Josef Fares Says Naughty Dog Does AAA Development Right

A Way Out director Josef Fares recently talked about how developers need to take more risks, but he also pointed out some of the studios that do just that. “Naughty Dog is a good example [of AAA game development done right],” said Fares to GamesIndustry.biz. “You don’t have to go all the way, just a little bit at a time. A guy like me is very scary for shareholders, but if you truly believe in this creative industry like I do, risk is essential.”

Fares also talked about how Sony deserves credit for trusting their studios. “I would use Sony and Naughty Dog as a good example of [a AAA gaming] relationship. Big publisher, really big budget games, but Naughty Dog still take risks – from what I understand The Last of Us was a risk for them, because it was a new IP, but there was a respect and understanding from Sony. They believed the team could pull it off. That’s a relationship I would love to have, and I think that’s a relationship that would be healthy for everyone.”

For more on the game, check out my A Way Out review. Here’s a snippet of what I said:

From the opening moment to the very end, this is a game designed truly with cooperation in mind. That’s exactly why it’s amazing that Electronic Arts is allowing one of the most progressive consumer-friendly moves ever by a publisher and allowing players to download a “Friends Pass” version of the game. As such, only one person needs to own a copy to play, and that they can play it with any of their friends. It’s an incredible move, and one that is downright revolutionary. To know that so many more players will be able to experience this piece of art due to it is heartwarming, and it’s a reminder that while gaming is a business, it’s also an artistic field where greatness should be shared.

A Way Out is a true achievement in game design. Not only does it manage to take players on a true journey of emotion, it does so in a way that is only possible through the medium of video games. It manages to do something truly special by making two players to cooperate for an extended amount of time, and the discussions that happen on the couch or over voice chat can be just as revealing as the game itself. Josef Fares and Hazelight have undoubtedly raised the bar for co-op gaming.

A Way Out is available now.

[Source: GamesIndustry.biz]