Playstation Studios Gets Another Big Shakeup as Studio Head Leaves
- On Monday, Housemarque co-founder Ilari Kuittinen announced his departure after 31 years, ending his tenure at the Finnish studio he co-founded with Harri Tikkanen in 1995.
- Starting with Terramarque in 1993, Kuittinen led Housemarque through 26 years of independence before it joined PlayStation Studios in 2021, evolving from arcade shooters into AAA titles including Returnal and Saros.
- Sami Haxu Hakala officially assumed the managing director role on July 1, while Kuittinen supported the leadership team through August to ensure operational continuity and stability.
- The departure marks the latest high-profile retirement at a PlayStation studio, following Sucker Punch co-founder Brian Fleming in December 2025 and coming months after Saros reportedly sold 300,000 copies in its first weeks.
- Starting in September, Kuittinen plans to embrace a well-deserved break before pursuing mentoring and consulting, while Sony prepares for the PS6 launch expected in late 2027 or early 2028.
22 Articles
22 Articles
Technology giant Sony acquired Housemarque in 2021. Now the deadline for the deal has passed, and CEO Ilari Kuittinen is free to enjoy life.
His last game was Saros.
Ilari Kuittinen, one of the founders of Housemarque, announced on August 31 that it is no longer part of the game studio. The confirmation of its shutdown, after 31 years of dedication to the company, was made by means of a message on the official social networks of the developer. Kuittinen started his trajectory in the game sector in [...]
Ilari Kuittinen, co-founder of Housemarque, is leaving the company after 31 years. He bid farewell to his fans and colleagues with a lengthy statement. See more
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