In confirming development of
God of War III on the PlayStation 3, officials from Sony Computer Entertainment America have also announced that
God of War II director Cory Barlog has left the company’s Santa Monica studio.
Speaking
to consumer website 1UP, an unnamed Sony spokesperson indicated that, “We can confirm that Cory Barlog, game director for
God of War II, is leaving the SCEA SM Studio and we are grateful for his work and creative vision for the critically acclaimed
God of War franchise.
"Moving forward, we are confident in the
God of War team, as they are an extremely talented group of people that are passionate about the franchise and dedicated to creating even more epic content with
God of War: Chains of Olympus for the PSP and
God of War III for PS3."
The statement does not indicate whether Barlog will move elsewhere within Sony Computer Entertainment America or whether he will leave the company entirely. However, Sony has indicated that rumors of a mass exodus from the Santa Monica studio are untrue.
Barlog has proven almost as outspoken as original
God of War director David Jaffe, who reduced his involvement in
God of War II to that of creative director. Jaffe
eventually left Sony to form independent, but Sony-backed, studio Eat, Sleep, Play with Incognito’s Scott Campbell.
