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Amy Hennig has left Naughty Dog [confirmed]
- Thread starter mrjohill
- Start date
- Status
Triggerhappytel
Member
Didn't Rubin and the other ND co-founder (I forget his name) leave before Uncharted 1 was released?! Considering their track record since then, I don't think ND are desperately in need for his return.
The studio have moved on, and much to my dismay they won't be making any more games like Jak & Daxter any more. I loved the game, but I love Uncharted and TLoU as well. It's a different studio now, and I'm okay with that.
NinjaCarrot
Member
I'm more inclined to believe that. Either way, best of luck to her.
They can just fall back to the "our sources said, we just reported it."
As IGN were the ones to break the news, I wouldn't be surprised if she did have to leave on bad terms. However I do agree in that "forced out" engenders too many negative connotations that probably don't accurately capture the circumstances behind her departure.
the word arrogant gets thrown around a lot and there definitely was some of that coming from ken kutaragi, but maybe not sony as a whole. it sure as hell came from jason rubin though, especially when he was talking about the genre he primarily worked on.
Reading Wikipedia article about her it doesn't sound like she was just a writer? Creative director too, right? I have to say writing in Uncharted games was pretty good. Sad to see her go. I would love to know more about what went in the scenes. You don't usually hear stuff like this coming from ND. In any case I'm sure Uncharted 4 will turn out just fine.
It gets clicks, they couldn't care less about whether or not it's accurate.
Doctor_Thomas
Member
Considering Druckmann shared writing credits and Straley shared directing credits on Uncharted 2, if worst comes to worst, I see no reason why Uncharted 4's writing and directing couldn't be in safe hands.
The downside is, it effectively takes Druckmann and Straley away from whatever they are working on to finish off Uncharted 4.
The downside is, it effectively takes Druckmann and Straley away from whatever they are working on to finish off Uncharted 4.
IGN broke the story, and it was partially confirmed, so there's no way ND could pursue any sort of defame suit.
NearRivers
Member
No! This is a huge loss for Naughty Dog if true. Amy was easily one of my favourite people there. I need details on this "forced out" business.
Triggerhappytel
Member
While that's a strong possibility (news item next month: "Amy Hennig joins Arkane Austin" or something), ND seem open to the prospect of investing in new IPs and going the extra mile to cultivate their senior and talented staff. I imagine after the release of Uncharted 4 they would have definitely have been open to the idea of her working on something completely different.
semiconscious
Gold Member
for you, maybe. the original metal gear was released in 1987. unless you believe we'll still be playing uncharted games in 2034 (possible, i suppose), there's no comparison whatsoever...
theSlacker
Member
Why? She is going to get a new job and new games will be made.
Memorabilia
Member
If she wants to work on established franchises a couple random ideas come to mind:
If she likes the idea of staying in the Sony camp she could be a good fit with Guerilla. The Killzone franchise has great tech, but that team desperately needs better writing talent for the next installment and/or whatever their next project might be. They have a void in that area she could fill well.
Alternatively, Microsoft would also be wise to snatch her up. The Gears franchise is going to need some major league writing skill to bring it back to its pre-Judgement level of quality.
Edit: On the other hand, most creative people prefer working on original projects for obvious reasons...the upside of which is hopefully we'll get something great from her soon, regardless of who brings her in.
NearRivers
Member
Perhaps, but I don't think it would be fair to her to just trivialise her talents or contributions. Shes a strong asset as far as writing and vision, and I don't see how they'd be stronger without her. I've enjoyed the Uncharted games immensely and feel that her direction of them had a lot to do with it.
If Amy's left of her own accord and feels she can do greater things elsewhere then that's fine, I just don't like the implication that something ugly went on behind the scenes.
Too many "lead guitarists" in the same band usually doesn't work.
So talent alone does not prevent this from happening.
maybe MS can hire her and finally get a decent writer under their belt? could use her to write a meaningful gears of war story? it sucks she's gone tbh. but ND where hogging all the decent character focused writters. share the love man, share the love.
maybe eidos will pick her up. write a decent tomb raider?
maybe eidos will pick her up. write a decent tomb raider?
Messofanego
Banned
Maybe she wants to write less violent games. Perhaps an adventure game?! 
Ha this is exactly how I feel.
To be fair they have a great company culture at ND. Within that ethos it might not be as big of a loss as it seems.
Memorabilia
Member
Ken Levine thinks greatly of her..
Lol Nice.
dapperbandit
Banned
This might sound like trolling but seriously, the Uncharted games weren't particularly well written. Most of the character of Nathan Drake comes out in Nolan North's improvised lines. The scripted dialogue has never been that good. The only bit of scripted dialogue in the series that I can recall being good was the Lazarevic speech in UC2 with the "We're the same, you and I. How many people have you killed, how many, just today?"
I was very surprised when I learned she was on the Uncharted team given the stellar writing of the LoK series.
I was very surprised when I learned she was on the Uncharted team given the stellar writing of the LoK series.
I can totally see a scenario where being firmly assigned to the UC franchise bored the shit out of her. I never found the whole premise compelling either. Smart, likable guy, love interests, buddy characters etc. It's bascially a collection of mundane action-hero-tropes and it never clicked with me.
Samir Sedlar
Member
Now this is both bad and good news, bad cause Amy Hennig was one hell of a writer, so talented, so special, forcing her out is a huge mistake on Naughty Dog part, and if it is indeed the doing of Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley then shame on them.
But on the other hand, imagine if Crystal Dynamics hire Amy back, imagine her working on Legacy of Kain again, writing a reboot and giving us one of her old awesome stories, just imagine, heck she could help out with the writing of Tomb Raider 2, cause Rhianna Pratchett isn't that great if you ask me.
I am not that mad about this news cause I have this hope that Amy may end up working on Legacy of Kain, hopefully soon.
But on the other hand, imagine if Crystal Dynamics hire Amy back, imagine her working on Legacy of Kain again, writing a reboot and giving us one of her old awesome stories, just imagine, heck she could help out with the writing of Tomb Raider 2, cause Rhianna Pratchett isn't that great if you ask me.
I am not that mad about this news cause I have this hope that Amy may end up working on Legacy of Kain, hopefully soon.
Because Naughty Dog is packed with talent. They will be fine as always.
They even got more talent in the last months and years.
It's not like she left a Joe Shmoe team at Activision.
Amy will be fine, too. Awesome person to work with, awesome at her job.
If she wants it, she will find a new job in a heartbeat.
If I was Ken Levine, I would be quiet for the next couple of months.Ken Levine thinks greatly of her..
Those two should team back up but with a new company I reckon.
Messofanego
Banned
Rhianna Pratchett and Amy Hennig collab as the main writers of a new game would be cool as heck, even if I didn't care for Tomb Raider's writing.
Tom Nook Sawyer
Member
For clarity's sake, IGN quoted sources as saying she was "forced out." They claimed nothing themselves.
Triggerhappytel
Member
Do you have any evidence to suggest that most of the script is based on North's improvisation?
Yep! But not for a new Tomb Raider :-/
Castef
Banned
Because she was working on a re-boot.
theSlacker
Member
And a man's shoe, for that matter. Absurd.
dapperbandit
Banned
I don't think you understood what I meant.
I meant that you get a better feel for Drake's character from the incidental things he says while climbing or fighting etc that North just comes up with on the fly. He comes across more human in these bits.
If you judge him by what he says and does in cutscenes, the character makes little sense. His motivations aren't convincing.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
Eventhough I am a fan of Sony I really hope MS snatches her up and gives her a chance to work on an original project.
I would love to see MS start investing in their own studios instead of trying to money hat everything.
I would love to see MS start investing in their own studios instead of trying to money hat everything.
Like it.
Just the idea has me pump-ed!
digoutyoursoul
Member
Bioware should give her a call, talented writer.
NNNOOOOO!
I hope Amy Hennig stays in the AAA games space. Every interview I saw/read with her made it seem like she really knew about games, narrative and using technology/techniques like performance capture.
Hopefully some big publishers gives her a bunch of money to start a new studio.
They have decent writers (I think they recently hired a writer who worked on BioShock Infinite to work at 343i and MS Studios have Joseph Staten) but they do lack narrative heavy/focused games. If they got Amy Hennig and got her to work at their LA studio (not sure if they do games there but they have facilities there and there is a talent pool of people there they can hire) it could be a huge thing for MS and fill in a gap they have in their portfolio (provided they make a good game on the level of the Uncharted series).
I hope Amy Hennig stays in the AAA games space. Every interview I saw/read with her made it seem like she really knew about games, narrative and using technology/techniques like performance capture.
Hopefully some big publishers gives her a bunch of money to start a new studio.
They have decent writers (I think they recently hired a writer who worked on BioShock Infinite to work at 343i and MS Studios have Joseph Staten) but they do lack narrative heavy/focused games. If they got Amy Hennig and got her to work at their LA studio (not sure if they do games there but they have facilities there and there is a talent pool of people there they can hire) it could be a huge thing for MS and fill in a gap they have in their portfolio (provided they make a good game on the level of the Uncharted series).
MagicWithEarvin
Member
I hope they clarify the "forced out" comment. I didn't peg ND as the type of studio to force creative, talented people out of their development team.
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