David Cage

Last updated

David Cage
David Cage 20080927 Festival du jeu video 05 (cropped).jpg
Cage at the Festival du jeu vidéo in 2008
Born
David De Gruttola

(1969-06-09) June 9, 1969 (age 55)
Mulhouse, France
Occupation Video game developer
Years active1993–present
Known for
Title Founder and CEO of Quantic Dream

David De Gruttola [1] (born June 9, 1969), known by his pseudonym David Cage, [1] is a French video game designer, writer and musician. He is the founder of the game development studio Quantic Dream. Cage wrote and directed Heavy Rain , Beyond: Two Souls , and Detroit: Become Human .

Contents

Biography

Born in Mulhouse, France, Cage is the head of the game developer studio Quantic Dream. [1] Cage plays a central role in the company and the development of the games, being founder, co-CEO (with Guillaume de Fondaumière), director, lead game designer, and screenwriter. [1] As a professional musician, he created the company Totem Interactive in 1993, which worked in music and sound productions. [2] [3] He worked as a freelance musician on several television, film and video game projects, involved with original soundtrack work. [2] [3]

My desire to create video games dates back to the arrival of 3D real time [...] I felt like a pioneer filmmaker at the start of the 20th century: grappling with basic technology, but also being aware that there is everything left to invent - in particular a new language that is both narrative and visual.

— David Cage, A word about Fahrenheit..., 2005 [4]

His earlier works include working on the music for Cryo Interactive video games Super Dany (1994, credited as David De Gruttola), [5] Cheese Cat-Astrophe Starring Speedy Gonzales (1995, credited as David De Gruttola), [6] [7] Timecop (1995), [8] and Hardline (1996). [9] David Cage left Totem Interactive and founded Quantic Dream in 1997. [3] He has written and directed all five games released by the studio: Omikron: The Nomad Soul (1999), Fahrenheit / Indigo Prophecy (2005), Heavy Rain (2010), Beyond: Two Souls (2013) and Detroit: Become Human (2018).

At the British Academy Games Awards, in which Quantic Dream won three awards for Heavy Rain, Cage stated that "games always explore the same things. They're about being powerful, being the good guys against the bad guys – that's a very tiny part of what can be done. There are so many other stories to tell, so many other emotions to trigger – this is a fantastic new medium, we can do much more than we currently do with it." [10] Game developer Warren Spector described Cage as one of the best storytellers in the business, calling him a genius. [11]

Cage has been critical of "game over" events in story-driven, non-action video games, calling them "a failure of the game design". [12] Cage was the first game developer to receive the Legion of Honour, [13] the highest decoration granted in France. [14] In October 2018, he received a Ping Honor Award for his career. [15] [16]

In 2018, Quantic Dream was involved in a lawsuit with Le Monde and Mediapart, accusing the studio of fostering a toxic workplace, after it was found that one of the employees had been photoshopping pictures of other employees. In April 2021, Quantic Dream won an appeal overturning a July 2018 ruling in favour of a former employee who sued the studio. [17] [18] It was later alleged that Cage said that all the female characters in his games were "whores" and that Quantic Dream "didn't make games for fags". [19] [20] Cage denied these allegations by saying "I have never said or even thought such things. I fully understand people were shocked by seeing those words, and I am deeply sorry for the pain and confusion they have caused to women and the LGBTQIA+ community. The quotes are abhorrent, and they do not reflect my views, nor the views of anyone at Quantic Dream." Representatives of LGBTQ+ employees at the studio defended Cage, stating that deeply hurtful and misleading perceptions "do not reflect [their] everyday lives at work". [21]

Personal life

Cage is an atheist. [22]

Credits

Director and writer
Composer

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speedy Gonzales</span> Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon character

Speedy Gonzales is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. He is portrayed as "The Fastest Mouse in all Mexico" with his major traits being the ability to run extremely fast, being quick-witted and heroic while speaking with an exaggerated Mexican accent. He usually wears a yellow sombrero, white shirt and trousers, and a red kerchief, similar to that of some traditional Mexican attires. To date, there have been 46 theatrical shorts made either starring or featuring the character.

<i>The Nomad Soul</i> 1999 adventure game

The Nomad Soul is an adventure game developed by Quantic Dream and published by Eidos Interactive. It was released for Microsoft Windows in 1999 and Dreamcast in 2000. The player can engage in unarmed and armed combat, explore the three-dimensional environment of Omikron City, and talk with non-player characters to progress the story. It follows an investigation into a case of serial killings, which unravels the supernatural truth behind the city's ancient history.

Guillaume de Fondaumière is co-CEO of Quantic Dream.

An interactive film is a video game or other interactive media that has characteristics of a cinematic film. In the video game industry, the term refers to a movie game, a video game that presents its gameplay in a cinematic, scripted manner, often through the use of full-motion video of either animated or live-action footage.

<i>Fahrenheit</i> (2005 video game) 2005 action-adventure game

Fahrenheit is an action-adventure game developed by Quantic Dream and published by Atari for Microsoft Windows, Xbox, and PlayStation 2 in September 2005. The plot follows Lucas Kane, a man who commits murder while supernaturally possessed, and two police detectives investigating the case. Gameplay involves the player in making decisions to alter the narrative.

Quantic Dream SA is a French video game developer and publisher based in Paris. Founded in 1997, Quantic Dream has developed five video games: The Nomad Soul (1999), Fahrenheit (2005), Heavy Rain (2010), Beyond: Two Souls (2013), and Detroit: Become Human (2018). The company is known for promoting interactive storytelling, with founder David Cage as the primary creative force. The studio was acquired by NetEase in August 2022 to act as its first European studio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sakura Sakura</span> Japanese folk song

"Sakura Sakura", also known as "Sakura", is a traditional Japanese folk song depicting spring, the season of cherry blossoms. It is often sung in international settings as a song representative of Japan.

<i>Heavy Rain</i> 2010 video game

Heavy Rain is a 2010 action-adventure video game developed by Quantic Dream and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. The game features four protagonists involved with the mystery of the Origami Killer, a serial killer who uses extended periods of rainfall to drown his victims. The player interacts with the game by performing actions highlighted on screen related to motions on the controller, and in some cases, performing a series of quick time events. The player's choices and actions during the game affect the narrative.

David Gasman is an American television, film and voice actor. He has appeared in many cartoons and video games, such as the Rayman series, Code Lyoko, and Dragon Ball films. He appeared in the films Jefferson in Paris, The Bourne Identity, Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard, Babylon A.D., Largo Winch, and in many theatrical productions, including several musicals. He had a recurring role in Kaboul Kitchen, a French TV series.

<i>David Bowie</i> (box set) 2007 box set by David Bowie

David Bowie is a box set by English singer-songwriter David Bowie, released in June 2007 by Sony Music Entertainment and Columbia Records. The box set includes expanded versions of all of Bowie's Sony-owned albums: Outside, Earthling, Hours, Heathen and Reality..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kylotonn</span> French video game development studio

Kylotonn SARL is a French video game development studio founded in 2006 in Paris. They are best known for their racing games, and were the official developer of the World Rally Championship video game series from 2015 to 2023.

<i>Cheese Cat-Astrophe Starring Speedy Gonzales</i> 1995 video game

Cheese Cat-Astrophe Starring Speedy Gonzales is a 1995 platform game developed by Cryo Interactive and published by Sega for the Game Gear, Master System, and Mega Drive. Only the Game Gear version was released in North America.

<i>Beyond: Two Souls</i> 2013 video game

Beyond: Two Souls is an action-adventure game developed by Quantic Dream and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was released on 8 October 2013 for PlayStation 3 and for PlayStation 4 on 24 November 2015. A Windows port self-published by Quantic Dream was released on 22 July 2019.

Video gaming in France is one of the largest markets in Europe. The French government gives special tax breaks to video game companies. In 2014, the French diplomatic service released a report which calculates the profit generated by the French video game industry at €2.7 billion. It states that there are 300 video game companies in France. It estimates the number of jobs directly related to the video game industry at 5,000. It estimates the number of indirect jobs created by the video game industry at 10,000. The report found that in 2013, around 8 out of 10 people had played a video game in the last 12 months. In 2018, the number of players was estimated at 32.8 million.

<i>Detroit: Become Human</i> 2018 adventure game

Detroit: Become Human is a 2018 adventure game developed by Quantic Dream. The plot follows three androids: Kara, who escapes her owner to explore her newfound sentience and protect a young girl; Connor, whose job is to hunt down sentient androids; and Markus, who devotes himself to releasing other androids from servitude. The player's choices affect the course and outcome of the story.

Interior Night is an independent video game developer based in London. The company focuses on interactive storytelling. It was founded by creative director Caroline Marchal, formerly of Quantic Dream, in November 2017. Their debut game, As Dusk Falls, was released on 19 July 2022 for Windows, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S and 7 March 2024 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

<i>Speedy Gonzales: Aztec Adventure</i> 2000 video game

Speedy Gonzales: Aztec Adventure is a 2000 video game developed and published by SunSoft for the Game Boy Color. The game is a licensed platformer depicting the Looney Tunes animated cartoon character Speedy Gonzales, who the player controls across six stages set in Mexico. Upon release, Speedy Gonzales received average to mixed reviews, with critics praising the visual presentation of the game but faulting its platform gameplay mechanics, difficulty, and performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Williams (writer)</span> American video game designer and writer

Adam Williams is a video game writer and a lead writer for Quantic Dream. His credits include lead writer of Detroit: Become Human, an award-winning game and the company's best-selling title in 2022, and the upcoming Star Wars: Eclipse.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Bliss, François (May 10, 2005). "Fahrenheit : Interview David Cage / part 1 : L'homme orchestre" (in French). Overgame.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
  2. 1 2 "MIT Comparative Media Studies: French American Dialog on Video Games" . Retrieved June 17, 2007.
  3. 1 2 3 "Quantic Dream's David Cage Talks About His Games, His Career and the PS4: It Allows to "Go Even Further"". Dualshockers . January 4, 2015. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  4. ↑ Quantic Dream (2005). "A word about Fahrenheit..." Fahrenheit . Atari. p. 4. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Super Dany for SNES (1994) - MobyGames". MobyGames. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Cheese Cat-Astrophe starring Speedy Gonzales for Sega Master System - Technical Information, Game Information, Technical Support". GameSpot . Retrieved September 19, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Cheese Cat-Astrophe starring Speedy Gonzales for SEGA Master System". MobyGames . Retrieved September 19, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Basic game overview". MobyGames . Retrieved April 26, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Hardline for DOS (1996) - MobyGames". MobyGames. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  10. ↑ "David Cage on Heavy Rain BAFTA Award Wins, Quantic Dream's Next Project". PlayStation Blog . March 18, 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Game designer Warren Spector commends David Cage's work on Heavy Rain". Neoseeker. July 5, 2012. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  12. ↑ "In story-driven games, 'Game overs' are a failure of game design, says David Cage". Gamasutra. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  13. ↑ Rose, Mike (February 17, 2014). "Quantic Dream founder David Cage awarded France's highest decoration". Gamasutra . Think Services. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  14. ↑ Maiberg, Emanuel (February 16, 2014). "Beyond: Two Souls' David Cage first game developer to receive France's highest honor". Gamespot. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Les lauréats des Ping Awards 2018". Ping Awards. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  16. ↑ David Cage [@David__Cage] (October 30, 2018). "#DetroitBecomeHuman won 4 awards at the Ping ceremony yesterday (Best Graphics, Best Console Game, Grand Prize + 1 Honor Award for my career). A huge thank you to all Detroit fans for their support, passion and enthusiasm! We couldn't make games like Detroit without you" (Tweet). Retrieved November 10, 2018– via Twitter.
  17. ↑ "Quantic Dream wins appeal tossing out lawsuit alleging toxic workplace". Polygon.com. April 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Quantic Dream Vs LeMonde / Mediapart". May 31, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Report: "In My Games, All Women Are Whores," Says David Cage". Fanbyte.com. June 9, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  20. ↑ "David Cage's alleged homophobic slurs make French news". CheckpointGaming.com. June 7, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Quantic Dream at 25: David Cage on David Bowie, controversies, and the elevation of story". August 11, 2022.
  22. ↑ Kelly, Neon (August 23, 2012). "David Cage: 'I remember how scared we were'". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  23. ↑ "[AMA] Hey! I'm David Cage, Writer and Director of Detroit: Become Human. Ask me anything!". reddit . June 22, 2018. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.