Things have definitely been complicated for Jade Raymond in recent years. After contributing to the success of franchises like Assassin's Creed, Splinter Cell, and Watch Dogs at Ubisoft, the creator has had a hard time bouncing back in her career. After working at Electronic Arts and then Google Stadia, she then ended up at PlayStation thanks to Haven Studios, which she founded in March 2021, and which is currently working on its first game: Fairgame$. A first game that, however, will have to be finished without her.
Jade Raymond has reportedly left Haven Studios
In a new report published by Bloomberg, journalist Jason Schreier tells us that Raymond has now left the ship. "Jade Raymond has been an incredible partner and a visionary force in the creation of Haven Studios," a spokesperson for PlayStation, which acquired the studio in July 2022, reportedly said. "We are deeply grateful for her leadership and contributions, and we wish her the best for the future." The exact reasons for her departure, however, have not been disclosed. However, it appears that it came several weeks after a series of external tests for Fairgame$. Could this have any connection? It's not impossible. Especially since, according to Schreier, some developers at Haven Studios, who obviously wished to remain anonymous, have shared their concerns about the game's reception by the public. And it's easy to see why.
PlayStation and the curse of service games
Announced several years ago by the Japanese company, we can't really say that the live-service shift initiated by PlayStation has borne fruit. Of a dozen games announced, a good half have now been canceled, including The Last of Us and God of War. And let's not even talk about Concord, which suffered a terrible setback at launch, to the point of being withdrawn from sale after two weeks on the market. It's no surprise, then, that the Fairgame$ case is causing serious concern.
At the moment, we have very little information about the Haven Studios title announced for 2023. All we know is that it will be a competitive heist game aimed at "delivering a new multiplayer experience [rewarding] creativity and mastery, while enhancing each of [our] games with amazing stories". However, it appears that the Fairgame$ project is moving forward, with PlayStation having assured that it is "committed to supporting the studio and eager to continue the journey" with its new directors: Marie-Eve Danis and Pierre-François Sapinski. Jade Raymond has not yet spoken on this subject.
Source: Bloomberg
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