590°

Naughty Dog Lead Game Designer and Narrative Design Lead Move to Infinity Ward

Call of Duty: Ghosts developer Infinity Ward has been on the prawl for new talent, and just hired two prominent designers from Naughty Dog, Narrative Design Lead Taylor Kurosaki and Lead Game Designer Jacob Minkoff.

Read Full Story >>
dualshockers.com
Death3969d ago

That is a lot of high ranking people in the last year to leave Naughty Dog.

xHeavYx3969d ago (Edited 3969d ago )

Well, to be honest, the "narrative design" position has probably been open since COD 4

Edvin19843969d ago

Ok I am pumped for the new COD I usually am, but that was funny. Thanks dude made my day haha.

ShinMaster3969d ago

They didn't leave Naughty Dog for Infinity Ward.

They were fired several months ago.

PS4FEVER3969d ago

Game design has been shit since mw1.

The Matrix3968d ago

@ xHeavYx - I logged in just to give bubbles.

Iamnemesis48803968d ago

Oh that deserves a bubble vote priceless

ChronoJoe3968d ago

Jacobs Minkov's work at ND isn't that impressive. Not a huge contribution to any of their recent games (just one or two chapters in The Last of Us / UC 3 and 2, and the chapter he worked on on UC3 was arguably the worst segment in the game. The portion of TLOU he worked on is also my least favourite (near the start of the game).

The level segments he works on seem very cinematic, for instance he was responsible for the train sequence in UC2, and the upside down trap sequence in TLOU but not very fun from a gameplay perspective in my opinion.

+ Show (9) more repliesLast reply 3968d ago
-Foxtrot3969d ago

Jeez...what a down grade.

I mean come on....NaughtyDog....to Infinity Ward

I know money comes into it but even if I was earning just a little less more money I would probably stick with ND, just to say I proudly work there.

Chard3969d ago

Plenty of worse developers out there than IW. It's the people that make a great game, and IW made amazing games back when they still had their original staff. No doubt they've suffered since the MW2 legal issues though.

Clogmaster3969d ago

Work is work when there are bills to pay.

Some moms didn't plan on prostitution.

LOGICWINS3969d ago

IW and Treyarch were the top two most popular devs of the last gen. COD was the best selling franchise on the PS3 and 360. I'd be pretty damn proud to be a developer for one of the biggest game franchises of all time.

700p3969d ago

but then you gotta think..IW games sell more..even if they're crap. Sad reality.

wsoutlaw873969d ago

They were laid off in february. They didnt leave nd to go to iw, they were unemployed.

ITPython3968d ago

@LOGICWINS - IW now is not the same IW that created COD4/MW2. Same name, but completely different devs. IW is now just that "other limited talent copy and paste dev" working on COD games, they are no more prominent than SledgeHammer or Treyarch (which were considered the inferior COD devs when they made them in comparison to the original IW who were the kings).

Respawn is actually where the original IW team ended up.

donthate3968d ago

The good news is Infinity Ward might just produce an awesome CoD single player experience now!

On the flip side, Naughty Dog is loosing talent really fast. It's a freaking mass exodus or something going on over there.

Neixus3968d ago

@YouAreSalty

ND losing talent? like their games or not, but they are one of the most talented developers out there. They understand what their audience wants, then proceeds to make it ten times better.

MysticStrummer3968d ago

"Jeez...what a down grade.

I mean come on....NaughtyDog....to Infinity Ward"

Cookie cutter assembly line work appeals to some people.

user56695103968d ago (Edited 3968d ago )

@ITPython
I said this before and the reason why tifanfall is like cod and get ton of disagrees. Destiny has the same flavor as halo and everyone except it I don't get it. But most try to deflect stuff you know why.

People in the tech field like to move on. It's on of the few fields where they don't shun it. You learn and move on. He maybe felt that's he hit a wall and wanted to be around something different to learn something new.

Another thing cod is a product of the publisher so you can't put the fault on the dev when Activision wants them to push out cod every year. Don't anyone pay attention to gaming the last couple of years newly formed studios have been saying how these devs are not trying anything new and don't let devs try new ideas. Why you think it's been a surge in crowd funding and early access games

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 3968d ago
FanboyKilla3968d ago

Wow!?! can we honestly say this is the same naughty dog? this is ridiculous. its like guys walking around in hazmat suits, telling you everything is fine.

showtimefolks3968d ago

they were un-employee since Feb 2014, Its not a move , its not poaching its simply hiring

Meltic3968d ago

noooo no crash game meaby...

HumanatPlay3968d ago

Definitely not a loss for Naughty Dog but its a huge win for Infinity Ward and thats a huge win for fans of the franchise. I hope they bring something fresh to the series. It would be nice for COD to branch out into 3rd Person tactical warfare with a strong female lead like MGS3s Boss as team leader.

ForgivenZombie3968d ago

I think it's a waste of talent, after ghosts I will never buy another Infinity ward game ever. It is so bad, I don't believe anything can save IW imo.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 3968d ago
mhunterjr3969d ago

Great additions to a team that seems to be running out of ideas. Tough loss for ND, but I'm sure they'll have no problem rebuilding.

memots3968d ago

they were un-employee since Feb 2014, Its not a move , its not poaching its simply hiring.

Neixus3968d ago

I feel like they always got a even better person to take over the missing spots.

Just like how Neil Druckmann took over for Uncharted 4, god that man got talent. Just look at uncharted 2 and TLoU

Metallox3969d ago

Next Infinity Ward game confirmed to be a masterpiece then?

MegaRay3969d ago

No matter how many talented developers join CoD's team. CoD will always be trash (must likely because activition wont give them the time/budget needed)

LOGICWINS3969d ago

Trash to you. Millions of others disagree.

strangeaeon3969d ago

Well thanks Debbie Downer, and here I was with a tiny bit of optimism.

andibandit3968d ago

Good news to hear, considering getting the Remastered version a year later

user74029313969d ago

people come and go and im sure as long as they have there key people who make naughty dog what it is, they will be fine.

OldDude3969d ago

I have to wonder if Sony isn't putting ND under very tight financial constrictions. Too many people leaving to be just a coincidence, and they all seem to be people in important positions. Not trying to start a flame war, just something is obviously concerning.

Abriael3969d ago (Edited 3969d ago )

Those are leads moving to director roles. That's actually pretty normal in the industry. A studio can have only so many directors, so if you want to make that step, either you wait a long time until your director leaves, or you move somewhere else to make a career jump when you get offered the chance.

So no. Nothing concerning here.

SuperBlur3968d ago

Since it is Sledgehammer that is releasing a COD this year , that leaves Treyarch or IW to release a COD next year.. but what will the other team do ?

Speculation?

rambi803969d ago (Edited 3969d ago )

When you are part of (arguably) the best studio on the planet, you get a lot of offers.

Happens every year in sports, movies etc

OldDude3969d ago

I agree with both of you, but as a business owner (about 52 employees) its up to me to entice those people who work for me with incentives to keep them. Yes, a higher position in a good company is a strong lure, but as Rambi said they are arguably the best studio out there (they remind of the of the days you would buy a Squaresoft game just because they made it), there is also prestige in being part of that team. ND's talent is being targeted by other companies, and they don't seem to be able to hang on to them.

Abriael3969d ago (Edited 3969d ago )

@OldDude: ultimately if someone wants to make a career jump (and a jump to Director is a BIG jump. It means finally being in charge of a whole team and not just a sub-team) there isn't much you can do to make them stay, unless you fire the directors you already have, which obviously isn't done.

What can you offer them? More money? They're probably getting that at Activision as well, as the salary for a Director-level job is considerably higher than a lead.

rambi803969d ago (Edited 3969d ago )

@ OldDUDE

Good points.

But you can't entice everyone who wants to leave. Otherwise you end up paying a lot in salaries. Some employees you do allow to leave at some point.

It worth noting though that while critical success had come to the studio, they dont do spectacular sales numbers (TLOU excepted) and these games are expensive to make. Activision can throw some serious cash around, Cash that Naughty Dog may not be able to compete with.

Death3969d ago

What is more important, more money or job security? As part of the ND team I would think you would have much better job security. Move to a directors position and underwhelm and you are unemployed. The people leaving ND are in high positions. This isn't a good sign, but we won't know if it has any impact until their next game ships.

DeadlyOreo3969d ago

Death is always quick to jump on negative Sony news. People fear-mongering will only be silenced when a game like Uncharted 4 comes out. I see it as a good thing as perhaps new companies can benefit from their talents.

GamingSinceThe80s3969d ago

After making a gem like the last of us,things can rely only go down hill from here.Look at Pixar they couldn't do wrong until a few films ago.Then they made crap like Brave and Cars 2.But I don't know if it was due to people leaving after say their high note that was Toy Story 3.But it seems something must have happened over there.Success has a way of killing greatness,time and time again.

Ulf3968d ago

Sony doesn't pay their 1st party as well as some other publishers pay some of their top tier teams, and that area of California is particularly harsh, with regards to cost-of-living.

There's no other reason. They're probably not unhappy at ND, except for the money, most likely.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 3968d ago
Show all comments (93)
340°

Neil Druckmann Reveals He’s Working on an Unannounced Game at Naughty Dog

Neil Druckmann, the creative director of The Last of Us, is working on a new, unannounced game at Naughty Dog.

RaidenBlack24d ago

I know they've expertise in third person games.
But given the lack there of in PS catalog, I'd want the other project to be a narrative first person ND game.
Look, there are lots of 3rd person Sony games in variety of flavors. And ND is already doing intergalactic. And since they're pretty expert at gameplay and tech wise in whatever they do, they can easily venture a new genre and ship a first person game/shooter.

VenomUK24d ago

Hopefully the lead character is a boss babe who will challenge the patriarchy.

RaidenBlack24d ago

So, judging from the dislikes, hardcore Sony fans here don't like first person games, anymore?

arkard24d ago

Let naughty dog do what they are great at, 3rd person games

crazyCoconuts24d ago

I don't really have a big opinion on first vs third person perspective. That's one of the least important things to me when rating how much I like a game

Flewid63823d ago

Sounds horrible. The downvotes are right on this one.

badz14923d ago

I actually hate 1st person. very hard to associate with a character you only see their hands most of the time.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 23d ago
OtterX24d ago

funny thing is with failures like Concord and soon to be Marathon, Factions could have been Sony's guaranteed huge success with a shooter! I don't ever play online shooters anymore, but I would have come out of shooter retirement for a new Factions game.

RaidenBlack23d ago (Edited 23d ago )

{ coming from the above thread }
So PS Fellas hate first person games now? (Understandable)
But praise Killzone and Resistance series, as well?
And hope for a return of first party first person games? ~ but from where? insomniac is deep in marvel territory, guerilla is deep in aloy territory ... suckerP are not as big to undertake that change + dedicated to Ghost series
The only options are ND and Santa Monica, who are rumoured to be involved in parallel projects. ~ so take your pick.
And the other 'new' studios at Sony are not that hot right now with knee deep in live service fiasco

darthv7224d ago

...Way of the Warrior 2: Electric Boogaloo

Amplitude24d ago

It’d be cool if they bought the Parappa licence and made Parappa 3 that’d be the real good timeline

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 23d ago
Lightning7724d ago

Wait I thought they cancelled a game? Or did they announce another project?

https://wccftech.com/naught...

pwnmaster300024d ago (Edited 24d ago )

I’m assuming it’s the unannounced game in the title you posted.

“Naughty Dog Reportedly Canceled a Single Player Game This Year, But Another Unannounced Game Is Still in the Works“

Lightning7724d ago

OK I gotcha. That makes sense.

jznrpg24d ago

Devs cancel games all the time early stages if it doesn’t turn out the way they envisioned it. We just don’t hear about every one of them.

Notellin23d ago

Yeah only a narcissist like Druckmann would announce a game this early that has a 99% chance of being cancelled.

badz14923d ago

so a 2028 release at the soonest

Lightning7723d ago (Edited 23d ago )

Some speculate it could be Uncharted spin off. It's already 3 years in production so yeah 2028 maybe 2027 at the absolute earliest but most likely 28 release.

Also to add. kojimas next game that's not OD is said to be 5 to 6 years out for PS. That metal gear inspired game. These games are just too far off it seems.

pwnmaster300024d ago

This dude is busy.
So who is running intergalactic?

Knushwood Butt24d ago

'We have several directors on Intergalactic. I work with two game directors: Matthew Gallant and Kurt Margenau, [and] I have a co-writer in Clair Carré.'

pwnmaster300024d ago (Edited 24d ago )

Okay you got me, I skimmed the article and video .
Thanks lol

vTuro2424d ago

Cuckmann is going to be Naughty Dog's downfall.

itBourne23d ago

Going to be? The damage is already done lol.

Flewid63823d ago

Sunlight is good for you, I promise. lol

vTuro2423d ago

Damage has been done but it's not too late yet if they dump him now. Probably won't happen though. It's sad, honestly. We'll see what happens after Intergalactic. That game is going to have a huge impact one way or another.

StormSnooper23d ago (Edited 23d ago )

Yes because they didn’t make some of the greatest games. Right, we all just agree to live in your fantasy from now on.

Flewid63823d ago

yall say that about ever developer and then they end up becoming more successful lol

mkis00723d ago

Downfall? If anything he is a huge reason they are on the map! A few apes don't like the material hasn't stopped his games from being massive hits.

DarXyde23d ago

I have grievances with Druckmann, but he does deserve some benefit of the doubt. He's been in crucial roles at the company through all of their successes.

Maybe wait and see?

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 23d ago
StormSnooper24d ago

Interesting. So they are working on more than we knew.

Show all comments (61)
150°

Ex-Naughty Dog Dev Says Resident Evil 4 Inspired Uncharted and Many More Action Games

Former Naughty Dog dev says Resident Evil 4 inspired Unchartted and even Gears of War, particularly the over-the-shoulder camera view.

CrimsonWing6925d ago

It revolutionized third-person shooters, in a genius way that gives you full control of aiming.

CrimsonWing6925d ago

No, I mean RE4. Like the whole snap to over-shoulder and precision aiming was what I meant.

I won’t deny Winback does pave the way in some respect. But it’s not the same at all.

InUrFoxHole25d ago

Both are great series. That's awesome

Samonuske25d ago

I thought this was common knowledge. Resident Evil Revolutionised over the shoulder aiming in 3rd person shooters/action games

italiangamer25d ago (Edited 25d ago )

Influenced basically every third person action game made after it, GTA uses the over the shoulder perspective when shooting since the 4th installment, Red Dead Redemption 1 & 2 too and the Batman Arkham series has the over the shoulder perspective as the main camera throughout the whole game series.
Obviously there are a ton more examples but you get the point 🗿.

Show all comments (12)
90°

Intergalactic Being a Hit Could Spark a Chain Reaction For Naughty Dog

Naughty Dog has a lot of scope to extend the Intergalactic IP to other mediums, provided the sci-fi game turns out successful.

Read Full Story >>
gamerant.com
Knushwood Butt44d ago

Opinion piece?
Can the mods add a new category for, 'Trash'?

Cellblock1144d ago

What makes this "Trash", exactly?

StormSnooper44d ago (Edited 44d ago )

Did you even read it? The article is legit. Can you elaborate?

On topic: the article has a point. I can see that happening

raWfodog44d ago

I could see this game having a similar feel to 'The Expanse' if it was to be adapted for TV. That's just based off of the looks and vibes that the trailer gives me since we don't know anything else about this game LOL.