Evan Wells, co-president of Naughty Dog, has announced his retirement from the studio. Wells began his career at Sega, working on ToeJam & Earl, before joining Naughty Dog in the late 90s. He played a crucial role in the studio's transformation from a platformer developer to a flagship first-party studio for Sony.
After 25 incredible years, Naughty Dog Co-President Evan Wells announces he will be retiring later this year. We're so grateful for his talents, guidance, and leadership in helping to shape our studio.
— Naughty Dog (@Naughty_Dog) July 11, 2023
Read more from Evan here: https://t.co/K2kev1KkQi pic.twitter.com/7GrK5XClWp
In his retirement announcement, Wells expressed his confidence in Neil Druckmann, co-president and head of creative, to lead the studio. He believes it is the right time for Druckmann and the rest of the Studio Leadership Team to guide Naughty Dog toward a successful future.
Changes to the studio's leadership team were also revealed in a blog post by Neil Druckmann. Both Druckmann and Wells will continue as co-presidents until Wells's departure later this year. Erick Pangilinan and Jeremy Yates will join as co-heads of the art departments, while Anthony Newman will take on the role of head of production and design.
Evan Wells
Pangilinan, who has been with the studio for over 25 years, will bring his experience as an art director to his new position. Yates, known for his work as the lead animator on various Uncharted titles, will contribute his expertise to the art departments. Newman, renowned for his role as co-game director of The Last of Us Part II, will oversee production and design.
In his farewell message, Wells expressed his excitement for the studio's ongoing projects. Although he will not be there to see them through to completion, he believes that the current team is more capable than ever to deliver games that will set industry standards and exceed expectations.
Source: Twitter