David Scott Jaffe (born April 13, 1971) is an American

video Video is an Electronics, electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving picture, moving image, visual Media (communication), media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, whi ...

game designer Game design is the process of creating and shaping the mechanics, systems, rules, and gameplay of a game. Game design processes apply to board games, card games, dice games, casino games, role-playing games, sports, Wargame (video games), war ga ...

best known for directing the ''

Twisted Metal ''Twisted Metal'' is a series of Vehicular combat game, vehicular combat video games originally developed by SingleTrac and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The series has appeared on the PlayStation (console), PlayStation, PlaySta ...

'' and ''God of War'' series. In 2009, he was chosen by

IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...

as one of the top 100 game creators of all time.

Biography

Jaffe is originally from

Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Jefferson County, Alabama, Jefferson County. The population was 200,733 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List ...

and currently resides in

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

. He was born to a

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

family. Jaffe graduated from Alabama's Mountain Brook High School, located in Mountain Brook, AL, a suburb of Birmingham. Jaffe then attended the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. Jaffe is known for directing the ''Twisted Metal'' series and ''

God of War A war god in mythology associated with war, combat, or bloodshed. They occur commonly in polytheism, polytheistic religions. Unlike most gods and goddesses in polytheistic religions, monotheistic deities have traditionally been portrayed in their ...

''. Jaffe's '' Twisted Metal: Black'' and ''God of War'' have both ranked into

's "Top 25 PS2 Games of All Time", with ''Twisted Metal: Black'' in ninth place and ''God of War'' winning first place as IGN's best

PS2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October, in Europe on 24 November, in Australia on 30 November, ...

game of all time. In 2007, Jaffe left

SCEA SCEA or Scea may refer to: * ''Scea'', a genus of moths * ''SCEA v. Hotz'', a lawsuit involving Sony * Single choice early action, a type of early admission process offered by some U.S. institutions * Sony Computer Entertainment America, predecess ...

to found Eat Sleep Play. The studio signed a multi-year deal with

Sony is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at Sony City in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The Sony Group encompasses various businesses, including Sony Corporation (electronics), Sony Semiconductor Solutions (i ...

to create games exclusively for PlayStation platforms. He left Eat Sleep Play in February 2012 due to creative differences. In 2014, Jaffe announced his first project on his new studio ''The Bartlet Jones Supernatural Detective Agency'' called '' Drawn to Death'' as a

PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013, in ...

exclusive. The game received mixed reviews, and due to the cancellation of an unannounced title, his newfound company shut down a year later. Jaffe expressed disdain for the mixed critical reception and insisted the reception from players who played the game was more positive. Jaffe has served as a creative consultant for Polish developer ''Movie Games''.

Works

References

External links

David Jaffe's blog
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Jaffe, David 1971 births American video game designers American video game directors Living people People from Mountain Brook, Alabama University of Southern California alumni Jews from California Jews from Alabama