Montreal-based developer is working on a new original IP for PlayStation
Jade Raymond formed a new independent development team called Haven Entertainment Studios.
Based in Montreal, Canada, the studio and its first game received funding from Sony. The debut title will be an original PlayStation IP.
Raymond is a veteran of the games industry, having held senior positions at Google Stadia, EA and Ubisoft. She was responsible for the Star Wars console and PC games at EA, and helped create the Assassin’s Creed and Watch Dogs franchises for Ubisoft. She also set up Ubisoft Toronto and managed the team through the creation of her first game Splinter Cell: Blacklist.
According to Sony, the new studio takes its name because games “will serve as a paradise for players”, a concept that extends to the team itself “that will defend transparency and mutual respect”.
“I couldn’t be more excited about this opportunity to return to my roots and work with this talented team to create a new IP together,” said Raymond. “Launching an independent studio with the support of Sony Interactive Entertainment gives us complete freedom to push the boundaries with the support of a publisher that deeply understands the creative process of making games and is known for its exceptional quality and an approach that prioritizes the player. “
PlayStation Studios boss Hermen Hulst adds: “Sony Interactive Entertainment is proud to support and invest in Haven and its future. We understand the challenges and rewards of building creative teams from scratch, as well as Jade, with its vast experience driving many major franchise games. We are confident and excited about the bright future of Haven Studios and their first project, currently in development. “