25 years of Quantic Dream: contentious digital storytellers

In 2022, despite rumors of a takeover, Quantic Dream will be one of the most successful independent studios in the world. Founder David Cage and his game development philosophy have long grown into a brand. The Paris-based company can now look back on a 25-year history. Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls or Detroit: Become Human: The most famous Quantic Dream works are not undisputed, but at least as well known. The same applies to David Cage, the founder of the company. The Frenchman, born on June 9, 1969 under the real name David De Gruttola in Mulhouse, began his career as a musician and composer, but realized at a young age that, despite his lack of programming knowledge, he would much rather work in game development.

We travel back to 1994. The then young David Cage was working as a composer. He wrote music for other artists, commercials and even small video games. By then he was earning well and had built up a network. Still, he wanted something different.

David Cage (left), real name David De Gruttola, founded Quantic Dream in May 1997. Guillaume De Fondaumière joined the company in 2003 as Chief Operating Officer and Co-Managing Director.

Source: Quantic Dream

“I worked for other music companies in my studio every day. I got tired of it. I had a passion for writing and I loved video games, so I decided to write the game I’ve always wanted,” he explained in an interview with industry magazine MCV UK.

In the months that followed, he spent his free time working on a concept and script for The Nomad Soul (Omicron: The Nomad Soul in North America). The result: 200 handwritten pages. He shared his initial ideas with a few video game contacts he had made through his previous work. The feedback was positive.

Pop star David Bowie embodied two NPCs in The Nomad Soul and contributed to the soundtrack to the open-world action game.

Source: Moby Games

True to the motto “all or nothing”, Cage teamed up with five friends in 1997 and started developing a prototype. However, the budget was only enough for six months. In the last few weeks he went in search of a publisher and financier. In London he got an appointment with Eidos.

With a PC and a demo version in his luggage, he dragged himself sweating to their offices – and the very next day had a finished and, above all, French contract in front of him. “Eidos was amazing back then. They were rock ‘n’ roll. They did really crazy things at an interesting time in our industry. They gave us the money for the project and the only condition was that we start this month.” explained Cage in the interview.

With this first contract, the future was also secured: Quantic Dream was founded on May 2nd, 1997. The Nomad Soul finally came out in 1999. It wasn’t a great game, let alone a flawless one, but it was an unusual game. David Cage likes to describe it as a “sci-fi GTA”.

In fact, you move freely through the game world, solve puzzles, fight and, above all, you can find out the background of the futuristic setting. The cooperation with music icon David Bowie, who set two supporting characters to music and also contributed to the soundtrack, provided Hollywood flair. The game sold around 600,000 copies – not a mega hit, but enough to keep Eidos happy.