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Naughty Dog co-president Christophe Balestra has announced he is to leave the Uncharted and Last of Us studio on April 3, in order to focus on his family and to pursue personal ambitions and projects.
“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,” Balestra wrote in a blog post.
“It’s very challenging to come to the realisation that it’s time to step away from a career to pursue fulfilling personal ambitions and projects. I am doing it now out of utmost respect for the team and their unwavering dedication to Naughty Dog and our 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).”
Balestra joined Naughty Dog as a programmer in 2002 to work with the team that had created Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter, but it was during his time as co-present that the studio hit its greatest heights.
“I had the luxury and the honour to work with the most determined, talented and perfectionist people in our industry during my time at Naughty Dog. The collective high ambitions of everyone on the team have led us to ship some of the most awarded and critically acclaimed games of all time,” he added.
He continued: “Twelve years ago, when Evan [Wells] and I became Co-Presidents, Naughty Dog was facing a challenging future with the transition to a new platform while developing a new engine and an entirely new franchise simultaneously. Looking back and seeing where we managed to take the studio in just over a decade is undoubtedly my biggest professional achievement. 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.
“Thanks from the bottom of my heart to everyone I worked with during the last fifteen years, it’s just been incredible.”
And to the fans, Balestra says he knows “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!”
Source: Naughty Dog
