This should be a great time for Sony Computer Entertainment. The PlayStation 4 is out and it's selling very well. You'd presume that each of the company's many first-party studios would be happily busy chipping away at their first projects for the system, preparing to bring the heat at this E3 with a slew of announcements etc.
Except, y'know, everyone is leaving.
The last few weeks have seen a slew of high-profile departures, layoffs and a major cancellation at studios under the SCE umbrella. The company had previously shut down three studios after the launch of its PS Vita - Zipper, BigBig and Sony Liverpool, but they'd each put out one last game for the platform and weren't anywhere near as big as the studios that have suffered lately.
Let's review the facts.
1. Layoffs at Sony Santa Monica and the cancellation of a major new IP
2. Uncharted writer Amy Hennig departs Naughty Dog
3. SCEA President Jack Tretton leaves the company
4. God of War III director Stig Asmussen leaves Sony Santa Monica
5. Evolution Studios director leaves
6. Layoffs at Sony London, Guerrilla Cambridge, Evolution Studios
7. Seth Killian leaves Sony Santa Monica
8. Uncharted 4 director Justin Richmond leaves Naughty Dog
Now I could sort of believe up until point 6 that there wasn't much behind all of this. This is a transitional time for the company, and number 1 and 4 are connected, assuming Asmussen was working on the cancelled IP. The layoffs at UK studios were also seemingly an unfortunately routine affair.
But when you add on another two departures of this caliber, it's painfully clear all is not right behind the scenes. Henning and Richmond were confirmed as working on Uncharted 4 last year. They're arguably the two most important members of the project. And they're gone. Santa Monica had been working on its project for a long time, even going as far as teasing it in the last God of War. And now it's no more.
It's a painful situation to be left in the dark in. Sony demonstrated a developer-friendly attitude last generation that was to be commended, and now we have these very uncharacteristic events. What does everyone think is happening?
Except, y'know, everyone is leaving.
The last few weeks have seen a slew of high-profile departures, layoffs and a major cancellation at studios under the SCE umbrella. The company had previously shut down three studios after the launch of its PS Vita - Zipper, BigBig and Sony Liverpool, but they'd each put out one last game for the platform and weren't anywhere near as big as the studios that have suffered lately.
Let's review the facts.
1. Layoffs at Sony Santa Monica and the cancellation of a major new IP
2. Uncharted writer Amy Hennig departs Naughty Dog
3. SCEA President Jack Tretton leaves the company
4. God of War III director Stig Asmussen leaves Sony Santa Monica
5. Evolution Studios director leaves
6. Layoffs at Sony London, Guerrilla Cambridge, Evolution Studios
7. Seth Killian leaves Sony Santa Monica
8. Uncharted 4 director Justin Richmond leaves Naughty Dog
Now I could sort of believe up until point 6 that there wasn't much behind all of this. This is a transitional time for the company, and number 1 and 4 are connected, assuming Asmussen was working on the cancelled IP. The layoffs at UK studios were also seemingly an unfortunately routine affair.
But when you add on another two departures of this caliber, it's painfully clear all is not right behind the scenes. Henning and Richmond were confirmed as working on Uncharted 4 last year. They're arguably the two most important members of the project. And they're gone. Santa Monica had been working on its project for a long time, even going as far as teasing it in the last God of War. And now it's no more.
It's a painful situation to be left in the dark in. Sony demonstrated a developer-friendly attitude last generation that was to be commended, and now we have these very uncharacteristic events. What does everyone think is happening?
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire