EuroGamer - We've come a long way from goggle-eyed bandicoots. Naughty Dog's history - linked to the PlayStation brand since 1996 and tethered to it exclusively after Sony acquired the LA studio in 2001 - is in many ways the story of how video games have changed over fifteen years, and how their players have evolved and matured. We're no longer crashing through wooden boxes and collecting fruit; now we're engaging in character-driven stories that can be as affecting as they are entertaining.
Former Naughty Dog artist Gabriel Betancourt explains why the "sweet spot" for game teams is under 200 people and how AAA "factories" kill creativity.
There’s definitely some truth to this. When teams get too large, coordination starts to outweigh creativity—layers of approval, risk aversion, and tight deadlines can turn bold ideas into “safe” ones. Keeping a team under ~200 people sounds ideal for maintaining clear communication and a shared vision. That said, massive AAA projects also come with huge technical demands and expectations, so scaling up isn’t always avoidable. The real challenge is figuring out how to keep that small-team creativity alive inside big studio structures.
More than that, it's logistically untenable. Inevitably, when teams get too large, how do you keep tabs on accountability? I suspect this massive team size is a consequence of the perfectionism streak Naughty Dog has.
I wish we could have so many people working on something and it turns out great because I'm all for collaboration in spirit - the problem is too many people as part of the larger team and smaller units. Suppose for example that you have too many people in the art department; you will very often come up against fiercely competing visions for how things should look. That competitive vision will cause friction between team members, team doesn't work as a unit, the back and forth can further delay parts that the other departments are waiting for, etc etc.
A 200-person team says, to me, that we need to scale back game development. Even if it means we go back to PS2 era costs and scale, why not? Those games are still great fun, the budgets were in check, and you could literally break the 200-man team into like 10 20-man teams working on different projects.
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) is proud to announce that Evan Wells, former Co-President of Naughty Dog and one of the most respected studio leaders in modern game development, will be honored with a prestigious Hall of Fame Award. Wells’ induction will take place at the 29th annual D.I.C.E. Awards on February 12, 2026, at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas. Neil Druckmann, a longtime collaborator from Naughty Dog, will present Wells with his Hall of Fame Award live at the ceremony.
Neil Druckmann, the creative director of The Last of Us, is working on a new, unannounced game at Naughty Dog.
I know they've expertise in third person games.
But given the lack there of in PS catalog, I'd want the other project to be a narrative first person ND game.
Look, there are lots of 3rd person Sony games in variety of flavors. And ND is already doing intergalactic. And since they're pretty expert at gameplay and tech wise in whatever they do, they can easily venture a new genre and ship a first person game/shooter.
So, judging from the dislikes, hardcore Sony fans here don't like first person games, anymore?
I don't really have a big opinion on first vs third person perspective. That's one of the least important things to me when rating how much I like a game
I actually hate 1st person. very hard to associate with a character you only see their hands most of the time.
funny thing is with failures like Concord and soon to be Marathon, Factions could have been Sony's guaranteed huge success with a shooter! I don't ever play online shooters anymore, but I would have come out of shooter retirement for a new Factions game.
{ coming from the above thread }
So PS Fellas hate first person games now? (Understandable)
But praise Killzone and Resistance series, as well?
And hope for a return of first party first person games? ~ but from where? insomniac is deep in marvel territory, guerilla is deep in aloy territory ... suckerP are not as big to undertake that change + dedicated to Ghost series
The only options are ND and Santa Monica, who are rumoured to be involved in parallel projects. ~ so take your pick.
And the other 'new' studios at Sony are not that hot right now with knee deep in live service fiasco
It’d be cool if they bought the Parappa licence and made Parappa 3 that’d be the real good timeline
Wait I thought they cancelled a game? Or did they announce another project?
https://wccftech.com/naught...
I’m assuming it’s the unannounced game in the title you posted.
“Naughty Dog Reportedly Canceled a Single Player Game This Year, But Another Unannounced Game Is Still in the Works“
Devs cancel games all the time early stages if it doesn’t turn out the way they envisioned it. We just don’t hear about every one of them.
Yeah only a narcissist like Druckmann would announce a game this early that has a 99% chance of being cancelled.
Some speculate it could be Uncharted spin off. It's already 3 years in production so yeah 2028 maybe 2027 at the absolute earliest but most likely 28 release.
Also to add. kojimas next game that's not OD is said to be 5 to 6 years out for PS. That metal gear inspired game. These games are just too far off it seems.
'We have several directors on Intergalactic. I work with two game directors: Matthew Gallant and Kurt Margenau, [and] I have a co-writer in Clair Carré.'
Okay you got me, I skimmed the article and video .
Thanks lol
Damage has been done but it's not too late yet if they dump him now. Probably won't happen though. It's sad, honestly. We'll see what happens after Intergalactic. That game is going to have a huge impact one way or another.
Yes because they didn’t make some of the greatest games. Right, we all just agree to live in your fantasy from now on.
yall say that about ever developer and then they end up becoming more successful lol
Downfall? If anything he is a huge reason they are on the map! A few apes don't like the material hasn't stopped his games from being massive hits.
I have grievances with Druckmann, but he does deserve some benefit of the doubt. He's been in crucial roles at the company through all of their successes.
Maybe wait and see?
"goggle-eyed bandicoots"
I don't care what anyone says CB games are still my fav ND games! :)
Apart from Rockstar, I can't think of another developer that really gets the acting so spot on and believable in their games. With Uncharted for example, it's the little things like how a character purse their lips or a proper sigh of exasperation, the way they execute it, you can tell that they spend those 12 or so months training their actors.
Uncharted was OTT in the vein of Indiana Jones and yet, regardless of that, we got some really believable characters. With The Last of Us and it's more serious tone, we can only expect an even more enhanced sense of immersion and relationship with the characters through some really believable and expertly executed acting and motion capture.
Respect to ND for going above the call in this whilst juggling gameplay as well. It sure is no mean feat I imagine but I think they really do reconcile both extremely well by really sculpting the games from start to finish.
"There's only days to go until the next PlayStation's unveiled, and it's clear that Naughty Dog's going to carry on playing a big part in Sony's future in video games." says Wells.
It's happening .
http://www.animateit.net/da...
Googly eyed bandicoots are better than Uncharted: Quest for Blandness.