Jade Raymond, the popular video game creator behind hit franchises such as Assassin’s Creed and Watch Dogs, has announced the formation of a new independent studio called Haven Entertainment. Raymond shared the news on Sony’s official PlayStation blog yesterday, noting that she and her team were already hard at work on a mysterious IP that will undoubtedly be exclusive to the console. The last game that Raymond was credited for is Star Wars: Battlefront II (2017), which she worked on while serving as SVP Group General Manager at Electronic Arts.
“[…] I’m announcing Haven, an independent studio where many of the talented game developers I have worked with for years (and love dearly!) are coming together to do what we are most passionate about,” Raymond wrote. “It’s time for us to refocus on GAMES in a place where we can practice our crafts without any barriers or impediments. We want to create worlds where players can escape, have fun, express themselves, and find community. We want to pour our passion into a project. We want to make something wondrous for people to experience. Because we believe in the power of games to bring joy to people’s lives. And Sony does, too. Their commitment to excellence is unmatched. It’s why I couldn’t be happier for their backing and support.”
“Together, we want to create games that are a haven for players, and we want to build a studio that is a haven for developers. So, while we don’t have many details to announce today, I want the PlayStation community to know that Haven Studios is already hard at work on an unannounced IP. We can’t wait to show you more!”
Raymond’s most recent role was VP and Head of Stadia Games and Entertainment at Google. That venture was relatively short lived, as Phil Harrison (Vice President and GM) and other executives opted to terminate the company’s game development ambitions just a year after she had set up her previous studio, Playa Vista, which aimed to deliver exclusive titles for Stadia.