Sony Group, the parent company behind PlayStation, has pulled an interview with Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann after the industry veteran, best known for his work with The Last of Us games, including HBO’s hit adaptation, took to X a day after its publishing to complain about how Sony had twisted his words, with one passage in particular suggesting that his next game would be one that would “redefine mainstream perceptions of gaming.” Sony has apologized and removed the interview, although the original text remains available to read thanks to websites that include archive.is.
Sony mentioned in a new statement:
- “In re-reviewing our recent interview with Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann, we have found several significant errors and inaccuracies that don’t represent his perspective and values (including topics such as animation, writing, technology, AI, and future projects).”
- “We apologize to Neil for misrepresenting his words and for any negative impact this interview might have caused him and his team.”
- “In coordination with Naughty Dog and SIE, we have removed the interview.”
What Sony thought, or wished, Druckmann said:
What Druckmann actually said, according to the creative:
Druckmann’s most recent message on the official Naughty Dog blog, which presumably wasn’t twisted:
…Evan Wells announced that after 25 years at Naughty Dog, he’ll be retiring at the end of 2023.
…I will be Co-Head of the studio with Evan Wells, along with taking on the responsibilities of Head of Creative, ensuring that I will be able to invest in the future of our projects, creative vision, and overall business strategy.
I know I speak for everyone at Naughty Dog when I say, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you, Evan; for your knowledge, your love of this studio and the industry, and for the great care you took to ensure that our studio was always moving in the right direction, your inspiring leadership will forever be part of our DNA.