Barlog has left Sony Computer Entertainment to work with Australian film writer-director-producer George Miller, responsible for Babe, The Witches of Eastwick, Happy Feet and cult classic Mad Max. They'll be working on something videogame related.
What will the Barlog & Miller collaboration bring to the games market? Not something casual according to the God of War director.
Cory on choosing Miller: "When I met with him, the interaction was like two storytellers getting together, in the way that both of us were able to relate to various subjects. He has a game knowledge. While he may not be a hardcore gamer, he has a game knowledge, and he comes from an angle that I'm very passionate about. I don't really want to make casual games or games with no sort of story backbone or character backbone. Our conversations, they kind of were all over the map, but they went to the heart of so many things as opposed to being kind of like, "Hey, so what do you like?" and "What do you like?" It was detailed conversations about character interactions and the way that each of our industries can kind of push things further."
Barlog grew unhappy over what happened with God of War III's direction and no longer wanted to be apart of the Sony team. "For me, the last straw was Eric Williams, who for all intents and purposes for me was always like an AD (assistant director); like a second director almost. He's a very technical combat guy. Me and him basically built Kratos on God of War I. We established all the bosses; the way that the whole game felt; what God of War's gameplay from a navigation, combat and platforming perspective felt like. And having lost him on III, that was a defining moment for me to go."
Let's hope it's something with a Mad Max flavour like erm, Mad Max!
Click here to read the exclusive Level Up interview with Cory Barlog.