre only saying that so you get quoted on Bonus Round

I would imagine Jaffe has more focus for the PS3 as a games machine than Sony though (being a games developer and all), who are equally concerned about trying to get the Blu-Ray out onto the market. Whether people will see the PS3 as a 'cheap' Blu-Ray player when or if Blu-Ray takes over from DVDs though, remains to be seen.
 
David don't complain about the high price of the PS3 just get a second job. It will come in handy when you get fired from your first.
 
There will be games that hit PS3 that will make use gamers say 'wow, I'm glad it's Blu-Ray or the game wouldn't be this humungo', but from a business point of view it isn't helping sales. I think Jaffe might be concerned with PS3s sales.
 
I find it amusing that the conversation immediately turns to him setting up his own studio so either:

a) it's dawned on him he's previous comment is going to get him fired or

b) he's trying to get fired!


It seems to me he doesn't want to work on major multi year projects anymore, he probably wants to work on small projects with less stress they dont need 50gig discs do they?..
 

ninge

Member
jaffe should make DS games.. ive had more fun doing GBA/DS projects than i ever had doing big budget console stuff
 
Goldrusher said:
Jaffe is an idiot.
Who is he to comment on Blu-ray, when all he did for the PS3 is make a little 50 meg downloadable game ?

There, it has been said.

Who are you to question his knowledge of the industry when all you do is eat cheetos in your mother's basement while he's been working as a designer for 15 years?

There, it has been said.
 

Mar

Member
underfooter said:
There will be games that hit PS3 that will make use gamers say 'wow, I'm glad it's Blu-Ray or the game wouldn't be this humungo'

More like "wow, I'm glad I don't have to get out of my chair and put the second disc in".

I wish PS3 didn't have Blu-Ray either. I probably would have bought one by now if it didn't.
 
SketchTheArtist said:
Who are you to question his knowledge of the industry when all you do is eat cheetos in your mother's basement while he's been working as a designer for 15 years?

There, it has been said.

Don't be talkin' trash about Cheetos.

Also I think Jaffe's comment was stupid.
 

Johnny

Member
Blu-Ray really isn't required in order to compete but for anyone with a nice HDTV setup and love for cinema it's a great addition. Games should benefit somewhat from the move as well.
 
If the PS3 did not have a blu ray drive it would have probably come out a year earlier as well and would be wiping the floor ith the 360 imo
 

adelante

Member
Let's forget for a second the obvious benefits blu-ray brings to the table, would the PS3 (sans bluray drive) still have been successful being reliant on the games it can have on release alone??
 

p3tran

Banned
Borys said:
And the bad PLAYSTATION 3 PR keeps on rolling. I wonder who is behind all this.

I am. :lol :lol :lol

common sense is a rare commodity when discussing the ps3.

imo david just stated the obvious, the exact same thought that I believe is burned into half of official sony GAMES people.
but a corporation is a corporation, and should act for its best overall interests.
other corporations do worst things, spill oil at the coast lines, support wars, even m$ is doing its own shit, and sony decided to burden a bluray purchase to anybody interested for the next playstation. no big deal.
oh, and the sun went up this morning from the east!


p.s.
of course, I do expect that david will turn this around according to official sony blabla rather soon. "the potential.."
 
if ps3 didnt have Blu rayit would be cheaper and more systems would have been out at launch.

Jaffe is right. REally i would not mind having games on multiple dvds if it came to that. I am fairly certian without BLu Ray ps3 would be way more successful.
 

Krowley

Member
Everybody at sony probably wishes the ps3 didn't have blu-ray... Most of them just wouldn't say so publicly. Hopefully there won't be any repercussions for this. He's a great asset for them.
 
Top Bottom