Journey bankrupted the studio, next game to be multiplatform

[Blacksite]

Developing Journey cost thatgamecompany a lot of time, talent and all of its money, creator Jenova Chen said during his DICE 2013 address. Journey bankrupted thatgamecompany; Chen began its development in 2006 and the studio eventually received two extensions from Sony so the team could perfect the game's emotional impact.

"We did get the money, we got to finish the extra year, but a lot of people in our studio were not paid in the last half of the year, and we actually paid our savings to extend the game for another couple months," Chen said. "So by the end, when we shipped Journey, we also went bankrupt as thatgamecompany."

In the end, Chen said it was worth it, if only to see the deep, human impact Journey had on its players. One email he received told Sophia's story, a 15-year-old who played Journey with her dad before he died and said the game changed her life for the better.

Next up, Chen wants to create a similarly artistic, but more commercially successful game, in an attempt to broaden the game development industry as a whole, he tells Polygon. Thatgamecompany's next game will be multiplatform, unlike its previous, Sony-exclusive games.

via Joystiq.

Didn't realize it had been in development for so long.

[The Cage]

Looking forward to their next game

[Silver_Knight]

I love these guys. That attitude even in the face of bankruptcy. The employees knowing the troubles and staying anyways. They embody what ALL game companies should be like.

[upmagic]

Dedication pays off. One of the best games I've played in a long time.

[ash91]

It took 6 years to develop? Jesus, what were they doing?

[The Cage]

It took 6 years to develop? Jesus, what were they doing?

To take sometime on it is better than rush it out

[Sub-stance1]

Journey creator thatgamecompany will bring its next project to a wider selection of platforms to ensure that it is a financial success, says its co-founder Jenova Chen.
Speaking to Polygon, Chen said that while Journey was is critically adored, it wasn’t quite so successful from a business perspective.
“I wouldn’t say that the development of Journey was a successful example of game development,” he said. “We bankrupted the company. I think to have a financial success, that is going to change everyone, it has to be much bigger than a game on the Playstation platform.”
Hinting at the direction of the cult developer’s next project, Chen added: “We want to make more artistic games. High quality, emotional games. I run into a lot of lost and frustrated students who study games to work on great art, but then find there is no place for them. I feel responsible for them because I showed them that is possible, but there is no place for them.”
He went on to say that he has resolved to make the next thatgamecompany title “a big financial success,” and that while Journey was “focused on connection,” the new game will attempt to go “one level above that.” “It’s very likely that’s impossible,” he added.
http://www.edge-online.com/news/that...ion-exclusive/

Can't wait to see what they do next.

[Silver_Knight]

Can't wait to see what they do next.

This already posted. I'll get you a link.

[Sufi]

It bankrupted them? lol. It was a tiny little PSN game.

[Fenix]

Now people are going to blame the PS3 or something, when the game was only aimed at a small fraction of gamers (I tried the demo so many times and watched so many videos, I just dont get the hype.)

It bankrupted them? lol. It was a tiny little PSN game.

Its a small little studio

[Sufi]

They must have ran out of all of their 2,000 gold in the guild bank.

[radgamer420]

They must have ran out of all of their 2,000 gold in the guild bank.

lol

[radgamer420]

Another game that failed because it was aimed at a small niche audience.

[Silver_Knight]

Another game that failed because it was aimed at a small niche audience.

I think as long as they make games and are able to pay their employees they won't care about a game being "successful". They seem like a Studio that only cares about the gamer.

[Sufi]

It's also Sony's fault for not funding them completely. Not my kind of game even though it seems interesting, I just know I'll get bored in 10 minutes...like I did with all of their other games.

It's smart for them to go multiplat.

I think as long as they make games and are able to pay their employees they won't care about a game being "successful". They seem like a Studio that only cares about the gamer.

I'm pretty sure their families are not happy with them going bankrupt.

I'm sure they have kids to feed.

[Silver_Knight]

It's also Sony's fault for not funding them completely. Not my kind of game even though it seems interesting, I just know I'll get bored in 10 minutes...like I did with all of their other games.

It's smart for them to go multiplat.


I'm pretty sure their families are not happy with them going bankrupt.

I'm sure they have kids to feed.

Well, if their employees are paid then they can feed their families.

[radgamer420]

I think as long as they make games and are able to pay their employees they won't care about a game being "successful". They seem like a Studio that only cares about the gamer.

I'm pretty sure that they do care about going bankrupt because a game wasnt successful. These people have bills to pay and familys to feed. They only care about the gamer? Seriously? Time for a reality check. We arent talking about Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory here.

[Silver_Knight]

I'm pretty sure that they do care about going bankrupt because a game wasnt successful. These people have bills to pay and familys to feed. We arent talking about Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory here.

Well, they got their employees paid, They see the problem, now their going multi to fix It. That'll feed their families. My whole point was they're successful. Sounds weird since bankruptcy is in the argument but that's the best i way I know t explain it.

[radgamer420]

Well, they got their employees paid, They see the problem, now their going multi to fix It. That'll feed their families. My whole point was they're successful. Sounds weird since bankruptcy is in the argument but that's the best i way I know t explain it.

Yes but to say they dont care about their game being successful or not because they "only care about the gamers" is ridiculous and naive. If your statement was true they wouldn't be going multiplatform in order to make their future games successful now would they? Instead they would just plow forward staying exclusive and losing their ass because they wouldnt care about their game being successful.

[Sufi]

Well, they got their employees paid, They see the problem, now their going multi to fix It. That'll feed their families. My whole point was they're successful. Sounds weird since bankruptcy is in the argument but that's the best i way I know t explain it.

Then what do you think about this part?

We did get the money, we got to finish the extra year, but a lot of people in our studio were not paid in the last half of the year, and we actually paid our savings to extend the game for another couple months.

[Silver_Knight]

Yes but to say they dont care about their game being successful or not because they "only care about the gamers" is ridiculous and naive. If your statement was true they wouldn't be going multiplatform in order to make their future games successful now would they? Instead they would just plow forward staying exclusive and losing their ass because they wouldnt care about their game being successful.

No I put quotations on successful because people determine Success in different ways. Mostly money and thatgamecompany [I]never [I] started the company with that intention. Everyone wants to be successful in life. I have never met some saying they want to be poor. As I said though It's a different kind of success for them. It's obvious that they won't their families to be fed and enough to keep going in the industry. It's just like the quote "Try to become not a man of success, but try rather to become a man of value." Sorry if I came off or worded incorrectly where you fathom that I was insinuating that they were hippies running on imagination or whatever have you.

upload

[radgamer420]

No I put quotations on successful because people determine Success in different ways. Mostly money and thatgamecompany [I]never [I] started the company with that intention. Everyone wants to be successful in life. I have never met some saying they want to be poor. As I said though It's a different kind of success for them. It's obvious that they won't their families to be fed and enough to keep going in the industry. It's just like the quote "Try to become not a man of success, but try rather to become a man of value." Sorry if I came off or worded incorrectly where you fathom that I was insinuating that they were hippies running on imagination or whatever have you.

No problem bro. And you have nothing to apologise for. We're just having a discussion.

[ps3freak18]

That sucks but these guys will rise up and make another amazing game.

[Syphon_Filter]

Since they are not first IP owned by Sony. No support for you as you are just greedy for money and thats all.

[FireSol]

Sony, buy them!!!!!!!!