Naughty Dog Founder Explains Why The Studio Was Sold to Sony

In a recent post on LinkedIn, Naughty Dog co-founder Andrew Gavin revealed why Naughty Dog was sold to Sony. Gavin claimed that the studio was sold due to “skyrocketing,” production budgets, and to give the studio enough resources for their games. “Selling to Sony wasn’t just about securing a financial future for Naughty Dog,” he said. “It was about giving the studio the resources to keep making the best games possible, without being crushed by the weight of skyrocketing costs and the paralyzing fear that one slip would ruin it all,” he continued. “Looking back, it was the right call.” “In the early 80s games cost less than $50,000 each to make,” he wrote. “By the time we got to Jak and Daxter, the budget busted the $15 million mark.” Naughty Dog’s upcoming title Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, was announced at The Game Awards, and will launch for PlayStation 5.

The game’s details via the developer:

Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is the newest franchise in development for the PlayStation 5 console from Naughty Dog, the studio behind acclaimed series like The Last of Us and Uncharted. Set thousands of years in the future, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet puts players into the role of Jordan A. Mun, a dangerous bounty hunter who ends up stranded on Sempiria—a distant planet whose communication with the outside universe went dark hundreds of years ago. Jordan will have to use all her skills and wits if she hopes to be the first person in over 600 years to leave its orbit.

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