- A former Naughty Dog VFX artist has stated that the studio only makes games to help Sony sell hardware.
- The team isn’t profit-driven and only serves as a flagship for the Japanese giant.
- Sony is happy with the arrangement, as the studio’s IPs have helped it sell millions of consoles.
Naughty Dog has been a little underwhelming with its output this generation, releasing no new titles and only remakes so far. Intergalactic is set to be the studio’s first fresh release after almost a decade, and Naughty Dog hasn’t even confirmed a release window yet.
But the leadership has made some exciting new announcements regarding the studio’s future recently, claiming that it has several games in The Last of Us universe in the works in addition to other projects. If you ask a former Uncharted developer, however, the intent behind these titles is just to increase hardware sales.
Why it matters: Even though the arrangement is working for both parties so far, Naughty Dog can easily get stunted creatively if it only makes games that appeal to a wider demographic.
Matt Radford, a former Naughty Dog developer who worked on The Last of Us and Uncharted, told Kiwi Talkz in a new interview that the studio only exists to sell PlayStation consoles. The VFX artist explained that Naughty Dog is healthy because it doesn’t have the same profit-driven targets other studios have, as its only purpose is to be a flagship.
My understanding is really that Naughty Dog exists to sell Sony hardware.
The Console business is Sony’s main cash cow, and Radford points out that this arrangement is working for Sony, as Naughty Dog’s IPs cover the losses by helping the Japanese giant sell PlayStations.
Considering how the PS5 suite is the company’s most profitable generation so far, making $13 billion worldwide, it’s safe to say that the studio’s games have provided enough value to the brand. However, Sony has also expressed disappointment in Naughty Dog’s production this decade.
With Intergalactic set to get fully unveiled in 2027, with a release in the same year also rumored, the studio is finally breaking its barren streak this generation. Reports have also stated that a new Uncharted game is in development, meaning fans have a lot to look forward to.
Do you think Naughty Dog has been creatively stunted under the leadership of Sony? Do you expect Intergalactic to be a major evolution for the studio’s formula? Tell us in the comments below or head to the Tech4Gamers forum for discussion.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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