At the Sony PlayStation Experience (PSX) in Las Vegas, Drawn to Death game developer David Jaffe mentioned GamerGate when he was on stage introducing the new shooter. So we asked him about it afterward in this exclusive interview.
David Jaffe, creator of God of War, supports Xbox Game Pass even after price increases, calling it a strong value for players who enjoy multiple titles.
There seems to be a strong connection between "used to be heavily involved woth big video game stuff" and then just giving terrible takes online
He's got some hot takes, but I've always liked hearing his thoughts on things, even if I disagree.
I think he's technically right on the basis of sheer value, but I think there are a few things he misses:
- The real value in Game Pass (in my opinion) is not the newer games—it's in the older classics they acquired. The newer stuff is VERY likely to rely substantially on AI. I think they're aware that people are going to boycott products, but the development cost could probably be covered profitably, even with far fewer XGP subs at higher premium. It's pure greed: pay pennies for labour and profit from a back catalog you didn't even develop.
-I've said this before, but the cost per gaming hour increases because you don't suddenly get more time to play these games just because you're paying more.
-Support for this service is enabling, and I suggest you be careful before defending it. They're turning as many of their products into services as they can. What's more, they're hiking up the service price at the same time that their games on other platforms command a full price.
-Instead of offering something new and creative, they're moving around/cancelling benefits in different tiers.
It's greed, David. No good will come from enabling this.
David Jaffe, the same guy who said Metroid Dread was awful all because he didn't know to shoot up to find a hidden shootable ceiling. THAT DAVID JAFFE?!
Hahaha, so when ex-bosses and game devs say something negative about Xbox, they are spot on, but if they say something positive, they are crazy, washed up, and out of touch? N4G logic all day lol.
His Logic is sound, he doesn't just say it, he is actually doing the math, and showing "HIS" personal gaming habits. I 100% agree, and said the same on the thread when it all happened, it is perfect logic, depending on how you game. Hell, some people only buy Madden, NBA2K, or CoD each year and nothing else. Do we tell those people they are crazy for buying a system for one or two games and nothing else? Then you have the people who play 10 games in one month. Are they crazy as well? We gotta be objective, and realize gaming all comes down to what type of gamer you are.
Additionally, just like PS+, GP has multiple tiers. If Ultimate is too high, get premium, it's almost just like PS+, a lot of games, and AAA games added within the year. Again, it just depends on the type of gamer and how you play games during the year.
Gotta love it.
Again the whole thing about gamepass is the low monthly fee. You can still raise it a several more dollars and it will still be of "value" on paper, but it won't be affordable anymore. Can make the same argument of "value" for $100 games about how much hours you are getting out of a game to defend a price hike.
Outside,
That logic is flawed, it is still a low monthly fee, there are different tiers of the service which both still provide a value based on what you get.
As far as $100 single game, it's also subjective, but it's only one product, so the variety in PS+ and GP is what creates the "Value" because of the amount of unlimited options on one service, let's not pretend that you don't get the concept.
About the $100 games, you are proving the point of the Value in a service like PS+ and GP, some games cost $80!! Let's not pretend that it's a far cry from the $100 you are talking about...let's say standard game prices do reach $100, would that then make GP worth it? Is the $80 not to high already?
“…it is still a low monthly fee”
I disagree there. $30+ can add up quick. I cancelled my Netflix for less.
He's still an idiot. Because he's only thinking about his own selfish needs.
He can be fine with it. Because he most likely ***can afford it.*** You know, the Creator of GOW and... Well who cares about his other games because they bombed. His kickbacks for being the creator of the game is probably enough to pay for game pass without any hit to HIS pocketbook.
Then, he tries to excuse it like, well, these subscriptions always go up. Microsoft said it wouldn't after purchasing Activision and COD. So, not only was that a legal LIE, he's now excusing that lie. So F him.
He also doesn't seem to mind that it not only ruined gamers thinking that games no longer have value and you can just play a game for almost nothing. Game pass has ruined Microsoft's standing. Not that it was that high anyway with gamers with all their lies, misleading statements and games cancelled. It has ruined their sales. Developers have complained that Microsoft's cheap entry with Xbox S to push game pass has ruined some game development. Some developers have either postponed their games on Xbox, some have avoided Xbox development all together. Some developers have admitted that they have been hurt by releasing on game pass. Because their sales on Xbox have tanked. While on Nintendo's and Sony's systems, they continue to thrive with transitional game sales.
"But but but game pass is great value."
Says the has been, one hit wonder, bullshitter. But But but he's David Jaffey... Who gives a F. How does that great value taste when it has helped ruin the Xbox brand?
Apocalypse,
Wow, just wow,
"He's still an idiot. Because he's only thinking about his own selfish needs"
That is literally what matters here, every gamer buys, subscribe, or stream games based on their own personal gaming habits or needs, by your logic we are all selfish! Again there is the option of the Premium tier, that is more akin to the PS+ model, and then there is the other option to not sub and just buy your games for full price.
"Then, he tries to excuse it like, well, these subscriptions always go up. Microsoft said it wouldn't after purchasing Activision and COD. So, not only was that a legal LIE, he's now excusing that lie. So F him"
I get it, but realistically he is not wrong, Sony also raised prices for PS+ services, and while I think the A/B acquisition is a factor, dude that acquisition happened in 2023! We are heading into 2026 lol...and the gaming climate has changed tremendously since then, with price increase from every game company, including , console, accessories, services, and almost everything else in the country, why are we ignoring that?
I don't care about GP "ruining Xbox" lol, they weren't doing great before that, Im not certain GP was the only or biggest factor.
"But but but game pass is great value."
It is, depending of your personal view and how you game throughout the year.
"Says the has been, one hit wonder, bullshitter. But But but he's David Jaffey... Who gives a F. How does that great value taste when it has helped ruin the Xbox brand?"
Smh, the man made one of the most respected games in PS history, and you discredit him, but expect people to listen you you and other opposers of GP? Make that make sense...why should we listen to any ex-dev, or CEOs if your logic says he is full of shit?
Armchair much lol.
You are missing my point.
I'm saying that I can justify games being $100 using the value you are getting based on the number of hours you are pouring into said game. Now does that make it any less upsetting an increased happened?
Same goes for gamepass increase. You can say that it's better than buying games individually still, but that doesn't make the increase any better especially it being a low fee was the initially draw. I can say that buying an Xbox at it's new price point with the addition to subscribing to gamepass is a lot better value than building a PC and buying games individually, but that doesn't make the increase in price on the console any better.
Outside,
I'm picking up what you are putting down, all these different scenarios you put fourth proves that the value of something is based on the individual their preferences, and gaming habits or need.
When has any price hike in anything, anything at all been something anyone is happy about? I'm not claiming this is the best move or that I love it, I'm simply saying I personally still see the value at the new price, and that it is up to each gamer to decide, I am not claiming it's bad, or good..that's a "you" decision. I am saying all the options are still on the table, core, premium, and ultimate, and buying games independently..the thing is that people are ok to be outraged about it, but the moment someone says, hey I still think it's great, people attack or paint broad pictures as if it's facts that they are saying.
The perfect example is this very thread, days and days of article saying that GP is not worth it, and everyone is cool with it, one video pops up with a someone who actually worked in the industry says, hey I personally think it's great, then proceeded to show why he still see the value, and he gets attacked on here...it's ridiculous and if you don't see that, you are clearly just not wanting to.
Never once did I say any price increase is good...or for that matter bad...simply that it's still remains a value, I respect anyone's opinion on the matter, but why diss somebody who has a different opinion?
for me personally... i have yet to decide if I'm going to cancel my renewal in November. I still find it a good value for what you get. And i keep saying this (and get lots of disagrees) but i like using the service as a means to justify buying games to keep. And (like I've said before) have purchased more games as a result of using the service over the years (yes years). Games that i likely did not think would interest me but find to be enjoyable, enough to even warrant a full purchase. Not always for aforementioned XB system that i got my taste of, but it does not matter what i buy it for, what matters is I am supporting the devs who made it. The very topic many say is what hurts devs who put games on GP in the first place.
Go figure.
"Hell, some people only buy Madden, NBA2K, or CoD each year and nothing else. Do we tell those people they are crazy for buying a system for one or two games and nothing else?"
Yes. People on sites like this criticize this type of gamer all the time.
No David Jaffe has been a clown for many, many years and i personally have been trashing him for a long time. I’m not surprised he’s defending this. He’s a moron.
David Jaffey is a one hit wonder. You know, the guy who made GOW after Devil May Cry came out before it. With absorbing orbs and stylish action and weapon upgrades from those orbs. You know, that GOW copied from. Doesn't matter if I like GOW. It was a gameplay copy of DMC. You know, from that other, better developer Kamiya that had more hits from DMC, Viewtiful Joe, Okami, Bayonetta, etc. Yeah. He's a loud mouth too. But he didn't copy to make GOW. And he's better at it. Jaffey on the other hand, is sitting on his ass talking in a mic no longer working at Sony. Because someone else like Cory took his game to new heights without his help. He's a has been. Probably lives next door to Cliffy.
No matter how you want to spin it, Microsoft said that the acquisition of Activision would not affect pricing to the FTC. And that was a lie. And it has increased twice in a short amount of time for game pass. That's price gouging.
You want to lump Sony into the picture but Sony doesn't do day one releases. And, they like to sell games FIRST before putting their games on their service. So, PSN and game pass are not the same thing. Secondly, Sony has been more successful with PSN than Microsoft. And has huge game sales and console sales. And console generation wins. Microsoft's sales have plummeted. They have no console generation wins. They have killed their game sales with game pass. Something, again, Microsoft admitted. Which is why they are having their consoles pulled from retail shelves. They are releasing their own first party games on their competitors platform. Because, without Sony, those developers and franchises would have died and developers would have lost their jobs if the games aren't selling. Where are they selling more and better on? On PlayStation. That's got to be embarrassing to Microsoft. You know, that 3 trillion dollar company that tried to buy up large publishers to hurt Sony. But in the end, they have demolished the Xbox brand and have to run to Sony for actual game sales. Where the games sold more on as third party developer games.
If game pass is such a value, why is the website crashing from all the cancelled subscriptions? Why does Microsoft no longer talk about how many subs they have? Which was misleading numbers anyway.
You call it value. But look at how much destruction it has caused Microsoft and the Xbox brand. You're fooling yourself. The last defender of a dying console. How many Xbox console sales again? How many game pass subs do they have again? Stop fooling yourself.
Lastly, you don't like that I call him that. Tell me, what other, relevant game has Jaffey made? What current hit has he made since then? That's called a has been. He's no longer relevant.
Helldiver2 was released on Xbox because SONY wanted to
That must be humiliating for Sony, right?
https://www.gamespot.com/ar...
Just saying :)
"No matter how you want to spin it, Microsoft said that the acquisition of Activision would not affect pricing to the FTC. And that was a lie. And it has increased twice in a short amount of time for game pass. That's price gouging."
FWIW, even MS could not have predicted the events that transpired with the application of tariffs across the board. when they said what they said (at the time) it was true. It took a couple years after, and changing market conditions, to cause them to adjust the price. People can speculate all they want about the deal after the fact but the fact remains that since the deal was closed, they actually did NOT raise prices immediately after as many thought they would. And please try and look at things from a wider perspective as even other companies had to adjust their pricing in uncertain times. Just because MS said to the FTC they wouldnt... are you going to give everyone else who raised them before MS did a free pass or something?
Why is this news? If he doesn’t care about the price hike, that’s his prerogative. I don’t understand the relevance here. This feels like some juvenile a** bullsh*t to stir up stuff.
There will be people who don’t care about the Gamepass price and that’s fine. I don’t care how people cope with it or find value, I won’t support it out of principle to what this company is doing.
Crimson,
That is the point, of value to you...it's a personal thing.
Also, why don't you see the point in his video? Did you see the point in the other videos and articles that said it wasn't worth it? Why is one take ok to promote, but not the other? If you think that way, then it's a standard case of "if you don't like it, it's wrong"...let's be real and come to the realization that people like different things.
You dogged his video, as pointless,but then went one to express your alao pointless view...lol
Brother why are you simping so hard for Xbox and this undeniably greedy decision that is backfiring and everyone hates it? Like serioulsy how the hell are people like you still around. You last few Xbox warriors (sounds pathetic to even write it) are like that one soldier that was isolated in a jungle for 20 years still thinking he was fighting WW2.
You missed my point. I’m not debating whether he should care or not. I’m pointing out that a story about someone being fine with a price hike isn’t really newsworthy.
Articles pointing out the change and readers commenting make sense. But trying to put someone in the spotlight because they support it gives off a gross, alternative-motive kind of vibe. Do you get it now?
@ Levii,
Ok my man, great argument..smh.
Try to diss me instead of having any real opinions or counter-opinion on what I actually said.
I can't believe people like you still exist, that offer no real point, and comment insulting someone they don't even know lol...way to prove your point on the topic.
It's like you have nothing relevant to add so you say something that you think sound cool...to me you might as well had said, "Your a do-do head" cause that is how your comment reads to me.
Let's Talk about it For, For Real...is the name of my YouTube channel, and that is what I try to do whenever I engage in a Topic...check it out.
https://youtube.com/@letalk...
Gamers are voting with their wallet. They're cancelling their subscriptions and moving to Switch, PlayStation and PC.
Terri writes: "In a recent video released by the creator of the God of War series, David Jaffe, we can see that Jaffe is not fond of the direction PlayStation took regarding the franchise, and in particular, Kratos himself."
Well, I personally think that Santa Monica did an absolutely phenomenal job with Kratos, showcasing insane character development in all the right ways.
I disagree. God of War went from a brutal action game where Kratos was slaying gods to a boring father figure. God of War 3 was my favorite in the series.
I much prefer the focused and purposeful with reason Kratos who still gets into brutal combat and still has to kill gods even though he tries not to. Past Kratos was just anger personified and did nothing but subvert any expectations of him being something else other than just rage.
2 is still my favorite. Everything about that game is top shelf design. the scale and scope of things like fighting the colossus of rhodes to awakening the steeds of time... just epic. 3 was good, but 2 is the high point of the original trilogy (for me).
The direction santa monica took for the reboot was less GoW (god of war) and more GoW (gears of war). The whole 3rd person perspective, having a partner (even if its his son), and lack of verticality with no more jumping and creating crazy areal combos... it was difficult to come to terms with but i managed. the story was good though, but i still give the nod to greek mythology over norse (and likely egyptian if that is where they go next).
I can see it either way. I agree that the series now has nothing in common with the original beyond superficial character appearances and general setting. They sort of used the IP to sell an entirely different style of game. That said the new games are well made in their own right.
I don't even think Jaffe really understood Kratos, despite creating him. Or rather, he doesn't seem to understand how he created the fertile ground for this kind of character development arc.
He was always a warrior, but he had a very human element since day one. He had a chance to protect his family again in God of War I and Ares took them away... Again. He knows he can't get them back and moved forward as the new God of War. Fast forward, the Gods betrayed him (though he was still sympathetic to Athena at the time). Eventually, he waged war with Olympus.
He was part of the pantheon and that would've been the entirety of his story arc where he oversaw war for all time.
But the truth this, Kratos has changed, but he largely remained the same. His two constants were always pride in his family and revenge against those who have wronged him. You take those two together (a threat to his family and Gods looking to kill him) and the direction he's taken is pretty congruent with who Kratos always has been. I guess you can say Kratos would just be a merciless monster for the sake of it, but the old games never explore present aspects of the character (e.g., what kind of father Kratos was). We got a look at that, and with a boy, no less.
I find the franchise did well to age with the audience. I was an angry teen when the original came out. Now I'm kinda mellowed out with a family and I just get it.
I think it did an excellent job of connecting with the audience as we grew up. It's a bit like Toy Story in that regard.
Agree. I liked GoW 3 the best as well. There weren't enough unique boss fights in the reboot.
Well he aged considerably. Define boring father figure exactly? Maybe your father was boring but don't put that blame on others.
As far as slaying gods ...you're right ...he went from god slaying to....hmmm god slaying.
The newer Kratos matured with the audience. They could have just kept doing the same game over and over but they saw it getting stale so they had to switch the formula...they did so incredibly well.
While God of War 3 is undoubtedly excellent in its own manner, the "boring father figure" part is something I don't agree with. For starters, if the situation calls for it, the old Kratos is back on camera, like when he fights against a particular Aesir god in Ragnarok.
He achieved his goal... he actually got the revenge he was so desperately needing and in the end what? It'd be terrible character development if he would just go to another mythology to kill more gods just for the sake of they being gods. They actually gave them a meaning in life, and even better, they got an amazing idea of how to create a new game with actual bealavility and a plot, not just merciless kill.
Agree 100% Kratos had about an inch of depth before the norse version. Now he feels like a real character, a real dad, with real reactions based on his experiences.
Wasn't Jaffe the one who got stuck on something easy in Metroid Dread and started bashing the game because of it? From what I played of GoW 2018, they actually gave Kratos some much-needed depth. I definitely plan to finally go through the newer entries once my PS5 comes in.
Jaffe got stuck with his young mind thinking and it really showed with his latest attempt in gaming "Drawn to Death" it was like a teenage dream that became true and also, sucked.
This whole video was essentially him finding comments to back up his own opinion. "It looks like a lot of people think..."
Yeah, well what do the review scores, sales, user scores, and completion rates on the last two say? Anything on that?
Nothing wrong with his opinion. He created it so he's earned the right to criticize. Review scores and sales have nothing to do with it. It's success was never in question.
You should probably read the first part of my comment. He's cherry picking opinions to support his but ignoring the plethora of other opinions.
Yeah, he's allowed his opinion, but his arguing method is to act like people just agree with him and not the diverse opinions out there on the subject.
People won’t like it I know but he’s entitled to his opinion being the games creator
I totally disagree but it’s not going to ruin the game for us who do like it
Yeh I may or may not disagree but he created the original and without him we would have no god of war, (or maybe one that wasn’t as good). So he can say what he wants in my books
Last I heard of him he made a black ad white game with a weird sketch art style. Similar to Sega Madworld
Haven’t heard from him since
Shame
Drawn to Death, yeh, played it at the Playstation experience, it was quite fun, an old school arena shooter. Then it came out, and everyone died quicker, so strafe battles gone. It essentially turned into die, insta spawn, use ult, get a kill, they insta spawn, ult you, you die, and just repeat that loop lmao, its was terrible.
I just have a problem with him saying they shouldn't have called it God of War because his opinion doesn't align with theirs on the future of the IP. That part I felt was pointedly petty.
Game director David Jaffe reveals that the original God of War 2005 was considered for a first-person viewpoint.
Im very glad it did not end up that way. In first person you would lose the scale the game has. That is something i really appreciate about the GoW games is the immense size and scale of the environments and how the camera zooms out to show it in a much grander view.
In GOW3 they did an homage to the fact it was supposed to be an FPS by putting you in first person right at the end, swinging your blades and bashing Zeus' face till the screen completely goes red.
One of the unlockables in the original God of War was a first person representation of God of War. A consideration for a spin-off/sequel was presented as a FPS in modern times. The military finds the dead Titan (Chronos I believe) and goes into the mountains where Kratos found Pandora's Box. Very interesting idea and gave me Clive Barker Jericho vibes.
Don't leave out a deck-building system and Kratos' fetch quests. "Make love to 12 different harpies".
Maybe the Egyptian era for the PS6 would switch to first-person just to keep things fresh
David Jaffe=Super Saiyan of gaming devs.
David Jaffe being David Jaffe lol
Jaffe is always fun for an interview.
I agree with a lot of what he says. I disagree with some things, as well.
He's right that a lot of people are just doing crap and attaching the GG name to it. That's why the so-called feminists are able to say it's a movement to mask misogyny in gaming.
But I think he's wrong when he says that no one knows what it's for because there's no specific leader. There was no specific leader to the Civil Rights Movement of the 60s, and yet we know exactly what it was about. Yes, there were clear leaders, but the movement didn't start with any of them, but before their time. Similarly, Thunderf00t and others are names you can place as leaders, if you like. But the concept was before them, and they're just part of the driving force.