11 replies to this topic

[Raiden]

Naughty Dog has endured an interesting and somewhat troubled start to 2014. After the successful release of their acclaimed hit The Last of Us, they've been struck with the loss of higher-tier employees, including Uncharted's creative director Amy Hennig and Uncharted 4's director Justin Richmond. Additionally, The Last of Us lead artist Nate Wells left the company to pursue a different avenue at Giant Sparrow. 

It appears that The Last of Us lead character artist Michael Knowland has left the studio as well, according to his LinkedIn profile. He began work with Naughty Dog in January 2011 as a character artist. 10 months later he was promoted to lead character artist to work on The Last of Us. At this time, no announcement has been made as to where he will go next.

 

[Guy Fieri]

Man, what is going on with all these departures at Naughty Dog? Doesn't bode well for Uncharted 4 and some additional console sales. I just wanna see another Crash game from ND at E3.

Edited by Cranky Kong, 28 April 2014 - 01:36 PM.

[Colinx]

I wouldn't call a sinking ship just yet.

[Raiden]

Man, what is going on with all these departures at Naughty Dog? Doesn't bode well for Uncharted 4 and some additional console sales. I just wanna see another Crash game from ND at E3.

ND has no rights to Crash anymore.  Not since 1999.

[Guy Fieri]

ND has no rights to Crash anymore.  Not since 1999.

 

I know, but it's not out of the realm of possibility that Activision could lend the rights to Crash to ND/work together on a new game. Or Sony buy the franchise entirely considering it's been dormant for years. That is unless Activision's planning something with the series.

[Raiden]

Activision yeah they never have a clue about a series after they ran it into the ground. Tho the guys who made it are making Sonic Boom so they maybe the best people to get it.

 

Keeping track of former ND IP's is enough to make one very Cranky

Edited by DreamCat, 28 April 2014 - 01:49 PM.

[Scumbag]

Can see Uncharted 4 slipping into delays with all these departures. Uncharted 2 was the better than 3 so we'll see what impact new staff have on the next installment and for The Last of us.

[Nollog]

Sony can't afford quality staff it seems.

[Auzzie Wingman]

NaughtyDog is apparently a really crap studio to work at. Would not be surprised if departures have to do with this.

[Gamejunkie]

Naughty Dog has endured an interesting and somewhat troubled start to 2014. After the successful release of their acclaimed hit The Last of Us, they've been struck with the loss of higher-tier employees, including Uncharted's creative director Amy Hennig and Uncharted 4's director Justin Richmond. Additionally, The Last of Us lead artist Nate Wells left the company to pursue a different avenue at Giant Sparrow. 
It appears that The Last of Us lead character artist Michael Knowland has left the studio as well, according to his LinkedIn profile. He began work with Naughty Dog in January 2011 as a character artist. 10 months later he was promoted to lead character artist to work on The Last of Us. At this time, no announcement has been made as to where he will go next.

Over dramatic to say the least. I think its way to early to assume the worst.

NaughtyDog is apparently a really crap studio to work at. Would not be surprised if departures have to do with this.

And you know this how. Have you actually worked for them or know someone who has/does.

[Raiden]

I have been told it was something to so with Amy Henning's departure as a good guess. Not an overreaction at all if you knew Sony's history. They don't have a great rep with 1st party and they have closed a few studio's recently within the last few months and last couple years and laid off a lot and Team Ico's break up. They almost fired them all few short years ago.

 

No there is def something up behind the scenes at Sony in general.

Edited by DreamCat, 30 April 2014 - 10:11 PM.

[SailtheSeas]

It's not just Sony's, Naughty Dog studio which is seeing departures, I've read there are job cuts taking place or due to take place at their Santa Monica Studios. I'm just wondering what effects this will have on ND games in the pipeline i.e. Uncharted 4 for instance.

 

Meanwhile at Nintendo nobody wants to leave, not even Miyamoto and that for me speaks volumes about Nintendo and with that MK8 bundle coming out, I'm expecting a stronger finish to 2014 for the big N.