Hollywood writer and director Gullermo del Toro has seen success in film as well as television. He has previously tried to get involved in video games as well, but in some comments he made several weeks ago, but are only coming out now, he says he’s done with games.
Speaking with Shacknews during SDCC del Toro was asked what his ambition was in the game space. His response speaks volumes.
I have proven to be the albatross of video games, I joined THQ, and THQ goes broke. I join Kojima, and Kojima leaves Konami. I have decided, in order not to destroy anyone else’s life, I have decided I will never again get involved in video games. Otherwise, I’ll join someone and his house will explode, or something.
His comments are certainly said with humor but in a follow up he reiterates that while he’s very happy of the work he did, and what he learned from it, that he’s not interested in getting involved in video games further.
This says a lot about the video game development process, and none of it is good.
It’s true that del Toro’s project with THQ, 2012’s Insane died when THQ decalred bankruptcy. Much has been said about Konami ending their relationship with Hideo Kojima, killing P.T. and Silent Hills in the process. But it’s not like del Toro hasn’t had to deal with this sort of thing before.
Look up, At The Mountains of Madness, it’s the H.P. Lovecraft story that del Toro has wanted to make a film of since 2006. The project is as close to dead as any project ever is in Hollywood. Ask del Toro or Ron Perlman about their desire to make Hellboy 3. They want to do it. Both previous films made money. There’s been no movement. Justice League: Dark? The movie may happen one day, but not with del Toro anymore. The list goes on.
Ideas die everyday in the movie world and del Toro’s seem to die more than most, usually because he has very grand ambitions, but he hasn’t quit making movies. So what the hell has turned him off from games so hard and so fast?
If a guy like del Toro, who is so used to seeing his ideas not work out is done with games it says something about the industry that the industry needs to take note of.
Video games can only benefit from creative voices like his. It’s the beating of a dead horse at this point but games need all the help they can get. We need new and interesting ideas. We need people to try things that don’t end up working out because only then will we know what doesn’t work, and that failed idea might inspire somebody else to try something that does work.
If Guillermo del Toro throws up his hands and says, “screw it” how many others are doing the same?
English 
Spanish 
French 
German 
Turkish