Sony announces acquisition of Haven Studios

Sony began working with Jade Raymond-led Haven Studios a year ago on a new PlayStation original IP. Obviously, the relationship between the two parties is very good, and the business is also going well, Sony has announced the acquisition of Montreal, Canada-based Haven Studios, officially becoming the 18th member of PlayStation Studios.


Jade Raymond wrote in the Haven Studios announcement:

We’ve made amazing progress in a short time thanks to our talented, passionate team and their exceptional contributions. We established a culture at Haven grounded in kindness, adaptability and courage that unlocks creativity. Our first new IP for PlayStation is on track to deliver a AAA multiplayer experience with a vision to build a systemic and evolving world focused on freedom, thrill, and playfulness that will keep players entertained and engaged for years.

Today, the Haven team begins a new phase of our journey, as part of the PlayStation Studios family. Working with Hermen, Connie Booth and the team at PlayStation over the past year has been a career highlight. SIE is a supportive partner that truly understands the creative process and what it takes to make a blockbuster AAA game. They have empowered and encouraged us to bring our bold vision to life and make our dreams come true and we could not be more thrilled about this opportunity to strengthen our partnership.

As a SIE first-party studio, we will have the opportunity to collaborate with some of the world’s most renowned development teams, including studios like Guerrilla, Naughty Dog, Media Molecule, and Insomniac Games, the creators of games that have inspired us as players and developers for years. We’re excited to learn from these world-class studios, as well as the exceptional central creative, technology and marketing teams whose expertise will enable us to deliver even better games to players.

There are currently about 60 developers at Haven Studios. Jade Raymond said in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz that Haven Studios’ first project is a PlayStation 5 exclusive game, which may also expand to PC in the future. Hermen Hulst, head of PlayStation Studios, said Haven Studios’ progress on its first game was ahead of expectations, acknowledging the acquisition was an attempt to gain a foothold in the highly competitive Canadian video game development space.