John Whitmore

John Whitmore is an American video game designer and executive. Whitmore was a Lead Designer at Retro Studios from 1999-2000, where he led the development of Metaforce and then Metroid Prime. Whitmore was interviewed along with other former Retro staff for a 2022 video by DidYouKnowGaming? on YouTube. It can be viewed here.
==Early career==
Whitmore's career in games began in 1995, when he worked as Lead Designer at Magnet Interactive, a multimedia company that created video games and websites.Span, Paula. "Babes in Toyland". The Washington Post. March 10, 1996. Retrieved May 8, 2022. He subsequently worked for Oddworld Inhabitants, FASA Interactive and Surreal Software before joining Retro Studios in 1999.
==Metaforce and Metroid Prime==
At Retro Studios, Whitmore led their design team in concepting the first launch titles for the then upcoming Nintendo GameCube. This included Metaforce, for which he was lead developer. While it originally had three protagonists, they were reduced to one, the perspective changed from third to first-person, and the protagonist was completely changed again. Finally, Shigeru Miyamoto suggested that the game be turned into a Metroid title, and Retro agreed. However, Retro staff were led to believe the GameCube was more powerful than it really was - Whitmore compared the console itself to a "purple lunchbox" and its controller to something only usable in a Miyamoto game.
Dissatisfied with the constant restarting of development from scratch, the conflict over whether Prime should have a first or third person perspective, and the underwhelming GameCube, Whitmore left Retro Studios in 2000. He was not credited in the finished game. Whitmore later came to agree with Miyamoto's decision to make the game first-person.
In the YouTube interview, Whitmore shared details about Metaforce, and revealed that Nintendo only developed Metroid Fusion as a companion to Prime when they realized how popular the series was in the West. He was quoted as saying "Miyamoto didn't care if we killed it [Prime]." In other words, because Metroid was not a franchise he created, Miyamoto was willing to risk Retro potentially ruining it. Additionally, Whitmore explained that Retro developers believed Prime was a reboot or gaiden (side-story) and that Nintendo would find a place for it in the series canon (which they did, between Metroid and Metroid II: Return of Samus).DidYouKnowGaming? "Metroid Prime Devs Share Secrets (EXCLUSIVE)". YouTube. April 17, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
==Subsequent career==
Shortly after leaving Retro, Whitmore found a new job as a Senior Producer at Heavy Iron Studios, where he led development of Scooby-Doo! Night of 100 Frights. He has since worked at Bandai Namco, Sega of America (as Vice President of Content), Naked Sky Entertainment, Mattel and other studios. Whitmore joined Level Ex, a developer of medical video games for use by physicians, in November 2019 as Vice President and Studio Director of Design.Level Ex. "John Whitmore has joined Level Ex as our new VP, Studio Director of Design. Over his 25 years in the video game industry, John has led game design, product development, and creative direction functions at legendary companies like SEGA, BANDAI NAMCO US, Retro Studios, and Oddworld Inhabitants, and has contributed to dozens of hit titles. We’re grateful to tap into his wealth of experience. Welcome! https://www.level-ex.com/" Facebook. November 20, 2019. Retrieved May 8, 2022. https://www.facebook.com/LevelExTeam/photos/john-whitmore-has-joined-level-ex-as-our-new-vp-studio-director-of-design-over-h/2421466278127329/"Level Ex named to Fast Company's list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2020". Level Ex. March 10, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
==External links==
*Whitmore on LinkedIn
*Whitmore on MobyGames
==References==
Category:Retro Studios employees