David Jaffe, the creator of the original God of War and Twisted Metal, has sharply criticized PlayStation leadership, arguing that Hermen Hulst should be removed from his position. Jaffe believes several recent decisions under Hulst’s watch demonstrate problems with how Sony evaluates and greenlights projects.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, David Jaffe questioned why projects such as Horizon Hunters Gathering were allowed to consume significant resources before their potential weaknesses became apparent. He argued that Sony could have tested the concept much earlier with a limited online playtest rather than committing extensive development resources.
Jaffe Wants PlayStation Led by Someone Who Understands Games
Jaffe’s criticism goes beyond a single project. He argued that Hulst does not appear sufficiently connected to the games market and claimed that he
“doesn’t eat and breathe”
games, while stressing that understanding what players currently want should be fundamental to PlayStation leadership.
The God of War creator went as far as saying,
“Hermen should be fired, and it probably will happen.”
He then questioned who could replace him, suggesting that former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida should be considered because of his continued involvement with games and his understanding of the industry.
Jaffe also argued that Sony should avoid simply returning to its past leadership and instead find someone who combines creative instincts with knowledge of today’s market. He pointed to figures including Shawn Layden and Yoshida as potential examples of executives who understand PlayStation’s creative identity.
His comments also touched on Sony Santa Monica and several recent PlayStation projects. Jaffe praised God of War (2018) but expressed disappointment with Ragnarök, while criticizing other decisions associated with Sony’s recent strategy.
Jaffe’s remarks are his personal opinion and do not indicate that Sony is planning to replace Hulst. His broader argument is that PlayStation needs leadership capable of balancing business decisions with a deep understanding of games, players and the rapidly changing console market.
