Evan Wells, the co-president ofNaughty Dogand executive producer ofThe Last of Uson HBO has just announced his departure from the studio where he has spent most of his career. Wells has been with the studio since the late 1990s and has been a part of numerous major games and series. His credits includeCrash Bandicoot: Warped, theJak and Daxterseries, theUnchartedseries, and theLast of Usseries.
Wells originally joined Naughty Dog as a lead designer, eventually being promoted to co-president in 2004. Under his leadership, the studio has released some of its most successful titles, most recentlyThe Last of Us Part 2. Last year, Wells also got into TV and film production, serving as an executive director for theUnchartedmovie and HBO’s new series based onThe Last of Us.Season 1 of theLast of Usset a new bar for video game adaptationsand earned its creators, including Wells, plenty of praise. Now, after a long and successful career, he’s announced his retirement from Naughty Dog.
RELATED:The Last Of Us Director Teases Possible Season 2 Character With New Image
In a statement released by Naughty Dog on July 11, Wells revealed that he will be stepping away “at the end of this year.” In his open letter, Wells reflected on his career and thanked his colleagues and friends at the studio for all their hard work and support. He also expressed confidence in the studio and hisNaughty Dog co-president Neil Druckmann, who will soon be leading the studio on his own.
The tone of Wells’ letter was bittersweet, expressing both sadness at the end of an era but also excitement and optimism for the future. The announcement gave no specific date for his departure or an indication of his future plans, but he did state that he’s looking forward to seeing what the studio will accomplish after he’s gone.
While Wells explained that he’d been discussing this decision with his co-president and other studio leadership for some time, the decision is likely to come as a surprise to many fans and industry observers. With a newThe Last of Us3 rumored to be in development, a sci-fi game that may be happening, and a new season of the HBO series planned for the future, Wells will be stepping away from lots of big projects.
There’s currently no indication if or how this departure will impact the company’s leadership or futureNaughty Dog projects recently teased by Druckmann. For now, it seems Wells will continue in his current role for at least a few months. After that, if no other changes are made, Neil Druckmann will become the sole head of the studio. Druckmann also has a long list of accomplishments and years of experience with Naughty Dog, so fans have reason to hope that the studio will be in good hands during and after the coming transition.
MORE:The Case For and Against More Infected Types in The Last of Us 3
