The video game industry is often in a state of flux in regards to its developers. For not everyone has a 40 hour a week job there, and even if they do, it’s not required that they stay there forever. However, when someone does stay there for a long time, and then they leave, it definitely affects the company. Naughty Dog has been going through some big changes over the last few years personnel wise, and that has continued today, as they’ve lost one of the key people behind their Uncharted franchise.
Shaun Escayg was the Creative Director on Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, but as he revealed on Twitter, he’s officially leaving the company for new pursuits. He’s apparently going to Crystal Dynamics, where he is attached to their Avengers project.
Seven years ago I joined the talented team at @Naughty_Dog on a project still in its infancy, The Last Of Us. Well, the rest is history. Left Behind, Uncharted 4 were fleeting and Uncharted The Lost Legacy pushed my creative growth even further- I will miss all my dogs.
— Shaun Escayg (@ShaunEscayg) January 3, 2018
This is the continuation of an unfortunate trend for Naughty Dog, for many members of many of their teams have departed for one reason or another. Famously, Amy Henning, who was a key writer on the Uncharted franchise and was taken off of Uncharted 4, departed the studio to go to Visceral, which sadly closed down recently. Also among the departures were Justin Blackmon, and just a few months ago, Bruce Straley, co-director of A Thief’s End, left the studio.
We’re unsure of what this means for Naughty Dog as a whole. The studio is going to keep going on, that’s for sure, especially with The Last Of Us Part 2 coming out, but it does make you think about the state of the company.
