Naughty Dog co-president Christophe Balestra, who has worked at the developer since 2002 is retiring, the studio announced today.
“I never thought I would be saying something this difficult so soon–after fifteen years here, I am announcing my departure from Naughty Dog. My last day will be on April 3, 2017,” he said in a blog post.
It’s unclear what Balestra is planning to pursue next, but in the blog post he said that he is leaving Naughty Dog to “pursue fulfilling personal ambitions and projects.”
“The time has come for me to now spend more time with my family and create a void to see what I can fill it with (which will obviously involve programming),” he explained.
Naughty Dog’s other co-president, Evan Wells, is still with the company.”Evan has been the perfect partner and I couldn’t imagine achieving the success we’ve had without him. It’s been a privilege to work with you, my friend,” Balestra said.
Balestra also teased that Naughty Dog has some exciting projects in the works for fans to look forward to. “And to all the fans… I know what’s in store and, with Evan leading the best team on the planet as president, I know that Naughty Dog will continue to blow you away!” he said.
Naughty Dog has two announced in-development projects, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy and The Last Of Us: Part II.