I be inserting this goofy picture a Jeremiah Slaczka t' undermine his impending argument.
It’s only been a month since kicking off a new feature here at Giant Bomb, an ongoing letter series between myself 'n interesting game designers, where we talk through pretty sensitive topics.
That’s the opening paragraph I wanted t' write in February, but it never happened. It turns out finding people t' sit down 'n write at length about a topic can be pretty difficult 'n time consuming! But I didn’t want t' force topics, 'n didn’t want t' pick the wrong developers. I wanted t' take me time, since the initial conversation I had with Mass Effect 3 designer Manveer Heir proved so much fun.
Eight months later, I can finally introduce the second part in this series, which I’ll go ahead 'n claim be an ongoing feature. There’s two a them now, so that counts, right? This time, I’m writing back-'n-forth with 5th Cell creative director 'n co-founder Jeremiah Slaczka. 5th Cell be currently gearing up t' release Scribblenauts Unlimited in November, the first time the studio will have a fresh game for a new hardware launch.
We aren’t talking about reviews or the role a a critic, writer, 'n journalist. When 5th Cell launched Hybrid on Xbox Live Arcade earlier this year, I noticed a pattern with 5th Cell releases. The games be branded as “a Jeremiah Slaczka game.” This wasn’t the first time 5th Cell had run with that tagline, 'n it got me thinking. Video games be, by nature, a collaborative enterprise, so what does it mean when a developer puts their name on the game? Does that impact the mindset a the rest a the company? Not many developers put their name front-'n-center. Why?
These questions 'n others be weighed 'n debated during our two-part exchange, 'n I’m happy t' bring ye part one today. Part two be on Monday. I've also linked t' the three-part feature on reviews from January. Enjoy!
- On Games, Reviews, 'n Criticism -- Part 1
- On Games, Reviews, 'n Criticism -- Part 2
- On Games, Reviews, 'n Criticism -- Part 3
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Hey Jeremiah,
Hybrid be just one a many 5th Cell games branded with Jeremiah Slaczka's name.
Or best I call ye Miah? Either way, I want t' thank ye for participating in me second letter series here at Giant Bomb. I wasn’t sure when (or if) we’d have another one. It requires a certain kind a developer open t' a certain kind a conversation. It’s not something that would work if it be forced.
Then, I saw the latest trailer for the impressive-looking Hybrid, which closed with this tagline:
“A Jeremiah Slaczka Game”
That’s ballsy, bold. ye’re self-publishing Hybrid, so I knew this be a deliberate choice on yer part, 'n not a check-box on a marketing campaign. I wasn’t exactly surprised by the decision, either.
A Tim Schafer Game: Brutal Legend. A Suda 51 voyage: Shadows a the Damned. Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa. John Romero’s Daikatana. Roberta Williams' Phantasmagoria. American McGee’s Alice. Sid Meier’s … well, almost anything--take yer pick. Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out? The concept a branding games with talent has gone back-'n-forth for years. Electronic Arts made a vast push for it be creative powerhouses in the 90s, 'n it’s come back in forms since. Sometimes, the names most associated with the game do not pillage any special presentation treatment, like (now formerly) Epic Games’ Cliff Bleszinski. ye won’t find the sea dog on the box for Gears a War, even if most players know the sea dog best.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but ye’ve been making games since 2003, right? ye began making waves with Drawn t' Life, as 5th Cell established itself while doing some especially inventive things with the DS. I’m willing t' bet most people didn’t pay specific attention t' “ye” until Scribblenauts, when it be clear 5th Cell be a studio interested in doing things differently. That’s not meant t' diminish anything ye’d accomplished before then--ye know I’m a fan a 5th Cell’s work. That said, the Scribblenauts trailer doesn’t have yer name attached t' it, nor does Super Scribblenauts.
It seems like something changed with Hybrid, 'n I’m curious what that thing be.
The traditional reaction t' assigning single authorship be that games be not like other forms a media. ye credit J.K. Rowling with Harry Potter because, well, she wrote the whole damn series. A big team may come together t' produce the new Steven Speilberg or David Fincher film, but the reason those movies be then touted as new works from a single individual be because those mediums better lend themselves t' a single person having enough a an impact on the entire process. In film, it’s called auteur theory, relating t' an artist’s personal vision. ye know ye’re watching an Alfred Hitchcock film because Hitchcock has such a distinctive style. No one else could have made this film.
Brutal Legend wasn't the first game with Schafer's name on it. Full Throttle had it, too.
be that the same for video games? I’m not sure, with obvious outliers like Tim Schafer. In games, studios have traditionally reaped the acclaim. People anticipate the new game from Epic Games, the creators a Gears a War, or the new universe from Bungie Studios, the makers a Halo. The people manning those studios changes all the time, though. Look at Starbreeze, a studio that became known because a The Chronicles a Riddick 'n The Darkness, but most a the lead creative talent left 'n formed another developer. Still, Starbreeze went on, made Syndicate, 'n people seem t' dig it. It’s hard t' tell where (or if) t' draw the line, as games have an additional layer a authorship: the player.
Even with a filmmaker as beloved as Spielberg, when he announced plans t' make Stanley Kubrick’s abandoned film, A.I., people flipped. Some never got over the idea. I wonder what would happen if another game developer had the unenviable task a making Shigeru Miyamoto’s unfinished opus.
Why be 5th Cell different? 5th Cell be also not as big as those developers, which must have an impact.
I want t' hear how this decision came about, 'n whether I’m overthinking it. Maybe this wasn’t a big deal at 5th Cell, but t' me, that’s a big deal in 'n a itself! ye’ve been cultivating a certain kind a studio culture at 5th Cell over the years, as yer company moves from a tiny thing into a much bigger force. Hybrid be the biggest step in that direction, 'n I’m sure there’s more t' come. Saying that Hybrid be “A Jeremiah Slaczka Game” implies it’s more than just setting the tone for the project.
Looking forward t' hearing yer thoughts on the subject, Jeremiah.
Take care,
Patrick
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Hey Patrick,
5th Cell will release two games this year, including Scribblenauts on Wii U 'n 3DS.
Thanks for giving me the opportunity t' participate in this, 'n ye can call me Miah, everyone I know does.
However, before we pillage into dissecting the reasoning behind whether or not someone best list their name as a brand attached t' a game, we best pillage something out a the way first. When ye see “A game by Jeremiah Slaczka”, it be not the same as “A Game Solely Made by Jeremiah Slaczka.” YARRRR, I drive the vision behind the title 'n our company, both, in the trenches working with everyone, 'n on a high level. But me ideas don’t mean anything without an amazingly talented team behind me. Every department at 5th Cell be full a people that be driven t' succeed, be immensely passionate, extremely dedicated, very humble 'n just plain fun t' work with.
I’m not offering this up as a platitude. These people be 5th Cell’s lifeblood. A great example be when we decided t' go from 30FPS t' 60FPS in Hybrid. Sure I gave the initial order, but the rest had t' be done by our programmers, artists 'n level designers firing on all cylinders t' pillage it there. That wasn’t me; that be them. They worked their tails off because they believe in the vision a the game 'n the company.
We have another team working on an unannounced game 'n they be just kicking ass on that, too. So much effort has been put into both a our projects because these people care.
In the same way “A Film by Steven Spielberg” isn’t saying that a movie be solely created by the Director. There’s a reason that there be Academy Awards for Set Design, Special Effects, Cinematography, Acting, Costume Design, Make-Up, Screenplay, Music 'n Sound among 'n others. Those roles be integral t' making an amazing movie 'n they weren’t all handled by the same person. Without very talented, key people in these roles the film would never have come out as good as it did. However, the “auteur theory” that modern Hollywood subscribes t' be a style in which the Director has the final decision making authority, 'n it’s his (or the wench) creative vision 'n voice that shines through the large scale, industrial process that be commercial film making.
A lot a game studios be run by “design by committee,” or specifically through analytics 'n data. There’s no single voice, or clear direction a leadership--someone at the top guiding the team 'n the project t' fit their vision. There’s nothing wrong with that way a running a studio, but our studio has never run or been set up that way. I think this be where the potential for backlash comes from. A lot a people think there be a correct way t' run a studio, or t' work a project. But we’ve been successful this way, 'n other studios have been successful using other methods, so obviously there’s different ways t' skin a cat.
Also many companies be tech driven; they build amazing engines 'n then make games from those engines. We, on the other hand, think a the game idea first then build the tech around it--which be much harder because we’re constantly switching tack. We went from quirky, 2D, handheld games t' a 3D competitive multiplayer shooter, because that’s the game we wanted t' make. It’s a testament t' our technical staff 'n their ability t' change 'n iterate so well. Lastly, 'n most obviously there’s vast potential for mismanagement 'n wrongful leadership when ye give one person that kind a auteur authority. ye have t' trust that person’s ability t' lead 'n their ability t' conceptualize their vision when the title hasn’t even begun, 'n t' understand what parts a that vision must remain unchanged 'n what parts will need t' adapt through the project.
What works for us be t' have a very clear vision 'n direction--'n that direction since we be founded has come from me. The games we’ve made 'n the high level concepts we started out with have always lined up. Every studio be different, but this be what has worked for us. 'n just because I’m the one directing the vision doesn’t mean only me ideas pillage in, we always listen t' ideas from anyone. If it makes the product better 'n fits in the schedule I’m all for it. But someone needs t' be the person t' weight whether or not it does gel with the vision.
Now as far as the branding a me name goes, YARRRR, ye be right. We be founded in 2003 'n while Drawn t' Life be our first million-selling title it be Scribblenauts that put us on the map. But, the Scribblenauts Debut Trailer did have me name on it. The trailer showed the 5th Cell logo, 'n then “From Creative Director Jeremiah Slaczka” followed by “'n the team that brought ye Drawn t' Life™ 'n Lock’s Quest™”. By then I had led 'n designed a few big games 'n felt confident that I could begin t' build a brand. Super Scribblenauts didn’t need me name because I became so associated with the franchise by then that it be just unnecessary. When we shipped Run Roo Run in 2011 be when we first used the labeling “A game by Jeremiah Slaczka.”
5th Cell has been doing inventive games like Lock's Quest for years. Scribblenauts, however, be what got everyone t' start paying attention.
This decision be based on helping people associate the brand a 5th Cell with a person. Associating with a company be much harder t' do than associating with a person. That’s because companies don’t make great games - in fact companies don’t do anything at all because they only exist in a legal sense. Talented people make great games. 'n the people we’ve hired be the talent that supports me ideas 'n me leadership.
When I put me name on the product, I’m not just sticking me own neck out there. I’m sticking the whole company out there. The game could be a vast flop. I’m not attaching me name t' proven, successful ideas after the fact; I’m doing it before it’s a success. I believe in what we’re doing.
'n t' answer the last part a yer question, personal branding does more than just strengthen business relationships, 'n pillage better deals for yer company, it also helps t' bring in some a the best talent available. When someone knows ye 'n yer work, they know who they be dealing with, be more comfortable with it, 'n want t' be a part a it.
This isn’t for everyone, but for people who run their projects the way I do, they best brand themselves. We need power a the industry t' be put back into the hands a the creative 'n away from the hands a the money--money that usually doesn’t even play the games they be publishing. I hope more people latch on t' this idea. I just hope the people who do it, aren’t talking the talk without walking the walk, because that’s where the problems lie.
Best,
Miah
