Kent Hudson | Creative Director |Midway Studios Austin
GamesRadar: There's no denying GTA IV is the most anticipated game of the year on 360 and PS3: what are your feelings about the game from what you've seen so far?
Kent Hudson: Let's put it this way: whenever I see a new preview or announcement about GTA IV on a website I explicitly avoid reading it, because I know it'll just make me angry that the game's not out yet. I really just want to forget about the game until it's released so I can avoid the 10 minutes of depression I feel every time I hear about how great it's going to be and then remember that it's not out yet.
GR: How many of the other GTA games have you played and which one did you admire most?
KH: I played GTA III, Vice City and San Andreas. I really dug the expansive world and the masterful presentation of early 90's South Central in San Andreas, but in terms of an overall experience I'd have to say that Vice City was my favorite of the 3D GTA games. It absolutely nailed the 80's vibe, I liked the gameplay additions over GTA III, and for me it had the most memorable characters in the series.
Above:Kent Hudson works at Midway Austin, makers of missed opportunity Blacksite. When it comes to pop culture, he thinks "nobody does it better" than Rockstar
GR: From a developer point of view how do you rate Rockstar?
KH: When it comes to capturing a certain time period or element of pop culture, no one does it better. Seriously, nobody. I really admire their ability to refine and iterate from rev to rev, and their production values are top notch. They’ve done a lot to push games forward when it comes to exploring a large world that feels full of possibilities instead of being empty. Plus, I respect any developer who can bring the internet to its knees by unveiling a new trailer.
GR: Will you be buying GTA IV on day one?
KH: If there was a day zero, I’d buy it then. Day negative five would be even better.
GR: Okay, thanks for your time. Is there anything you want to plug to GamesRadar readers?
KH: Our game is still unannounced, but keep an eye on us; we've got some very exciting things brewing. But if you want something that's already announced, check outThis Is Vegas; the guys up at our Seattle studio are doing some cool stuff!
