Psycho_Mantis
Banned
What a piss poor analogy. ND has over 200 people and numerous developers that can lead.
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Michael Knowland (Lead Character Artist) leaves Naughty Dog
- Thread starter nbnt
- Start date
What a piss poor analogy. ND has over 200 people and numerous developers that can lead.
boredandlazy
Member
And to help that reasoning those high profile jobs are the best paying positions too. Though that means that ND won't replace them, meaning they are downsizing, promoting internally, or they'll hire external talent to replace those leaving but at lower wages.
That's what makes these threads so silly.
If you're a talented creative in any industry you'll move around to get better pay, different projects and challenges to work on.
Salvor.Hardin
Banned
There is a distinct different between having the ability to lead and having successful and proven leadership experience.
TheLostBigBoss
Banned
"We are a private company and you have no right to demand any information about former or current employees"
Or to put it more blunt
foxuzamaki
Doesn't read OPs, especially not his own
Sony isnt fostering enough loyalty I guess.
Naughty dogs has a big following, fans who has been supporting them for years. I'm not saying they MUST, but i think they are allowed some insight in big restructions, changes in formations and such. It allows for closure and it manages expectations.
amstradcpc
Member
I should have pointed i was talking from a technical point of view. He is besides ICE team top programmer, that would be double loss.
FrostuTheNinja
Member
I hope their next game isn't a disaster. :/
fvng
Member
Sony did the same thing with their Psygnosis/Liverpool studio. Making them develop Wipeout sequels and nothing else. It's sad when studios are not allowed to stretch their creative muscles
UrbanDandy
Member
This is an odd series of events. Sure to some, this seems normal for business - I personally am an strong proponent of corporate loyalty - but if the lead left to pursue better options for himself, more power to him.
TheLostBigBoss
Banned
So what do you want them to say?
Anything they would say would just be general talk. They would never go into details on the departure of former members because that's a legal hellhole.
There is nothing to gain and not enough people actually give a shit to make an official announcement or explanation.
fvng
Member
Then there are tragically bad decisions like Kelee Santiago going from ThatGameCompany to Ouya
UrbanDandy
Member
That doesn't make sense. (I've read about her leaving)
Psycho_Mantis
Banned
There's a starting point for everything and with the talent ND have I am sure numerous people can step up. Not to mention, I am sure there are a lot of people in ND that have experience.
Wow thats impressive.
ZackieChan
Member
Can we just have an OT of game industry folk changing jobs/leaving the industry/whatever? The fact that there is a new thread for each person leaving is part of the reason that each one is blown out of proportion, I think.
Knack 2: Last Harder
Triggerhappytel
Member
If he worked on TLoU then it makes sense that after a huge project like that ships he might want to move on. However, is this number of departures from a studio like this typical, or does it indicate trouble at Naughty Dog? There does seem to be a lot of high-profile staff leaving as of late.
but then how would gaf generate these garbage memes that arent funny?
This. At this point, ND is under the internet microscope.
Even though every company under the sun shifts personnel on a regular basis, we only see threads for when ND does.
But yeah, let's cue some more hilarious Druckmann jokes!
We do not speak of such things. Haha, but seriously, enjoyed that poignant analogy.
Interesting about Jason Gragory being the CR7 of ND. I'd think it would be Evan Wells, or Straley/Druckman with the gem that is TLoU.
Nightengale
Member
Nobody made a thread for Will Maiden when he left Evolution a few days ago.
It definitely feels like something major happened at not just Naughty Dog, but Sony studios as a whole. Tons of leads leaving, across 4 of their top studios. Very few game announcements. Delays of games. Silence from the usually chatty Yoshida and Boyd.
They are coasting on their great PS4 launch, but they haven't done shit for months but put out a steady stream of terrible news.
4 top leads at Naughty Dog, minimum
Lead of God of War
Lead of inFamous SS
Lead of The Last Guardian
Jack Tretton
All gone. Basically no exclusives shown at all, still, besides Drive Club and The Order.
They are coasting on their great PS4 launch, but they haven't done shit for months but put out a steady stream of terrible news.
4 top leads at Naughty Dog, minimum
Lead of God of War
Lead of inFamous SS
Lead of The Last Guardian
Jack Tretton
All gone. Basically no exclusives shown at all, still, besides Drive Club and The Order.
ZackieChan
Member
kevcampbell
Member
Rename Naughty Dog to The Last Of Us
That will be the case soon, there will only be a couple of people left there
That will be the case soon, there will only be a couple of people left there
Any ideas on what places might want his talent?
banderas.gif
Naughty Dog fans always find a way.
banderas.gif
Shall we drown them in tubes?
Nightengale
Member
What revisionist history are you on? Yoshida and Boyes have always held pindrop silence whenever it came to first-party unannounced titles. Their chattiness have always been non-news worthy.
What are you going on about? The only thing I said was
"Didn't you post the exact same thing earlier today?"
I don't know why you're getting all puffy (Ami Yumi) for.
It is none of our business what goes on in Naughty Dogs offices. That is private dealings between employees and their employers. The only press release we are privy too is,
"We can confirm Micheal Knowland has left Naughty Dog and the timeline of Uncharted 4 and any other games in productions will not be impacted."
RMS Gigantic
Member
When I read the thread title, I mentally sang, "And another one gone, and another one gone...."
Liamario
Banned
Druckman joke has now been milked utterly. I don't think this would have gotten any attention if it wasn't for amy Henning leaving. People move on and at the rate these departures are being reported, we should see an interview from NDs ex janitor on kotaku by the end of the week.
Here we go. Naughty Dog is doooooooomed.
Over-reactions are being plastered all over this thread.
fvng
Member
It couldn't make less sense if you tried
amstradcpc
Member
Well for me ND games are a delight:
-first for its technical achievements: gameplay, character movement, good graphics...
-second for its writing, history.
So, I care more for the technical side of it. Except for TLOU the writing so far has not being out of this world.
SargerusBR
I love Pokken!
At this rate ND is going to close by the end of the year
I don't buy that at all. It's 7 top leads leaving from Sony studios in a short amount of time, right after a new CEO of Sony CE America steps in for Tretton. It's unusual.
If it was MS studios losing 7 leads, I think people would notice.
THis is getting out of hand.
Naughty dog has perhaps 200+ people in their workforce. Someone leaves, the trend of the days is, "quickly report it".
This guy for example was at ND 2.5 years. He worked only in TLOU. He finished his work and he left.
Do we get similar reports as these when people are hired by Naughty Dog?
No.
Probably ND has made some hiring as well these days. But no. The cool news are about the people leaving. Panic mode on.
Naughty dog has perhaps 200+ people in their workforce. Someone leaves, the trend of the days is, "quickly report it".
This guy for example was at ND 2.5 years. He worked only in TLOU. He finished his work and he left.
Do we get similar reports as these when people are hired by Naughty Dog?
No.
Probably ND has made some hiring as well these days. But no. The cool news are about the people leaving. Panic mode on.
Nightengale
Member
Guys, I've known the truth for a long time now.
Truth is, Jak 4 is being made. Yup, I said it, Jak 4 is being made. This caused a civil war so to speak due to one part of the team wanting to make a open world platformer akin to Arkham City, but with the scale of a GTA game. The other part of Naughty Dog wanted to make a Dark Souls-esque Jak game where the platforming is extremely tough and the world is interconnected, the player can find shortcuts or create them. This creative rift has put the entire team on edge and a lot of people are backing out. Other creative arguments included if Daxter should be in the game, if it would be a sequel or reboot, whether or not to include vehicles, the whole thing is a mess.
I know what what you're thinking, and yes, I know this because I've read tweets and can interpret them with no error. This is the closest thing to the truth and I'm worried.
Truth is, Jak 4 is being made. Yup, I said it, Jak 4 is being made. This caused a civil war so to speak due to one part of the team wanting to make a open world platformer akin to Arkham City, but with the scale of a GTA game. The other part of Naughty Dog wanted to make a Dark Souls-esque Jak game where the platforming is extremely tough and the world is interconnected, the player can find shortcuts or create them. This creative rift has put the entire team on edge and a lot of people are backing out. Other creative arguments included if Daxter should be in the game, if it would be a sequel or reboot, whether or not to include vehicles, the whole thing is a mess.
I know what what you're thinking, and yes, I know this because I've read tweets and can interpret them with no error. This is the closest thing to the truth and I'm worried.
Nightengale
Member
Ueda left in 2011. 3 years ago.
Jamie said he left on good terms.
Evolution director explained his departure reasons, which is all personal.
2 of the most recent ND departures were members of TLoU team, which had nothing to do with UC4. One even left to the office nearby at SSM, since Giant Sparrow operates from Santa Monica offices. Not a Sony studio, but still on Sony payroll for another few years.
The ones that are notably troubling are Amy and Richmond .