The video game industry continually compares itself to Hollywood. Today, that line got blurred as producer Jerry Bruckheimer announced the opening of Jerry Bruckheimer Games Inc., a venture that includes participation from MTV Games and two industry veterans.
Jim Veevaert and Jay Cohen will lead Jerry Bruckheimer Games as President of Production and President of Development, respectively. The company will focus on creating new IP, not just movie-based tie-ins, and on incubating projects “that explore interactive storytelling, foster immense creativity and challenge the boundaries of traditional game development.”
Episodic content, anyone? If a studio could pull it off with mainstream appeal, Jerry Bruckheimer Games is probably the one that could. No offense to the Sam & Max team, of course.
Bruckheimer and MTV Games previously announced a partnership to create original games, but this is the first time staffing details have been discussed.
Veevaert, a 15-year game-industry veteran, spent the past eight years at Microsoft, most notably working as executive producer for Halo 3 and managing the company’s relationship with Bungie Studios. Cohen, meanwhile, spent the past decade at Ubisoft as senior vice president of publishing, managing the launch of franchises including Splinter Cell, Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, Prince of Persia, Rayman and Assassin’s Creed.