PlayStation has acquired another studio for its first-party stable. This time it’s Haven Studios, the team led by ex-Ubisoft/ex-EA/ex-Google lead Jade Raymond, which was founded last year alongside a partnership with Sony. The studio confirmed it was working on a new IP for PlayStation when it was first announced, but now it sounds like both companies are making the relationship more official.
Head of PlayStation Studios Herman Hulst announced the acquisition through a post on the PlayStation Blog, where he said Sony’s partnership with Haven Studios had been so lucrative for both parties that Sony decided to buy the studio outright before the team’s multiplayer project has even been properly unveiled to the public.
The post also includes a statement from Raymond, which reads as follows:
One year ago this month, we embarked on a journey to start Haven Studios with a small team and big ambitions. Our goal was to build a studio where we could make the kind of games we’ve always wanted to create – and games we’ve longed to play!
We’ve made amazing progress in a short time thanks to our talented, passionate team and their exceptional contributions. We established a culture at Haven grounded in kindness, adaptability and courage that unlocks creativity. Our first new IP for PlayStation is on track to deliver a AAA multiplayer experience with a vision to build a systemic and evolving world focused on freedom, thrill, and playfulness that will keep players entertained and engaged for years.
Today, the Haven team begins a new phase of our journey, as part of the PlayStation Studios family. Working with Hermen, Connie Booth and the team at PlayStation over the past year has been a career highlight. SIE is a supportive partner that truly understands the creative process and what it takes to make a blockbuster AAA game. They have empowered and encouraged us to bring our bold vision to life and make our dreams come true and we could not be more thrilled about this opportunity to strengthen our partnership.
As a SIE first-party studio, we will have the opportunity to collaborate with some of the world’s most renowned development teams, including studios like Guerrilla, Naughty Dog, Media Molecule, and Insomniac Games, the creators of games that have inspired us as players and developers for years. We’re excited to learn from these world-class studios, as well as the exceptional central creative, technology and marketing teams whose expertise will enable us to deliver even better games to players.
To our Haven team – a huge thank you. It’s been one of the most rewarding years of my career – and to the players out there, we can’t wait to share more. We’re just at the beginning of what is sure to be a wondrous adventure that will span generations.
The Haven acquisition follows a series of studio buy-outs by Sony, including Bungie back in January. It also follows eight more women coming forward in a discrimination lawsuit against PlayStation for its treatment of women employees.
