Jason Blundell
{{Short description|American video game producer and creative director}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jason Blundell
| image =
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| birth_place = United Kingdom
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| occupation = Video game producer, designer, creative director
| employer = Dark Outlaw Games (PlayStation Studios)
| known_for = Call of Duty series
| title = Studio Head, Co-Studio Head, Game Director, Campaign Design Director, Senior Executive Producer, Assistant Producer
}}
Jason Blundell is a British video game producer and creative director. He is best known for his work on the Call of Duty Zombies franchise.{{Cite web |last=Good |first=Owen S. |date=2021-06-10 |title=Black Ops vets form new studio for PlayStation-exclusive |url=https://www.polygon.com/22528417/deviation-games-new-studio-playstation-sie-dave-anthony-jason-blundell |access-date=2024-03-16 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}
Career
Blundell began his career at Activision as a Programmer and Producer for several titles, before joining Treyarch to work on the production of Call of Duty 3. He went on to become Executive Producer for Call of Duty: Black Ops, Campaign Design Director for Call of Duty: Black Ops II, and Game Director for both the Campaign and Zombies modes of Call of Duty: Black Ops III, taking over from Jimmy Zielinski.{{Cite web |last=Shea |first=Brian |title=Treyarch Talks Designing Black Ops III And What An Extra Year Does For Call Of Duty |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/04/29/treyarch-talks-designing-black-ops-iii-and-what-an-extra-year-does-for-call-of-duty.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150430182233/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/04/29/treyarch-talks-designing-black-ops-iii-and-what-an-extra-year-does-for-call-of-duty.aspx |url-status=live |archive-date=April 30, 2015 |access-date=2024-03-16 |website=Game Informer |language=en}}
Blundell directed and produced the Career and Zombies experiences of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and co-created the story for the Zombies Comics. He was the creator of the Chaos storyline in the Zombies franchise.{{Citation |title=Exclusive Zombies Interview For Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bc3QVpHai8 |access-date=2024-03-16 |publisher=Game Informer |language=en}}
On February 28, 2020, Treyarch announced Jason Blundell was leaving the studio. On June 10, 2021, Blundell and Dave Anthony announced a new studio, Deviation Games. On September 8, 2022, it was announced that Blundell had left Deviation Games.{{cite news |last=Wales |first=Matt |date=September 9, 2022 |title=Ex-Call of Duty boss Jason Blundell leaves PlayStation-exclusive developer Deviation Games |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/ex-call-of-duty-boss-jason-blundell-leaves-playstation-exclusive-developer-deviation-games |newspaper=Eurogamer.net}} The studio had significant layoffs in May 2023{{Cite web |last=Middler |first=Jordan |date=2023-05-12 |title=PlayStation-backed Deviation Games hit with layoffs |url=https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/playstation-backed-deviation-games-hit-with-layoffs/ |access-date=2024-03-16 |website=VGC |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Batchelor |first=James |date=2023-05-15 |title=Deviation Studios reportedly lays off up to 90 staff |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/deviation-studios-reportedly-lays-off-up-to-90-staff |access-date=2024-03-16 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en}} and shut down in March 2024.{{Cite web |last=Dring |first=Christopher |date=2024-03-09 |title=PlayStation-backed Deviation Games closes |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/playstation-backed-deviation-games-closes |access-date=2024-03-16 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en}} In December 2023, Jason was revealed to be working at PlayStation Studios. In March 2025, Blundell announced that he had created and was leading a new first-party studio under PlayStation Studios called Dark Outlaw Games, with a game in active development at that time.{{cite web | url=https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/playstation-has-formed-new-studio-dark-outlaw-games-with-call-of-duty-zombies-lead-jason-blundell/ | title= PlayStation has formed new studio Dark Outlaw Games with Call of Duty Zombies lead Jason Blundell | website= VGC }}
Writing style
Blundell is inspired by multi-layered narratives and morally grey characters. During an interview for Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Blundell has said there are "three or four stories running at the same time."{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=patmwQEpygU | title=CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS 3 -Jason Blundell interview part 2 | website=YouTube }} He is known for his overtly cryptic storytelling and Easter Eggs, and has a fascination with Dystopia and Mythology.{{cite web |last=Protin |first=Corey |date=May 2, 2016 |title='Call of Duty' has the best Easter Eggs of any game |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/call-of-duty-game-easter-eggs-2016-5 |website=Business Insider}}
Games
{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|
- Starlancer
- X2: Wolverine's Revenge
- Catwoman
- Xanadu Next
- The Roots: Gates of Chaos
- Call of Duty 3
- Spider-Man 3
- 007: Quantum of Solace
- Call of Duty: World at War
- Call of Duty: Black Ops
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
- Unannounced PlayStation Title
}}
References
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Category:Year of birth missing (living people)