At the DICE Summit in Las Vegas, Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann and Sony Santa Monica's Cory Barlog discussed the pervasive theme of doubt in game development. Their hour-long conversation covered personal insecurities, discerning viable ideas, and the challenges of character development across multiple games.
A question about sequel development prompted a surprising response from Druckmann: he doesn't plan sequels in advance. He focuses intensely on the current project, approaching each game as if it were his last. Any sequel ideas are organically integrated into the present work, rather than saved for future installments. He explained his approach to sequels as a retrospective process, identifying unresolved elements and potential character arcs from previous games. If no compelling direction emerges, he considers ending the character's story. He cited the Uncharted series as an example, emphasizing their iterative approach to each game's narrative.
In contrast, Barlog revealed a vastly different approach, meticulously planning interconnected storylines spanning years, even decades. He described this as a "crazy conspiracy board" of interconnected ideas, acknowledging the inherent stress and potential for disruption from shifting team dynamics and evolving perspectives. Druckmann contrasted this, expressing a lack of the confidence needed for such long-term planning, preferring to focus on immediate tasks.
The discussion shifted to the emotional toll of game development. Druckmann shared an anecdote about Pedro Pascal's passionate dedication to his craft, emphasizing that the love of creating is the driving force behind their work, outweighing the stress, negativity, and even death threats.
Druckmann's reflection on his career trajectory, prompted by Barlog's discussion and the recent retirement of a colleague, led to a conversation about the point at which ambition becomes sufficient. Barlog candidly described the relentless nature of creative drive, likening it to an insatiable demon pushing for constant achievement, even after reaching significant milestones. Druckmann echoed this sentiment but expressed a more measured approach, aiming to gradually reduce his involvement to create opportunities for others to flourish. Barlog's humorous response, "Very convincing. I’m going to retire," provided a lighthearted conclusion to a deeply insightful conversation.
