Andy Gavin
Encyclopedia
Andy Gavin is a programmer notable for co-founding the video game company Naughty Dog
with childhood friend Jason Rubin in 1986. Naughty Dog
's games (most famously, Crash Bandicoot) are known for their combination of exceptional technology, great graphics, and polished gameplay. The sophistication of Naughty Dog
technology is often credited to Gavin's background in LISP
at the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.
on the Mars Rover Vision Project, under his advisor Rod Brooks. While still a student, Gavin learned the computer programming language LISP
. Influences from M.I.T. and his own work lead him to develop a number of custom programming languages that improved the quality of graphics, controls, sounds and artificial intelligence in Naughty Dog
video games. He also has a B.S. from Haverford College
in Neuro Biological Science.
in 1989 to Electronic Arts
. In the early 90’s, they created a fighting game called Way of the Warrior
which eventually led to a multi-title deal with Universal Interactive Studios. It was under the auspices of this Universal deal that they produced the multi-million selling Crash Bandicoot series from 1994 until 1999, and later segueing into the successful Jak and Daxter
series of games. At the end of 2000, Rubin and Gavin sold Naughty Dog
to Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA). All in all, they created 14 Naughty Dog
games including Math Jam (1985), Ski Crazed (1986), Dream Zone
(1987), Keef the Thief
(1989), Rings of Power
(1991), Way of the Warrior
(1994), Crash Bandicoot (1996), Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
(1997), Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped (1998), Crash Team Racing
(1999), Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
(2001), Jak II
(2003), Jak 3
(2004) and Jak X: Combat Racing
(2005). Together these games have sold over 35 million units and generated over $1 billion in revenue.
While at Naughty Dog
, Gavin developed two LISP dialects for use in game development, GOOL (Game Object Oriented Lisp) and its successor GOAL
(Game Oriented Assembly Lisp). These represented a departure from the mainstream in terms of language choice, and featured some innovations in design.
Shortly after leaving Naughty Dog, Gavin co-founded a new Internet startup called Flektor
with his former business partner, Jason Rubin, and former HBO executive Jason R. Kay. In May 2007, the company was sold to Fox Interactive Media
, which is a division of News Corp. Fox has described the company as: “a next-generation Web site that provides users with a suite of Web-based tools to transform their photos and videos into dynamic slideshows, postcards, live interactive presentations and video mash-ups.” In October 2007, Flektor
partnered with its sister company, MySpace
, and MTV
to provide instant audience feedback via polls for the interactive MySpace / MTV Presidential Dialogues series with then-presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama
.
Gavin left Fox Interactive Media in 2008. In 2009 he announced a return to the video game business with his Naughty Dog
co-founder Jason Rubin. They have formed a new social game startup called Monkey Gods that is working on a new version of Snood
along with a casual word game called MonkWerks http://www.monkwerks.com.
Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin in 1986 as an independent developer, the studio was acquired by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2001...
with childhood friend Jason Rubin in 1986. Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin in 1986 as an independent developer, the studio was acquired by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2001...
's games (most famously, Crash Bandicoot) are known for their combination of exceptional technology, great graphics, and polished gameplay. The sophistication of Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin in 1986 as an independent developer, the studio was acquired by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2001...
technology is often credited to Gavin's background in LISP
Lisp
A lisp is a speech impediment, historically also known as sigmatism. Stereotypically, people with a lisp are unable to pronounce sibilants , and replace them with interdentals , though there are actually several kinds of lisp...
at the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.
Education
Gavin studied for his Ph.D. at M.I.T. where he did research for the Jet Propulsion LaboratoryJet Propulsion Laboratory
Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center and NASA field center located in the San Gabriel Valley area of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The facility is headquartered in the city of Pasadena on the border of La Cañada Flintridge and Pasadena...
on the Mars Rover Vision Project, under his advisor Rod Brooks. While still a student, Gavin learned the computer programming language LISP
Lisp
A lisp is a speech impediment, historically also known as sigmatism. Stereotypically, people with a lisp are unable to pronounce sibilants , and replace them with interdentals , though there are actually several kinds of lisp...
. Influences from M.I.T. and his own work lead him to develop a number of custom programming languages that improved the quality of graphics, controls, sounds and artificial intelligence in Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin in 1986 as an independent developer, the studio was acquired by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2001...
video games. He also has a B.S. from Haverford College
Haverford College
Haverford College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States, a suburb of Philadelphia...
in Neuro Biological Science.
Career
Together, Gavin and Rubin sold their first video game called Math Jam in 1985. A few games later they sold Keef the ThiefKeef the Thief
Keef the Thief is a computer game designed by Naughty Dog, published by Electronic Arts in 1989 for the Apple IIGS and then later ported to the Commodore Amiga and MS-DOS...
in 1989 to Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
. In the early 90’s, they created a fighting game called Way of the Warrior
Way of the Warrior (video game)
Way of the Warrior is a fighting game released in 1994 for the 32-bit 3DO. It was developed by Naughty Dog and it received a "17+" rating for its violent content. The game's soundtrack consists of music from the 1992 White Zombie album La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol...
which eventually led to a multi-title deal with Universal Interactive Studios. It was under the auspices of this Universal deal that they produced the multi-million selling Crash Bandicoot series from 1994 until 1999, and later segueing into the successful Jak and Daxter
Jak and Daxter
Jak and Daxter is a critically acclaimed video game franchise created by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation 2.The series consists of four main games and two spin-offs,though they are also considered to be part of the main series...
series of games. At the end of 2000, Rubin and Gavin sold Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin in 1986 as an independent developer, the studio was acquired by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2001...
to Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA). All in all, they created 14 Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin in 1986 as an independent developer, the studio was acquired by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2001...
games including Math Jam (1985), Ski Crazed (1986), Dream Zone
Dream Zone
Dream Zone is an adventure video game published by Baudville and released in 1988. It was developed for the Apple IIGS.-Plot:The player becomes trapped in his own dream, thanks to a scientist's rotten elixir, and must escape the weird world of his own imagination to reach reality again...
(1987), Keef the Thief
Keef the Thief
Keef the Thief is a computer game designed by Naughty Dog, published by Electronic Arts in 1989 for the Apple IIGS and then later ported to the Commodore Amiga and MS-DOS...
(1989), Rings of Power
Rings of Power
The Rings of Power in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium are magical rings created by Sauron or by the Elves of Eregion under Sauron's tutelage...
(1991), Way of the Warrior
Way of the Warrior (video game)
Way of the Warrior is a fighting game released in 1994 for the 32-bit 3DO. It was developed by Naughty Dog and it received a "17+" rating for its violent content. The game's soundtrack consists of music from the 1992 White Zombie album La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol...
(1994), Crash Bandicoot (1996), Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back is a platform video game published by Sony Computer Entertainment, produced by Universal Interactive Studios and developed by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation...
(1997), Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped (1998), Crash Team Racing
Crash Team Racing
Crash Team Racing is a racing video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. The game was released in North America on September 30, 1999 and in Europe and Australia later the same year. It was re-released for the Sony Greatest Hits line-up in...
(1999), Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy is a platform game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment and is the first video game in the Jak and Daxter series. It was released exclusively for the Sony PlayStation 2 on December 3, 2001 for North America, December 7, 2001 for...
(2001), Jak II
Jak II
Jak II, , is a platform game developed by Naughty Dog...
(2003), Jak 3
Jak 3
Jak 3 is a platform game for Sony's PlayStation 2 console developed by Naughty Dog. It is the third game in the main Jak and Daxter series. Jak 3 was completely localized and dubbed in Japanese, but was not released in Japan due to Jak IIs poor sales...
(2004) and Jak X: Combat Racing
Jak X: Combat Racing
Jak X: Combat Racing , is a vehicular combat game video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2 and first released in North America on October 18, 2005, then in Australia on October 26, 2005 and then in Europe on November 4, 2005...
(2005). Together these games have sold over 35 million units and generated over $1 billion in revenue.
While at Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin in 1986 as an independent developer, the studio was acquired by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2001...
, Gavin developed two LISP dialects for use in game development, GOOL (Game Object Oriented Lisp) and its successor GOAL
Game Oriented Assembly Lisp
Game Oriented Assembly Lisp is a computer game programming language developed by Andy Gavin and the Jak and Daxter team at Naughty Dog...
(Game Oriented Assembly Lisp). These represented a departure from the mainstream in terms of language choice, and featured some innovations in design.
Shortly after leaving Naughty Dog, Gavin co-founded a new Internet startup called Flektor
Flektor
Flektor was a web application that allowed users the ability to create and “mashup” their own content and share it via email, on social networking websites MySpace, Facebook, Blogger, Digg, eBay or on personal blogs. The company’s website launched on April 2, 2007 and over 40,000 people began...
with his former business partner, Jason Rubin, and former HBO executive Jason R. Kay. In May 2007, the company was sold to Fox Interactive Media
Fox Interactive Media
News Corporation's Digital Media Group , also known as News Corp. Digital Media and formerly Fox Interactive Media, oversees the Internet business operations of media giant News Corporation, and was formed to oversee News Corporation's new media acquisitions, including IGN Entertainment, MySpace...
, which is a division of News Corp. Fox has described the company as: “a next-generation Web site that provides users with a suite of Web-based tools to transform their photos and videos into dynamic slideshows, postcards, live interactive presentations and video mash-ups.” In October 2007, Flektor
Flektor
Flektor was a web application that allowed users the ability to create and “mashup” their own content and share it via email, on social networking websites MySpace, Facebook, Blogger, Digg, eBay or on personal blogs. The company’s website launched on April 2, 2007 and over 40,000 people began...
partnered with its sister company, MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
, and MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
to provide instant audience feedback via polls for the interactive MySpace / MTV Presidential Dialogues series with then-presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
.
Gavin left Fox Interactive Media in 2008. In 2009 he announced a return to the video game business with his Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin in 1986 as an independent developer, the studio was acquired by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2001...
co-founder Jason Rubin. They have formed a new social game startup called Monkey Gods that is working on a new version of Snood
Snood (video game)
Snood is a puzzle video game created in 1996 by David M. Dobson. Today, versions exist for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac OS, Palm OS, and other systems, including unofficially on the TI-83 and TI-84 calculators....
along with a casual word game called MonkWerks http://www.monkwerks.com.
Gameography
| Game Title | Release | Platform | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math Jam | 1985 | Apple II Apple II The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977... |
Lead artist |
| Ski Crazed | 1986 | Apple II Apple II The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977... |
Programmer Programmer A programmer, computer programmer or coder is someone who writes computer software. The term computer programmer can refer to a specialist in one area of computer programming or to a generalist who writes code for many kinds of software. One who practices or professes a formal approach to... |
| Dream Zone Dream Zone Dream Zone is an adventure video game published by Baudville and released in 1988. It was developed for the Apple IIGS.-Plot:The player becomes trapped in his own dream, thanks to a scientist's rotten elixir, and must escape the weird world of his own imagination to reach reality again... |
1987 | Commodore Amiga, Apple II Apple II The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977... |
Programmer Programmer A programmer, computer programmer or coder is someone who writes computer software. The term computer programmer can refer to a specialist in one area of computer programming or to a generalist who writes code for many kinds of software. One who practices or professes a formal approach to... |
| Keef the Thief Keef the Thief Keef the Thief is a computer game designed by Naughty Dog, published by Electronic Arts in 1989 for the Apple IIGS and then later ported to the Commodore Amiga and MS-DOS... |
1989 | Commodore Amiga, Apple II Apple II The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977... , Sega Mega Drive/Genesis |
Programmer |
| Rings of Power Rings of Power (game) Rings of Power is an isometric console role-playing game released on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1991. The game was developed by Naughty Dog and published by Electronic Arts. The player takes on the role of a young sorcerer whose quest is to collect 11 Rings of Power and use them to remake the... |
1991 | Sega Mega Drive/Genesis | Programmer Programmer A programmer, computer programmer or coder is someone who writes computer software. The term computer programmer can refer to a specialist in one area of computer programming or to a generalist who writes code for many kinds of software. One who practices or professes a formal approach to... /Game designer |
| Way of the Warrior Way of the Warrior (video game) Way of the Warrior is a fighting game released in 1994 for the 32-bit 3DO. It was developed by Naughty Dog and it received a "17+" rating for its violent content. The game's soundtrack consists of music from the 1992 White Zombie album La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol... |
1995 | 3DO 3DO Interactive Multiplayer The 3DO Interactive Multiplayer is a video game console originally produced by Panasonic in 1993. Further renditions of the hardware were released in 1994 by Sanyo and Goldstar. The consoles were manufactured according to specifications created by The 3DO Company, and were originally designed by... |
Producer/Programmer Programmer A programmer, computer programmer or coder is someone who writes computer software. The term computer programmer can refer to a specialist in one area of computer programming or to a generalist who writes code for many kinds of software. One who practices or professes a formal approach to... /Game designer |
| Crash Bandicoot | 1996 | PlayStation PlayStation The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000... |
Lead programmer Lead programmer A lead programmer is a software engineer in charge of one or more software projects. Alternative titles include Development Lead, Technical Lead, Senior Software Engineer, Software Design Engineer Lead , Software Manager, or Senior Applications Developer... |
| Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back is a platform video game published by Sony Computer Entertainment, produced by Universal Interactive Studios and developed by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation... |
1997 | PlayStation PlayStation The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000... |
Lead programmer Lead programmer A lead programmer is a software engineer in charge of one or more software projects. Alternative titles include Development Lead, Technical Lead, Senior Software Engineer, Software Design Engineer Lead , Software Manager, or Senior Applications Developer... |
| Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped | 1998 | PlayStation PlayStation The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000... |
Lead programmer Lead programmer A lead programmer is a software engineer in charge of one or more software projects. Alternative titles include Development Lead, Technical Lead, Senior Software Engineer, Software Design Engineer Lead , Software Manager, or Senior Applications Developer... |
| Crash Team Racing Crash Team Racing Crash Team Racing is a racing video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. The game was released in North America on September 30, 1999 and in Europe and Australia later the same year. It was re-released for the Sony Greatest Hits line-up in... |
1999 | PlayStation PlayStation The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000... |
Chief Technology Officer |
| Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy | 2001 | PlayStation 2 PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan... |
Lead programmer Lead programmer A lead programmer is a software engineer in charge of one or more software projects. Alternative titles include Development Lead, Technical Lead, Senior Software Engineer, Software Design Engineer Lead , Software Manager, or Senior Applications Developer... |
| Jak II Jak II Jak II, , is a platform game developed by Naughty Dog... |
2003 | PlayStation 2 PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan... |
Lead programmer Lead programmer A lead programmer is a software engineer in charge of one or more software projects. Alternative titles include Development Lead, Technical Lead, Senior Software Engineer, Software Design Engineer Lead , Software Manager, or Senior Applications Developer... |
| Jak 3 Jak 3 Jak 3 is a platform game for Sony's PlayStation 2 console developed by Naughty Dog. It is the third game in the main Jak and Daxter series. Jak 3 was completely localized and dubbed in Japanese, but was not released in Japan due to Jak IIs poor sales... |
2004 | PlayStation 2 PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan... |
Lead programmer Lead programmer A lead programmer is a software engineer in charge of one or more software projects. Alternative titles include Development Lead, Technical Lead, Senior Software Engineer, Software Design Engineer Lead , Software Manager, or Senior Applications Developer... |
| Jak X: Combat Racing Jak X: Combat Racing Jak X: Combat Racing , is a vehicular combat game video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2 and first released in North America on October 18, 2005, then in Australia on October 26, 2005 and then in Europe on November 4, 2005... |
2005 | PlayStation 2 PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan... |
Extra Special Thanks |
| Daxter Daxter Daxter is a fictional character and a protagonist of the Jak and Daxter series. First introduced in Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Daxter is Jak's best friend, and was accidentally transformed into an ottsel . Daxter is voiced by Max Casella and Richard McGonagle . Daxter stars in his own... |
2006 | PlayStation Portable PlayStation Portable The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004... |
Special Thanks |
| Uncharted: Drake's Fortune | 2007 | PlayStation 3 PlayStation 3 The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles... |
Special Thanks |