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- Naughty Dog hired Michael Ewert to work on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet seven months ago.
- The developer previously worked on Rockstar Games’ world-class physics engine, contributing to GTA 4, GTA 5, and Red Dead Redemption.
- He will likely make similar contributions to the physics systems of future Naughty Dog titles.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet was showcased last year and marks Naughty Dog’s first new IP in well over a decade. This project has been described as being very ambitious, stirring excitement within the gaming industry.
The title is expected to be a few years away from release, but recent hiring activity from the studio suggests the team is making the right calls. Naughty Dog has now hired Michael Ewert, a veteran from Rockstar Games, to work on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
Why it matters: Rockstar Games is known for recruiting the best talent in the industry and has a history of critically acclaimed releases.
Michael Ewert’s LinkedIn profile shows he joined Naughty Dog in February 2025. The developer has joined the team as a Senior Physics Programmer, which is good news given that his experience speaks for itself.
Michael Ewert previously worked on the physics for various Rockstar Games titles between 2004 and 2007. These included GTA 4, GTA 5, Red Dead Redemption, and even the studio’s underrated table tennis game.
While the physics systems in all of these titles are impressive in their own right, GTA 4’s physics systems stood out in particular. Ragdolls, driving physics, and more were all portrayed realistically in the game, something that still holds up to this day.
Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis was also explicitly designed to test the studio’s physics engine at the time, so Michael Ewert boasts plenty of experience with world-class physics programming.
His inclusion in the Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet team could mean that Naughty Dog is upping its own physics systems. The team has traditionally done a great job in this area, but Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet seems to be learning from the best of the industry.
Besides Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, Naughty Dog is also planning other future titles at the moment. Therefore, Michael Ewert’s contributions to the studio’s physics engine may even come in handy for future titles, like they did for Rockstar Games.
What do you think about the studio’s recent hiring? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
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[News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than three years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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