Jenova Chen | |
|---|---|
 Chen in 2007 | |
| Born | Xinghan Chen October 8, 1981 |
| Occupation | Video game designer |
| Known for | Thatgamecompany |
| Notable work | Cloud, Flow, Flower, Journey, Sky: Children of the Light |
| Website | jenovachen |
Xinghan Chen (Chinese: 陈星汉; pinyin: Chén Xīnghàn; born October 8, 1981), known professionally as Jenova Chen, is a Chinese video game designer. He is the designer of the award-winning games Cloud, Flow, Flower, and Journey, co-founder of Thatgamecompany as well as an advisor for Annapurna Interactive.[1]
Chen is from Shanghai, where he earned a bachelor's degree in computer science with a minor in digital art and design. He moved to the United States, where he earned a master's degree from the University of Southern California's Interactive Media Division. While there he created Cloud and Flow, and met fellow student Kellee Santiago. After a brief period at Maxis working on Spore, he founded Thatgamecompany with Santiago and became the company's creative director. The company signed a three-game deal with Sony Computer Entertainment, and has sold Flow, Flower, and Journey through the PlayStation Network.
As Chen was born in a culture other than the culture he lives in, he tries to make games that appeal universally to all people. His goal with his games is to help video games mature as a medium by making games that inspire emotional responses in the player that other games are lacking. Although he and Thatgamecompany can and have made more traditional games, he does not plan on commercially developing any of them, as he does not think that it fits with their goals as an independent video game developer.
- ^ Sinclair, Brendan (December 1, 2016). "Annapurna Pictures gets into game publishing". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved June 29, 2024.