And Sony really gets that, so I’m very grateful for that. It takes time to create these heartfelt experiences, to create innovative experiences. People at the studios are so connected to the titles that they make.Īnd I think what’s key here is Sony Interactive Entertainment’s commitment to giving creative teams time to realize their vision. What’s unique about Worldwide Studios is that everyone here loves making games with a lot of heart and soul. HH: I think all of those elements are crucial to it. PSB: From your perspective, what makes Worldwide Studios special? Can you chalk it up to the structure, people and talent… or is it the freedom that’s provided to these folks? And that’s exactly why we have Yumi there now, all set up. And with her special brand of leadership fostering talent, she’s been so great at succession planning. I’m really grateful for her, she left recently. And I think the creatives love working for her because of that.Īctually, while we’re talking about Santa Monica Studio, I’d like to give a shoutout to Shannon Studstill, whom I’ve partnered with for many, many years. She’s one of those people that gets creative talent. She knows the people… she’s been such a vital part of establishing all these processes that have generated 20 years of great games coming out of Santa Monica. You know Yumi Yang, she’s been there from the beginning. He worked on EyeToy… he’s one of those guys who can tinker with hardware and bring innovation to the platform.Īnd Yumi Yang has been appointed as the new head of Santa Monica Studio. So Nick is a great appointment, he’s been creating innovative showcases for PlayStation since his early days at London Studios. You probably heard about Nicolas Doucet as the new head of Japan Studio… Alan Becker, who I’ve worked with for many, many years recently retired from Sony Interactive Entertainment. We’ve had a couple really great appointments of new leaders at the studios recently. But we’re always looking to how we can improve things, how we work together, how we’re organized. And they’re going to continue to be part of Worldwide Studios. We’re storytellers, and we like to create new experiences.Īnd those are values that for a long time have been part of Worldwide Studios. We have been, and we are still, very much a quality-oriented group of developers. HH: I think Worldwide Studios is in a really good spot. PSB: Since you’ve come on board, have there been any changes at Worldwide Studios? But at the same time, they’re all very much part of this global network that is Worldwide Studios. Typically they have their own identity, their own name, their own studio culture. It’s truly global.Īnd pretty much all of these teams started as independents. I mean, we’ve got studios across the world from Sucker Punch in Seattle to Media Molecule in Guildford to Polyphony Digital in Tokyo. HH: I think I would define Worldwide Studios as probably the most global network of game creators that exists, or has ever existed. PSB: There are PlayStation fans out there who have heard of Worldwide Studios, but they don’t know exactly what it is… How would you describe Worldwide Studios? I’m really pleased to see how well fans and press are responding to Dreams. I’m obviously involved in projects that I wasn’t before. And I’ve been trying to get a better understanding of how we can work even more closely than we already do. Obviously I knew a lot of people already, but I’ve met a ton of new devs. Since I’ve been appointed as the Head of Worldwide Studios I’ve been spending some time at various studios, going around listening to teams. Hermen Hulst: First off, just let me say that it’s a great honor for me to lead such an incredibly talented team. PlayStation.Blog: For years, you’ve been the head at Guerrilla, the studio behind Horizon Zero Dawn and the Killzone series. Listen to our full interview here, or read on for some key excerpts, edited for brevity and clarity. Our talk covers a lot of ground: from upcoming film and TV projects based on Uncharted and The Last of Us, to the upcoming PC port of Horizon: Zero Dawn, to what’s next for PlayStation’s international network of game studios. In his first interview since becoming Head of Worldwide Studios, Hulst provides insight into his new role overseeing PlayStation’s international network of game developers and creators. Just a few days ago, I caught up with Hermen Hulst, formerly the managing director of Guerrilla.
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