300°

Remedy Boss Leaves Alan Wake Dev to Form New Studio

"Oskari Häkkinen has announced that he's left Remedy to form his own mobile game/app studio called Futurefly."

Abash3679d ago

Damn, hope everything is going well with Quantum Break

Crimzon3679d ago

If someone leaves voluntarily I wouldn't say there's any cause for concern to be honest. It's only when you hear the term 'layoffs' that alarm bells should start ringing.

Sethry1013679d ago

Infact it is the opposite way around. Lay offs generally come after a game is finished and you no longer need a whole team working on the game.

When someone leaves mid dev cycle it usually indicates a problem.

Note I have no idea how far a long they are with development so I am not claiming there is is or is not a problem.

UltraNova3679d ago (Edited 3679d ago )

Crimzon,

I disagreed with you for pretty much what Seth above said.

But that doesn't mean he didn't have plans to go independent so he and his partners decided it was about time they did.

That said, he was the boss and he left in the middle of the studio's biggest game in development, so there you have it.

Captain_TomAN943679d ago

@Sethry101

Exactly! Layoffs would indicate the game is almost done. For someone to leave (During production) it indicates difference of opinion at the very least (Which doesn't necessarily mean bad things).

Blaze9293679d ago

when these devs move to mobile I would really like to know is it because there is potential to make more money or is it the fact that it's less stressful? Otherwise...screw mobile gaming brah

Farmassy3679d ago

I think its just easier to make money. Think about it... even the mobile games that make the most money aren't too intricate. Development time must be much shorter and the money is great.

I hate mobile games though.

Bigpappy3679d ago

It's lots of money for less creative demands. Great AAA games require lots of personal time and dedication.

abstractel3678d ago (Edited 3678d ago )

Wondered about this too Blaze929. I've known some high profile AAA art directors joining mobile game companies, and since I know how stressful this industry can be I can only guess it's usually stress/money combo. Here's how I see stress levels in the entertainment industry for artists and programmers based on my experience:

Highest Stress: VFX for feature films/commercials
Second Highest: Games
Third: Mobile

I've seen many people move down to Games from VFX.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3678d ago
nicksetzer13679d ago

It is, this is a guy that mainly does marketing. Why the title says "remedy boss" I have no clue. In fact, it almost comes off as flamebait.

Either way this loss is not one I feel worried about for Remedy, quantum break or alan wake's future. It is sad to see how many great gaming influences are moving to mobile though.

700p3679d ago

The dude that left isn't even "remedy boss" lol.

3679d ago
IIFloodyII3679d ago

Sam Lake is still there, so it'll be fine.

hells_supernova3679d ago

I feel like it is either an indication that the game is pretty much done and he can no longer add to the experience so he feels like he can leave or the game is in trouble and he is jumping ship.

Whatever the case Microsoft have the money to make sure the game is finished properly

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 3678d ago
Rimeskeem3679d ago

Great...... another great developer lost to the mobile industry.

mafia_pc3679d ago

He was head of franchise at Remedy, not dev and he was essentially a marketing guy :
https://fi.linkedin.com/in/...

Rimeskeem3679d ago

still sucks that the mobile industry is taking more people. IMO mobile games shouldn't have as much advertising as they currently do.

hells_supernova3679d ago

It is where the easier money is. Less risk plus bigger reward.

ABBAJESUS3679d ago

I have a wierd feeling about mobile industry... I even have a wierd feeling that Nintendo NX will be some sort phone/handconsole hybrid.

Rookie_Monster3679d ago (Edited 3679d ago )

As long as Sam Lake is still there, it is all that matters. Quantum Break will be great when release. Developers leave and go all the time from Naughty Dogs, Santa Monica, Bioware, to 343i.

No biggie

ltachiUchiha3679d ago

As much as I hate mobile gaming, developers can make alot of money with mobile games. Im just glad there are devs out there that know there are also millions of die hard gamers who love triple a titles & are dedicated to that crowd regurdless of how much more pressure it takes to create triple a titles. Hats off to those devs & their teams. Their the reasons i still love gaming even in my 30's.

-Foxtrot3679d ago

Was really excited there for a minute thinking we could have another studio like Remedy running along side them.....then I saw that one word....the one word all (most, some...whatever) hate and fear

...

...

Mobile <Shivers>

Sigh :|

Rimeskeem3679d ago

The mobile gaming industry is becoming a cancer for the rest of the industry

Palitera3679d ago

In a few years, it will BE the industry.

Kribwalker3679d ago

One of the rare times I outright agree with u

christocolus3679d ago (Edited 3679d ago )

Woah for a second i thought this had something to do with QB or Sam Lake. Thank God it doesn't. My Quantum Break is safe and so is Sam.

I wish Oskari the very best in all his future endeavours.

Show all comments (46)
40°

Remedy and FBC: Firebreak Interview - Unraveling The Oldest House

MP1st talks to Remedy Entertainment about FBC: Firebreak and even Alan Wake about game budgets, live-service and more.

80°

Remedy Explains Difference of AA to AAA Games to the Studio

Remedy Entertainment explains the difference to them on what AAA games are compared to AA in relation to their projects.

190°

Remedy Aspired to Be 'European Naughty Dog,' Says Alan Wake 2 Director

Remedy aimed to become the "European Naughty Dog" after drawing inspiration from Naughty Dog, says Alan Wake 2 director.

168d ago Replies(1)
goken167d ago

It’s hard to deny ND’s excellence. Good to aspire to be the best, Remedy is doing a pretty good job. Just make a good game tell a good story, leave politics alone

GamerRN167d ago

Remedy is next to get bought

Killer2020UK165d ago

The problem is, politics leaves no area of life untouched anymore. So it's pretty damn hard to leave politics alone. Everything is a party political issue in the States where if one side takes a stance on anything, the other takes the polar opposite stance just for the sake of it.

Inverno167d ago

Why? Remedy were already making mature games while ND were still making platformers and they wouldn't get around making mature games til the end of the PS3 gen with TLoU. Remedy was already ahead, y'all just went a different direction during that gen.

Sonic1881167d ago (Edited 167d ago )

Not to mention Naughty Dog hasn't made a new IP in over a decade. I thought TLOU2 was good but not great like the first game. I actually think Insomniac games and Sony Santa Monica have passed them up as the best Sony first party developer. I even liked Ghost of Tuishima better than the last of us 2

babadivad167d ago

The first TLOU game was in my top 5 games of all time. Like "The Joker", it didn't need a sequel.

It was brilliant.

neomahi164d ago

Agreed. The first one didn't get anywhere near as political as the second one that dipped heavily into woke territory. Gamers don't want to be preached to, they want to live in an alternate reality where they don't have to live in life, they want to experience something else, have fun

neomahi164d ago

That used to be their thing, like their trademark. With Crash Bandicoot, Mark Cerny interestingly, then the head of Universal Interactive, advised them to sell the IP as they did Insomniac with Spyro so when Sony bought them, they didn't really own the IP and funny enough, Microsoft now owns the IP. Jal and Dexter was next but the technology has changed so much that with Uncharted, it didn't make sense to keep doing Jak and Daxter, Naughty Dog had already been built up and compromised of so much of the team of the original Crystal Dynamics, that's where a lot of them went was to Naughty Dog, which is part of why it bears so much a resemblance to Uncharted. Amy Hennig had just come off of Legacy of Kain.

So, yeah, The Last of Us, really, is about the only one they haven't moved on from. Druckmann's ego won't let it move on, and he'll milk the cow dry rather than leaving it a legacy. "Always leave them wanting more" is the key in entertainment, but yes, traditionally that's how they've done things. Fans beg for more Jak & Daxter and Evan Wells and Christoph Balestra knew to keep telling them NO

RaidenBlack167d ago

Can't wait for Remedy's Max Payne 1&2 Remake ... my most anticipated remake project
Dont know what's gonna happen with Max Payne 3 (hope R* atleast Remasters it) but I'd prefer if Remedy continues the Max Payne series. I'd even play a Mona Sax spin-off (MP2 fans will know) ....
Heck I'd even say, WB let Remedy make a gritty Batman game. They'll nail it, I am sure. But alas the idiotic WB management will not let it happen.

babadivad167d ago

They nailed the graphics at least. At this point, ND wants to be the ND Remedy was trying to emulate.

isarai167d ago

I mean, as far as talent, they're really close, but I think the thing that's working against them is the overconvoluted paranormal storytelling they've created. While it's super interesting, it's not the easiest thing to digest for your average normie. It's kind of that issue music has where you have to dumb down your stuff to appeal to more people.

Show all comments (23)