Peter Jackson Discusses New Game Studio

[Shawn Andrich]

Peter Jackson Discusses New Game Studio

During a roundtable discussion, Peter Jackson discussed his new studio, Wingnut Interactive, and his reasons for starting it.

"I've got to the stage now where I just end up catching something on DVD and I'm more excited about games coming out in the next 2-3 months than films," said Peter Jackson, director of Lord of The Rings and founder of Wingnut Interactive, an offshoot of his movie studio. "That created an awareness in me of the shift in entertainment options out there, and if I'm feeling that others are too."

The decision to work with Microsoft Game Studios begins with plans to co-write, co-design and co-produce an original chapter in the Halo franchise with Bungie. This isn't too surprising, given that Wingnut Studios will be producing the Halo movie. Peter Jackson will also be working on a second, unnamed game title for the Xbox 360 and Xbox Live. "Microsoft has built an amazing living canvas with Xbox 360 and Xbox Live, which allows the storytellers of our time to express themselves in a new medium," said Jackson.

The goal is to approach game design with stories and scenarios that wouldn't work as well in a movie. "We're not going to force a round peg in a square hole," he reasoned.

Finally, the recently announced Xbox 360 HD-DVD addon drive ($199 US) will include an HD version of King Kong, Peter Jackson's latest film, for a limited time.

Source: Gamesindustry.biz [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=19996]

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[Goofonian]

The goal is to approach game design with stories and scenarios that wouldn't work as well in a movie. "We're not going to force a round peg in a square hole," he reasoned.

I've had this thought for quite some time. Often the best storylines in games are not really suited for a movie. Take for example god of war. The game has a fantastic storyline, but if you go through and watch the cut scenes all at once you'll realise that there is really only half an hour or so of actual "storytelling" mixed in amongst the hack and slash gameplay. That certainly doesn't constitute a feature length film.

That said, the story about a warrior in ancient greece going on a quest for pandora's box in a crusade against the god of war could most certainly make for a good movie if the writers are good. So while I am most excited for a new halo game produced by Pete Jackson I will remain cautiously optimistic about the 'on the horizon' halo movie.