The Montreal developer is working on a new original PlayStation IP
Jade Raymond has 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 gaming industry, having held leadership positions at Google Stage, 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. He also founded Ubisoft Toronto and led the team by creating his first game Splinter Cell: Blacklist.
According to Sony, the new studio is named because the games “will serve as paradises for players”, a concept that extends to the team itself “which will support transparency and mutual respect”.
“I couldn’t be more excited about this opportunity to go back to my roots and work with this talented team to create a new IP together,” Raymond said. “The launch of an independent studio with the support of Sony Interactive Entertainment gives us full freedom to push the boundaries with the help of an editor who deeply understands the creative process of making games and is known for exceptional quality and a critical approach for gamers.”
Hermen Hulst, head of PlayStation Studios, adds: “Sony Interactive Entertainment is proud to support and invest in Haven and its future. We understand the challenges and rewards of building grassroots creative teams, just like Jade, with its wealth of experience, which “He leads many of the biggest gaming franchises. We are confident and excited about Haven Studios’ bright future and its first project, which is currently under development.”