Naughty Dog Co-President Evan Wells announces he will be retiring later this year.

[Yurinka]

There was no intention to remove Action and violence. The intention was to diverse the gameplay and incorporate more stealth with bigger explorable environments (SOMETHING they started with Uncharted 3) with the Graveyard level which was fantastic with utilizing the games mechanic... You are so twisting the truth to suit your stupid agenda.

Amy herself publicly stated they used A LOT of her source material on Twitter. Why would she lie? That was the only time she ever commented on Uncharted 4 after leaving the company.

My "stupid agenda" is to tell the truth.

After leaving ND she said in at least a conference or interview (can't remember when, maybe when she had a talk in Gamelab) that he was tired of violence and wanted to remove it from Uncharted 4 and focus more in narrative. And that after ND she wanted to go in that direction.

But later she worked in Battlefield Hardline and Forspoken.

Uncharted 4 still has less action than Uncharted 3.

Yes

Naughty Dog lost a ton of staff and leadership after Jak X shipped. It was Amy's pitch for Uncharted that got the studio back on track.

After shipping a game it's normal to see some movement of people leaving or joining the studio. Specially in crunch heavy studios or prestige studios (they are a main target for headhunters) like Naughty Dog.

If you go and check Moby Games you'll see that basically the whole Jak 3 and Jak X teams continued in ND and worked in Uncharted. Many continued and are still there, but some left just after Uncharted 1. A few to Sucker Punch, one or two to Bungie, a handful to Ready at Dawn to work on Daxter to name some cases.

Most of the people who wasn't credited again in ND games after Jak X were the ones in the ICE team, a new team that worked in Sony game engines.

What does Metacritic have to do with anything? Forespoken's metacritic doesn't reflect the actual game.... Again did you play it?

MC is the average of all the game reviews, so it's often used as the most representative metric to know what gaming media -so players- thinks on average about a game. And a 63/64 for a AAA game is a terrible score, means that most people didn't like the game.

But if in your particular case you have a different opinion it's ok. It just means that your personal opinion is very rare because almost everybody has a different opinion.

I didn't like the demo, I am not a fan of the genre and saw that the reviews in places I trust didn't like the game. So I didn't buy it. But not specifically for this game, as an example I didn't get FFXVI and still have to complete FFVIIR, which I only played during 10 hours or so before getting bored. I prefer to spend my time with other types of games.

 

[Petekilla]

Let's see:

• Their most recent game is the fastest selling one they ever had
• Their most recent game was the game that earned more GOTY awards in gaming history
• They have been growing in recent years becoming bigger than ever and as of now are about 400 people
• They are working in minimum 3 big internal games at the same time, more than before
• They recently released Uncharted and TLOU adaptations for cinema and tv with huge record success

How the fuck are they supposed to be in trouble? They are better than ever.


Without Amy ND released Uncharted 4 (+Lost Legacy) and TLOU 2 with big sales suceess and critical acclaim.

Without ND Amy worked in Battlefield Hardline and Forspoken, that were both flops in sales that got yellow metacritic.




After 30 years in game development (worked 5 years in Sega and Crystal Dynamics before joining ND), Evan should be around 50 years old, rich and tired after many years crunching in many gems he worked on.

He's retiring now that the studio is on its best moment ever and he'll do it after planning studio management replacement and verifying everything is ok during some months before he leaves, that's all.


Changes and delays aren't troubles, they are common and frequent parts of the creative process of normal game development in every studio.

And Evan leaving is only a pretty rich 50 years old executive, who was no longer involved in game development but instead working on studio management (but who crunched like a motherfucker decades ago when was a dev), retiring.

Nothing rare or troubling.


I think it was in TLOUP1 that there was some drawing of dragons and a black woman that maybe were a tease of an upcoming new IP.

Uncharted and TLOU are some of the biggest Sony moneymakers so with or without ND Sony will continue milking them.

Not long ago the ND copresidents said they were interested on working in new IP in addition to TLOU and Uncharted.

Also, PS4 was the only gen where ND didn't release a new IP. So I think one of the multiple games they also have in the works including SP that ND mentioned when announcing the delay of TLOU Online is going to be a new IP for PS5.

Yeah. “Fastest selling” then it fell off a cliff after that. LMAO

 

[Vertigo]

Yeah. “Fastest selling” then it fell off a cliff after that. LMAO

That fastest selling chart that made the rounds kinda reminded me of that debate. Seeing tsushima’s ltd vs it was impressive comparatively. There’s anecdotal comments to be made about divisive reception being a factor.

Edit - PS … Naughty Dog doom is misplaced. For many reasons. I mean… at least see what they got coming… so far it seems like everything is going as planned… and that HBO show just gave them god knows what … more of something.

 

[Would_you_kindly]

Hate cuckman he's a huge cunt & forced Amy Hennig out

 

[Yurinka]

Yeah. “Fastest selling” then it fell off a cliff after that. LMAO

Bullshit, the evidence we have says the opposite: GoT is also being a huge success, and TLOU2 kept being above GoT in the charts -specially in the biggest PS market: Europe- plus also got a boost with the tv show.

Sony has at least a pending Director's Cut, which pretty will be TLOU2DC for PS5 and later PC.

Pretty likely TLOU2 will end selling over 20M like other half a dozen or so top selling Sony games (TLOU1, Spider-Man, HFW, HZD, GoW, GoWR...).

 

[Danja]

Bullshit, the evidence we have says the opposite: GoT is also being a huge success, and TLOU2 kept being above GoT in the charts -specially in the biggest PS market: Europe- plus also got a boost with the tv show.

Sony has at least a pending Director's Cut, which pretty will be TLOU2DC for PS5 and later PC.

Pretty likely TLOU2 will end selling over 20M like other half a dozen or so top selling Sony games (TLOU1, Spider-Man, HFW, HZD, GoW, GoWR...).

TLoU2 is not selling 20 million unless it gets bundled the entire generation and that's not happening

 

[Danja]

Hate cuckman he's a huge cunt & forced Amy Hennig out

I don't hate him but he's a self serving person who puts his needs above others. I'll never forget when he made the shady tweet about Uncharted 3 on Twitter. Or when he told the devs to get rid of certain uncharted end game staples because the studio is now above certain things.

 

[flaccidsnake]

Druckman's track record speaks for itself. The dude is killing the game.

But yeah, it sounds like Hennig was done dirty, and also Bruce Straley deserves better given the quality of his work. I just found out Straley founded a new studio, so I'll be looking forward to their next project:

Wildflower | Wildflower Interactive

We're making 'small-ish,' creatively-charged, uniquely-styled games that explore the possibilities of our medium.

wildflowergames.com

 

[Yurinka]

TLoU2 is not selling 20 million unless it gets bundled the entire generation and that's not happening

Yeah. “Fastest selling” then it fell off a cliff after that. LMAO

In only a couple years after its release they announced it reached 10M. As of last december, the series was at 37M and we knew over that TLOU1 was at 20M way in October 2019. And that was before the sales bump of the tv show. So right now TLOU2 should be now around 15M or close, and maybe even above.

It will continue selling for years, specially when there's the season 2 of the tv show releases. And obviously it will get another bump if as rumored/assumed it gets a PS5 and PC SKU (I bet around the Season 2 of the tv show) too.

So yes, will end selling more than 20M without the need of any bundles. "Fell off a cliff", sure.

 

[Danja]

It reached 10M in only a couple years, it was announced a year ago. So will end selling way more than that, specially when there's the season 2 of the tv show coming and pretty likely a PS5 and PC SKU.

It's not selling 20 million unless it's gonna be bundled the entire generation like TLoU: Remastered was.

 

[Danja]

Druckman's track record speaks for itself. The dude is killing the game.

But yeah, it sounds like Hennig was done dirty, and also Bruce Straley deserves better given the quality of his work. I just found out Straley founded a new studio, so I'll be looking forward to their next project:

Wildflower | Wildflower Interactive

We're making 'small-ish,' creatively-charged, uniquely-styled games that explore the possibilities of our medium.

wildflowergames.com

Hennig was definitely done dirty and to see people like @Yurinka attempt to diminish her is wild to see. They NDA'd her into oblivion before she left. Same thing they did with Justin Richmond... Who was also a major loss for the studio.

 

[JAHGamer]

Druckmann is very talented but I think he should just stay in a purely creative role, not managerial/executive. Naughty Dog has been the worst managed studio this gen with the stupid pointless remake, crappy "directors cuts", horrible PC port, constant FUD around Factions 2 and only having a single concept art to show after 3+ years of development. Naughty Dog went from being the best Sony 1p studio, to the worst!

 

[Yurinka]

Druckmann is very talented but I think he should just stay in a purely creative role, not managerial/executive. Naughty Dog has been the worst managed studio this gen with the stupid pointless remake, crappy "directors cuts", horrible PC port, constant FUD around Factions 2 and only having a single concept art to show after 3+ years of development. Naughty Dog went from being the best Sony 1p studio, to the worst!

In the last 3 years:

• Released TLOU2 months before PS5 release with record sales, reviews and awards
• Released Uncharted Legacy of Thieves collection with Iron Galaxy
• Released TLOUP1 with Visual Arts
• Released PC ports of Legacy of Thieves and TLOUP1
• Released Uncharted movie made by PS Productions
• Released TLOU tv sho made by PS Productions/HBO
• Released TLOU & Uncharted theme park stuff made by someone else
• Grew the team to 400 people
• Working on TLOU Online, their biggest game ever
• Working in multiple SP games at the same time than TLOU Online

The TLOUP1 PC port had flaws, many of them already fixed, but other than that they had a huge output in recent years with several -record breaking- very successful products. Also, in the past they only were able to work on a big game at the same time and now they apparently work in at least 3 big games at the same time.

It's very hard -if not impossible- to find a gamedev studio with a bigger and more successful output inside or outside Sony. And that requires a great management, can't be done with bad management.

 

[JAHGamer]

• Released TLOU2 months before PS5 release with record sales, reviews and awards
• Grew the team to 400 people
• Released Uncharted Legacy of Thieves collection with Iron Galaxy
• Released TLOUP1 with Visual Arts
• Released PC ports of Legacy of Thieves and TLOUP1
• Released Uncharted movie made by PS Productions
• Released TLOU tv sho made by PS Productions/HBO
• Released TLOU & Uncharted theme park stuff made by someone else
• Working on TLOU Online, their biggest game ever
• Working also in multiple other SP games at the same time

Most of your list is a net negative, the only good thing is TLOU2 and TLOU HBO Show. I never denied his talent, which is why I said he should stay in a purely creative role....he is perfect as Creative Director.

 

[Yurinka]

Most of your list is a net negative, the only good thing is TLOU2 and TLOU HBO Show. I never denied his talent, which is why I said he should stay in a purely creative role....he is perfect as Creative Director.

Even if copresident, he directed TLOU and cocreated the tv show, where he even directed a couple episodes. He also wrote at least the first draft of the TLOU3 story. And he obiously overviews the creative side of their games even if he doesn't direct them.

Obviously, in remasters, remakes or theme park rides he can't add basically anything in the creative side.

And well, it's total bullshit to call net negative to grow their studio to work in 3 main projects at the same time instead of one, to make one of the most successful movie adaptations ever, start codeveloping projects with other teams to increase their output or grow their userbase by also reaching PC with ports of old titles.

They are more successful -even in the creative side if you use awards to measure it-, profitable and productive than ever. And it's nonsensical to ask them to release the biggest Naughty Dog game ever with a few years of development. Big games require big development times.

If Insomniac releases almost a game per year it's because Insomniac has 2 development studios with multiple teams working on 3-4 big games at the same time, since generations ago. ND grew to 3 big teams and reached a similar size than Insomniac now, so will require a few years to reach a similar output of big new game releases.

 

[Swolf712]

Hate cuckman he's a huge cunt & forced Amy Hennig out

Fam, did you see what she was trying to do to Uncharted 4?

There's also ZERO proof he "forced her out" besides.

 

[JAHGamer]

Even if copresident, he directed TLOU and cocreated the tv show, where he even directed a couple episodes. He also wrote at least the first draft of the TLOU3 story. And he obiously overviews the creative side of their games even if he doesn't direct them.

Obviously, in remasters, remakes or theme park rides he can't add basically anything in the creative side.

And well, it's total bullshit to call net negative to grow their studio to work in 3 main projects at the same time instead of one, to make one of the most successful movie adaptations ever, start codeveloping projects with other teams to increase their output or grow their userbase by also reaching PC with ports of old titles.

They are more successful -even in the creative side if you use awards to measure it-, profitable and productive than ever. And it's nonsensical to ask them to release the biggest Naughty Dog game ever with a few years of development. Big games require big development times.

If Insomniac releases almost a game per year it's because Insomniac has 2 development studios with multiple teams working on 3-4 big games at the same time, since generations ago. ND grew to 3 big teams and reached a similar size than Insomniac now, so will require a few years to reach a similar output of big new game releases.

The Uncharted movie was terrible and did nothing to help the franchise, PC ports have been a disaster, poor sales and poor optimization. Remake was beyond pointless and a waste of finite resources they seem to desperately need. The directors cuts should've been free upgrades, and I didn't say that Factions 2 had to be out by now. I said all they have to show after all this time is a single piece of concept art, no trailer or even a vague idea of what the game is about or what it's like.

The communication this entire generation has been terrible, the only time we hear from them is when they want to squeeze more money out of us from old games. It's extremely sad and speaks volumes when people don't even question the possibility of a TLOU2 remaster.... If you're ok with getting a bunch of directors cuts, pc ports, and needless remakes, good for you, but don't downplay fair criticism from other PS fans.

 

[Would_you_kindly]

Fam, did you see what she was trying to do to Uncharted 4?

There's also ZERO proof he "forced her out" besides.

Nah funnily enough I'm playing it now though lol & I believe he did he's toxic af unbelievable he got promoted after that came out about crunch at naughty dog should've been fired not rewarded

 

[Danja]

Nah funnily enough I'm playing it now though lol & I believe he did he's toxic af unbelievable he got promoted after that came out about crunch at naughty dog should've been fired not rewarded

The issue started when Amy went to a seminar and spoke about disagreeing with sexuality (Elle being a lesbian) for the sakeof faux feminism... And he then went to Twitter and shaded the writing in Uncharted 3 but then deleted it.

He and Amy didn't work together after UC2 when she had to overrule his creative decision... Because he wanted to kill off Elena and she said that's not what the Uncharted Universe is about. As these characters are meant to have stories that can go on forever.

And we have a good enough idea of what her concept of Uncharted 4 was. Sam was the enemy.. more open environments (which Neil confirmed) ... More variety in gameplay allowing the user to approach situations their own way stealth or guns blazing. Neil changed up Sam's arc and included Nadine

But the narrative her Version was a mess is strange. Since we know she was clashing with Upper management because her team wasn't getting the Resources they needed to hit deadlines since resources were sent over to work on TLoU Remastered since it was coming out sooner than her game.

They had a mini exodus where they lost a lot of the Uncharted 3 team and many of the actors left the project... So clearly there's more to it... Along with Neil firing the original composer of the original trilogy.

 

[Swolf712]

Nah funnily enough I'm playing it now though lol & I believe he did he's toxic af unbelievable he got promoted after that came out about crunch at naughty dog should've been fired not rewarded

Crunch at ND was a cultural thing that predated him. He actually worked to fix it.