Former Stadia games boss Jade Raymond announces new studio backed by PlayStation

Former Stadia games boss Jade Raymond has formed a new independent studio backed by PlayStation.

Haven Entertainment Studios will be based in Montreal, Canada and its first game will be an original IP funded by Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Raymond, the veteran producer behind Assassin’s Creed and EA’s Motive studio, recently left her position at Google after it decided to close its internal Stadia games development teams.

“As I took stock of my career over the last few years and started to think about what to do next, I came to a very simple conclusion: I need to get back to what I love doing most, and do so in a way that gives our team the freedom to explore, inspire, and create,” she said in a statement.

“And so today I’m announcing Haven, an independent studio where many of the talented game developers I have worked with for years (and love dearly!) are coming together to do what we are most passionate about. It’s time for us to refocus on GAMES in a place where we can practice our crafts without any barriers or impediments.

“We want to create worlds where players can escape, have fun, express themselves, and find community. We want to pour our passion into a project. We want to make something wondrous for people to experience.

“Because we believe in the power of games to bring joy to people’s lives. And Sony does, too. Their commitment to excellence is unmatched. It’s why I couldn’t be happier for their backing and support.”

In a separate statement, PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst said: “Sony Interactive Entertainment is proud to support and invest in Haven and its future.

“We understand the challenges and rewards of building creative teams from the ground up, as does Jade with her wealth of experience helming many of gaming’s biggest franchises. We’re confident in and excited for the bright future of Haven Studios and its first project, currently in development.”

Raymond is best known for her time as an executive producer at Ubisoft Montreal between 2004 and 2010, where she helped create the Assassin’s Creed series.

The industry veteran later formed Splinter Cell: Blacklist developer Ubisoft Toronto, before joining EA to create its Motive studio, which would go on to make Star Wars: Squadrons. However, Raymond left EA in 2018, with Motive having not yet shipped its own fully-led game.