Sony should sue Microsoft - Jaffe

By Oli Welsh Published 5 March, 2010

Scrap Metal title too close to his Twisted.

God of War creator and industry loudmouth David Jaffe has suggested on his blog that Sony should "send a sternly worded legal letter" to Microsoft over its vehicle combat game Scrap Metal.

"Sony should [sue]. Or if I owned the rights to TWISTED METAL and GOD OF WAR, I sure as hell would at the least send a sternly worded legal letter," Jaffe said.

The title of next week's Xbox Live Arcade release, Jaffe thinks, is too close the Twisted Metal vehicle combat series he created for the platform-holder back in the day.

"I mean, first Microsoft puts out a car combat game and calls it SCRAP METAL? Hey, looks like a great game! Right up my alley! Day one purchase for me," Jaffe said.

"But come on guys, isn't that just a little too close to Sony's own car combat game TWISTED METAL?"

He also thinks Sony should get litigious about the title of upcoming film War of the Gods, about mortals fighting Greek gods, considering its similarities to his game about a mortal fighting Greek gods, God of War.

"And look: Sony doesn't- and should not- own the concept of the Greek Myths. Nor should they own the idea of mortal fighting ancient Gods, Greek or any other kind. That's all public domain stuff. But the TITLE? Sony DOES own that," Jaffe said.

"Anyway, like I said, not my fight. I don't own s**t!"

Jaffe, who you would think would be used to stirring up trouble on the internet by now, later updated with his post to a lengthy riposte to critics, saying it had been "light-hearted".

"I never said I was going to sue anyone. I was bringing it up as something that interests me and something I thought would be worth sharing with people who come to this blog to hear about - mainly - my game-making life. And I was doing so in a light-hearted manner," he said.

"FOR THE LOVE OF F**K," he added. "F**king sue me."

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (102) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • FooAtari #1 2 years ago

    Heh, was just about to post;

    STFU Jaffe

  • davisorle #2 2 years ago

    Yeah, he needs to unplug that shit out of his ass cause I sure as hell feel like shoving something bigger in it to shut him up.

  • Xerx3s #3 2 years ago

    Great, then Psygnosis should have sued David Jaffe for ripping off their ideas and ID should have sued pretty much every developer in the world.

  • M4RV #4 2 years ago

    I think Jaffe needs to STFU

    ^ ^ ^ ^

    /comments

    - - - -

    On the other hand, Twisted Metal is dead, so why should you care...?!

  • Quint2020 #5 2 years ago

    I hate this guy.

  • Xerx3s #6 2 years ago

    Also, he rips off greek mythology and then wants to sue others that rip off greek mythology?

  • Brodie #7 2 years ago

    Surel;y no-one cares either way? Twisted Metal was an awful game. Vehicle combat usually is.

  • Widge #8 2 years ago

    I'm forwarding him Tim Langdell's legal team details

  • Praetorianer #9 2 years ago

    He's bored, one can clearly see that. What do people do when they are bored? Do stupid things.

    He said he wouldn't own s**t. He does, apparently...inside his head maybe?

    Maybe he should sue them in order to fight his boredom! Sue them for making a cake with his name!! Well almost, that is....
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 15:46

  • weejok #10 2 years ago

    What a dick!! In that case Microsoft should sue Sony, they release Resistance which is just like Halo because you have guns and you shoot aliens????? Wtf is the guy on about?? Nearly everygame released can be compared to another game, because there are not too many new ideas left.

  • Praetorianer #11 2 years ago

    Ohhh...my criticism was light-hearted, of course!

  • Old_Books #12 2 years ago

    Sorry, but 'God of War' is hardly the most original of titles anyway...

  • Beano #13 2 years ago

    MS like to clone succesful Sony IP... Singstar, Eyetoy, Buzz, etc.... no surprise. But then again, Sony doesn't hold back stealing ideas from other companies (including MS) either. So please shut up, David.. and just announce Twisted Metal PS3 allready!

  • M4RV #14 2 years ago

    @Beano:

    How can he...?! He doesn't work at Sony anymore and the IP belongs to the latter. Either way, he should get busy trying to acquire capital to his next project, instead of bitching about the industry. "Show, don't tell" hardly works nowadays...

  • Praetorianer #15 2 years ago

    I never understood all the fuzz about Twisted Metal anyway. The games were mediocre (if even) and the whole bunch of sequels was pretty much uncalled-for imo.

  • RodHull #16 2 years ago

    Sony should sue Nintendo for stealing their Arc controllers for the Wii!

    Sue them! Sue them all!! Sue them til they leak jam!!!

  • DrDamn #17 2 years ago

    I think a few people need to read the content of his comments rather than make judgement on what they think he said. His comments were meant to be light-hearted and it was about the titles not the content. Sheesh.

    If you think people should STFU then do yourself a favour and stop reading news articles about what they have said. Just an idea.
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 10:13

  • Moribundman #18 2 years ago

    Why can't he just get on with making good games in order to support and sell his platform of choice rather than resorting to fanboyism?

    It's the equivalent of making a considered and reasoned argument or just swearing irrelevantly at someone.

  • Madafunkola #19 2 years ago

    They should call them EDGE Metal and EDGE of the Gods just to stir up a bigger shit storm!

  • bell_801 #20 2 years ago

    Midaway should had sue Sony a milion years ago when God of War came out, because they released a War Gods game. Pay the million you are in debt Jaffe. Better, go fuck yourself... IN THE ASS, just like you say so fucking much.

  • andywilkie35 #21 2 years ago

    Maybe Microsoft should sue Sony for copying achievements with trophies

  • sfp_noodle #22 2 years ago

    angry man shouting loudly...no wonder he created kratos, its his greatest fantasy! kill people and shag big titted birds! :D
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 10:19

  • Beano #23 2 years ago

    @M4RV : TM is Sony's IP but Jaffe's company has (if the rumors are true) been licenced to to develop a TM game for Sony.
    Just like Bungle makes Halo games - MS's owns the Halo license but Bungie (an independant company) develops the game as MS as the publisher.

  • M4RV #24 2 years ago

    @Beano:

    You mean Bungie... ;)

    I've read about that, but if such is the case, I fail to see how come he left Sony to begin with; Alas, not everyone can be like Tim Schäffer when he left LucasArts I guess.

    EDIT:

    Also, concerning Bungie, you must take in account that the latter wasnt always an independent developer and anyhow, development on Halo had started looooonnnnngggg before MS bought Bungie.
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 10:23

  • kingcam07 #25 2 years ago

    You can't rip off mythology

  • JaffeSpeak #26 2 years ago

    You know what?

    I'm sick and tired of hearing this guy just talk and talk and talk.
    I am a fan of TM, I love the games.

    But (and now this is the sad part) this bloke went dark back in August because he upset everyone with his 'Used Games' arguments.
    Jaffe 'promised' not to repost anywhere on the net until the announcement of his new game.

    What do you know? lo and behold! he rises again!!
    with another false promise that the game would be announced 'soon' (which was back in Dec).
    He'd already said before he went offline that the game would be announced between Dec and Feb.. Righto pal!

    This man just comes across as someone starved of attention who needs the limelight- its sad and irritating.

    By upsetting everyone all over again he's doing his own game's sales no favours either...

    For the love of Christ and our sanity, please please Jaffe sod off until you do actually have something to show!!!

  • DrDamn #27 2 years ago

    @Kingcam07
    Yes you could almost say "That's all public domain stuff." couldn't you?

  • BillyBrush #28 2 years ago

    Sue them! Sue them in a light hearted manner!

    Mwu, mwu, mwuhahahahaaaaahappy happy dooo doo!

    Get on with your new Wiimot----ack----Arc game Dave, leave litigation to the professionals.

  • metalmike25 #29 2 years ago

    @Beano

    I'd love to think that Bungle from Rainbow developed Halo! Actually he was super camp so maybe Gears of War was his idea. The fine tradition of Rainbow characters developing games continues with MAG coming from Zippy Interactive....sorry

  • Moribundman #30 2 years ago

    @kingcam07 Neither can you rip off a genre of game. Gameplay isn't copyrighted. If a game is similar to another its a totally different thing from stealing characters, production design and other exclusive IP. As others have said, there have been other vehicle combat games just as there have been other third person action games, or for that matter RTS, FPS, sandbox games etc etc etc.

  • TheBoyChris #31 2 years ago

    Sue Zeus. Lightning god bastard.

  • Waffleaber #32 2 years ago

    Ha! That update he did was quite funny. Never realised Jaffe was that easy to troll.

  • Beano #33 2 years ago

    "You mean Bungie... ;) "

    Yes of course - and no, it wasn't a freudian slip :D

  • Golgo #34 2 years ago

    "My game-making life"? How long ago was that, Dai?

  • crazyhorse174 #35 2 years ago

    Mike Singleton and Beyond Software should sue Jaffe for copying his ZX Spectrum title 'Lords of Midnight' by having the word 'of' in the title!!

  • Brogan #36 2 years ago

    But the TITLE? Sony DOES own that,

    Mars better pay up.

  • JaffeSpeak #37 2 years ago

    The funny part is this 'vehicle combat' game is totally different from Twisted Metal!
    Its an isometric view racing game with weapons with more in common with Ironman Off-road.

  • Jay-ITFC #38 2 years ago

    Just another dude with a blog...

  • Powerslave #39 2 years ago

    COD: Modern Warfare < - > BF: Modern Combat

    uh oh.....

  • Riggers #40 2 years ago

    ""But the TITLE? Sony DOES own that"

    Mars better pay up. "

    Ares too! The bastard!

  • seanthejackal #41 2 years ago

    microsoft lol running out of.....well everything

  • zuljin #42 2 years ago

    @Moribundman
    You can copyright gameplay. Take your average three highest heads on any game project and I can guarantee they'll have more than a couple "unique gameplay feature" copyrights.

  • Moribundman #43 2 years ago

    Up next: "Ring of Light: Stretch" from SCEE and "Unmapped: Amid Scoundrels" from Microsoft Gaming studios...

  • MiniAmin #44 2 years ago

    The new Tim Langdell.

  • Retroid #45 2 years ago

    Whereas I thought Scrap Metal looked a lot like Micro Machines Military.

  • Moribundman #46 2 years ago

    @zuljin Sure, fair enough, but clearly this isn't something Sony deems particularly relevant or a legal slam dunk. It's Jaffe whinging because a game is a bit like his one. The name thing is a bit insulting but its not like they've lifted the game wholesale any more than Shadow Complex could be accused of lifting from Metroid...

  • Jackface #47 2 years ago

    Man, he's a petulant twat. Why don't all sci-fi recharging shield FPS devs sue each other? Or all open world driving game devs sue each other? Or all football game devs sue each other?

    Ridiculous. Why does he think he's so *special* all the time?

  • Murton #48 2 years ago

    Someone needs to switch to decaf, damn.

    In all seriousness though, so the names are slightly similar, this happens all the time and nobody is really that bothered. If they'd lifted the game concept and content wholesale then it'd be worth it but because they use the same words in the title? Be serious man.

  • kangarootoo #49 2 years ago

    I'm prettu sure jaffe didn't invent car combat games, so is his beef purely to do with the simliar name?

    If so, get over it would be my advice to him. Like a generically and instantly forgettably named game called Scrap Metal is really riding on the coat tails of another generically and instantly forgettably named game such as Twisted Metal. It like compaining that Beige is ripping off the name Brown.

  • lockload #50 2 years ago

    It would be funny though as MS registers over 5000 patents a year im sure they would get 10 times as many back

    If jaffe would actually think before he talks the words scrap metal are not protected in any way, hes a tard

    What next only ea can make a football game and they sue everyone else lol

    As for the film title guess what greek mythology existed before god of war and what to the god do in the mythology? have a war.. got dam stupidity
    Edited by 2 at 05/03/10 @ 11:17

  • Monkey_Puncher #51 2 years ago

    I usually like Jaffe, but he's full of shit on this. Twisted Metal wasn't an original idea back in the day, it's not like it was the first car combat game ever created. if anything Scrap Metal reminds me more of an old DMA design game called Death Rally.

    Maybe they should sue all creators of games with Metal in their name as well...
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 11:19

  • lennon #52 2 years ago

    If only I owned the rights to super cars.......

  • actionfitz #53 2 years ago

    LOUD NOISES!

  • RobotRocker #54 2 years ago

    They would have to sue Activision first Dave.

    Interstate 76'/82' and Vigilante 8 and all that...

  • Retroid #55 2 years ago

    lennon: "If only I owned the rights to super cars......."

    Nearly mentioned that alongside Micro Machines Military!

    Oh, and there's Badlands aswell.

    Methinks Jaffe should STFU on this one.

  • chukcyQ #56 2 years ago

    Jesus has trademark on word God, not Jaffe. Also I have prior art on using the word METAL.

  • jonfon #57 2 years ago

    Hmmm. I think I should release a slashy arcade game featuring a muscular tatooed guy with blades on chains (weren't they ripped off Black Tiger by the way?) called Wad of Gore.

    Behold my massive Gorey Wad!

    ... Wait. that doesn't sound right at all.

  • MikeN #58 2 years ago

    Maybe Steve Jackson Games could sue Jaffe for ripping off "'Car Wars" in the first place...

  • kangarootoo #59 2 years ago

    "LOUD NOISES!"

    I think you have misundertood the use of that joke in Anchorman.



    Interstate 76 springs to mind also. That game kicked ass too.

  • AphoticCosmos #60 2 years ago

    Jaffe made a gaffe.

  • Restart #61 2 years ago

    While you're at it David, you'd best sue Marvel, I hear they have a character called Ares, who's the God of War. Bloody bastards!

  • Spekingur #62 2 years ago

    Lots of crazy people in the gaming news recently. Did someone forget to close the door to the madhouse?

  • Widge #63 2 years ago

    I think McVities should sue Jaffe

  • Pac #64 2 years ago

    @MikeN

    Exactly what I was thinking. Car Wars used to be a pen and paper role playing game in the early eighties.

    However you could argue that Mad Max and Death Race were a big influence.

    God I'm old.

  • Pac #65 2 years ago

    @Widge

    Now that was funny :)

  • kangarootoo #66 2 years ago

    And don't forget this.

    http://ww w.boardgamegeek.com/images/boar...

  • alcides #67 2 years ago

    Since his twitter clash with StupidEvilBastard blogger Les Jenkins, I haven't thought much of Jaffe and his Big Ideas.

  • ronuds #68 2 years ago

    And Sony's NE-VER stolen anyone elses ideas. :p

  • Grievous1976 #69 2 years ago

    What a COCK!

  • Redeye #70 2 years ago

    This really is the week of the games-related facepalm. Note to certain industry peeps: lay off the stupid tablets.

  • darleysam #71 2 years ago

    Wow jaffecakes, did someone piss in your coffee this morning?

    Maybe consider turning in the "Sony's #1 fan!" card, or handing it over to another NeoGaf poster, because this is just not the way a gentleman conducts himself in public.

    And no, I won't be taking legal action against you because some of us have more class than to wave the lawyers at anything that upsets us.
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 13:01

  • FooAtari #72 2 years ago

    @kanga
    Interstate 76 springs to mind also. That game kicked ass too.

    Bought Interstate 76 off GoG the other day, will need to get rouind to playing it. I remember playing a demo way back when, but never did get the full game.

  • kangarootoo #73 2 years ago

    @FooAtari

    My tip, rear facing heat seeking missiles and front facing guns. When you need to use your missles, you just handbrake a 360 turn, loosing the missles half way through the spin :)

  • Monkey_Puncher #74 2 years ago

    I bet Interstate 76 would be fugly going back to it now, it wasn't much of a looker back in the day. Great game though!

  • kangarootoo #75 2 years ago

    There might be some "make it prettier" mods here...

    [link url=http://www.l ocalditch.com/interstate-76/
    ]http://www.l ocalditch.com/interstate-76/
    [/link]

    Haven't checked myself though :)

  • ShiverinEskimo #76 2 years ago

    What a tool.

  • smoison #77 2 years ago



    I love how two thirds of the comments did not understand the difference between the game concept being "public domain stuff. But the TITLE? Sony DOES own that,"

    He's simply saying if your gonna copy the shit out of a game, at least try to use an original name.

    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 14:32

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #78 2 years ago

    Maybe McVitties should sue him for his name. Jaffe is quite similar to Jaffa.

    EDIT: Oh FFS Widge!! ;)
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 14:49

  • DrDamn #79 2 years ago

    @SpaceMidget75
    Praetorianer was actually in before Widge but his link doesn't work properly. However posting before reading is perfectly in keeping with the majority of the comments in this thread ;)

  • alimokrane #80 2 years ago

    I have lost respoect for this guy a LONG LONG time ago. Calling God of War a painting ... and now this.... STFU!

  • CosmicGypsy #81 2 years ago

    @Xerx3s "he rips off greek mythology and then wants to sue others that rip off greek mythology"

    No, he just said that a game very similar to 'God of War', should never have the name "War of the Gods"

    @smoison - Spot on. Eurogamer appears to be getting more and more full of opinionated 2@s. I like when people have an opinion that differs to mine as it usually forces me to reconsider my views, but when that opinion is so clearly baseless it makes me wonder why I bother to think for myself. It would appear that it is far easier to just say what everyone else is saying.

    just so you know, here's how it works

    Step 1: Read Article
    Step 2: Formulate opinion on article
    Step 3: Post opinion on Article

    Pretty simple, how can so many get it wrong?

    Anyway, maybe Sony should just release a futuristic space shooter and called it 'Helo'. Or a package of shoddy mini-games called 'Frenzied Fuzion'

    Jaffe might be a prick, but in this case he is spot on IMHO
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/10 @ 15:36

  • Praetorianer #82 2 years ago

    @DrDamn

    Thanks for recognizing :D

    Updated my link :)

  • mega7ech #83 2 years ago

    Seems somebody was drunk messaging perhaps? Come on, we've all done it.... :)

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #84 2 years ago

    He's just pissed that Sony made him change the name of his PSN title Criminal Crackdown, and Microsoft haven't afforded Siny the same courtesy.

    Although, to be honest, I thought Calling All Cars was a better name for his game anyway.

  • Machiavellian #85 2 years ago

    Man you people are really getting way to upset about someone random blog posting.

    My thing is that Jeffe should know that you cannot be ironic over the net. The majority of people will not get it and then you get threads like this

  • man.the.king #86 2 years ago

    Jaffe, if he had not been such a prominent games developer, would have been right at home on the EG Comment threads :)

  • Retroid #87 2 years ago

    Remembered Interstate '76 but didn't mention it because it wasn't overheard :)

    Also: Rock'n'Roll Racing.

    ...

    /Can tell he's going to be digging through his collection this weekend

  • LowEnergyCycle #88 2 years ago

    @lennon"If only I owned the rights to super cars....... "

    Aaahh... Super Cars. Thanks for reminding me of some old and fond memories. Those weird mid-race bits where you had to answer questions to chat up the authorities for points - why do you never get that sort of thing in games these days?

    Also, AI names like "Ayrton Sendup".

  • Syrette #89 2 years ago

    Not once has the Twisted Metal series crossed my mind when looking at Scrap Metal.

    What an idiot.

  • WinterSnowblind #90 2 years ago

    What an absolute cretin.

    The name my be similar.. but since when do Sony own vehicular combat as a genre? Again, not once while looking at previews of the game had I thought "hm, this looks like Twisted Metal". Is he perhaps confusing this with Vigilante 8? Scrap Metal gives me far more of a Micro Machines/Destruction Derby vibe.

    And the idea that Sony should sue anyone over God of War is utterly ridiculous. Whether or not he meant this in a light hearted matter is besides the point. It certainly didn't seem like it and regardless both comments were very ignorant.

  • coolbritannia #91 2 years ago

    What a nob. I hope M$ sue him for libel.

  • DrStrangelove #92 2 years ago

    Stop sueing everyone you f***ing yanks

  • gaanbo #93 2 years ago

    All I want to know is whether David Jaffe enjoys Jaffa Cakes

  • Spekingur #94 2 years ago

    @CosmicGypsy: A futuristic shooter with four letters in it? Only on PS3? Something like Haze perhaps?
    http://en.wikipedi a.org/wiki/Haze_(video...

  • EuroStalker #95 2 years ago

    Owners of 32X should sue Sega.

  • RobotRocker #96 2 years ago

    Owners of 32X should sue Sega.

    Believe me. I wish we could have.

  • Lawlost #97 2 years ago

    There is a very good reason why they haven't sued and that is because there is no case and they would lose. Thankfully Sony have very good lawyers who will not listen to the legal opinion of a games developer. Let's hope Jaffe doesn't start paying attention to the gaming ideas of lawyers.
    Edited by 2 at 06/03/10 @ 20:38

  • Loghorn #98 2 years ago

    Um, Jaffe? Demolition Derby? Vigilante 8? Interstate '76/'82? Hello? What are they?

    @Old_Books:

    Agreed. The GOW series is an exact copy off of Rygar for PS2. Gameplay, story, etc.

  • Collymilad #99 2 years ago

    Grip get Jaffe you ***ing dick.

  • Kestana #100 2 years ago

    Well, Twisted Metal is dead. I haven't heard from it in a while. I hope they're coming up with another Twisted Metal soon. But having a game similar to Twisted Metal isn't bad at all. It's certainly better than nothing, especially if you like vehicle combat which we get very little of these days.

    Also, anyone else saw his update on his blog? That jerk is seriously oblivious to criticism. We should piss him off even more. I couldn't care less if he "created" God of War.
    Edited by 1 at 08/03/10 @ 01:52

  • ukgamer #101 2 years ago

    damn chill brah...

    I just saw a vid with Jaffe the other day where he blasted SEGA for copyrighting the guide arrow in Crazy Taxi. Everyone copies everyone to a degree. Gaming wouldn't be what it is today if companies didn't.
    Edited by 1 at 08/03/10 @ 08:17

  • webcider #102 2 years ago

    I wish more companies would copy actually worthy things like the style of Super Mario Galaxy or Metroid Primes way of creating atmosphere or what about Demons Souls online system please developers copy some more so we can have more awesome well developed games instead of some horrible lame one time ownership games. which is like nearly every game this gen.