
Ted Price, the founder of Sony first-party developer Insomniac Games, has today announced he will be retiring from the studio. Having formed the developer in 1994 (then under the name Xtreme Software), he has helped create the Spyro the Dragon, Ratchet & Clank, and Resistance franchises. It's announced in a PlayStation Blog post that he'll be replaced by three new studio co-heads in March.
They are Ryan Schneider, Jen Huang, and Chad Dezern. In the jointly written blog post, the three said: "Sharing the news that Ted is retiring from Insomniac Games is still just as emotional to type as it has been to think about. The three of us – Chad, Jen and Ryan – have worked closely with Ted for many years. He’s not just our leader, he’s our longtime friend. And a great one at that. Ted will be missed for so many reasons."
Schneider joined Insomniac Games during the PS2 era in the studio marketing and communications department, and worked his way up to senior positions as head of brand and leadership strategy. Huang, meanwhile, joined the developer eight years ago in the finance department. "Together with the best team in the world, we’ve shipped 12 games since my first day, and I’m super excited about the unforgettable experiences we’ll bring to players in the future," he said.
As for Dezern, he joined the team in 1998 and has served various positions, from environment artist to studio director. "So what secrets did I learn? Mainly that magic happens when talented people build on each other’s ideas even as they challenge each other to advance their craft. In my new role, I’m excited to work with Ryan and Jen to continue Insomniac’s tradition of creative collaboration."
Jointly, the three added: "Our shared intention is to preserve what has made Insomniac special for 30-plus years while exploring how we can strategically evolve to succeed for decades to come. We’ll continue prioritizing our studio culture, built around transparency and collaboration. We strive for a workplace where employees can do the best work of their careers."
In a separate article, Ted Price explained that he made the decision to retire from the games industry last year, and made the announcement to employees last week. He goes on to say that Insomniac needs leaders at the top "who are intimately familiar with how we do things", and that Schneider, Huang, and Dezern are those people.
"For many years, Chad, Jen and Ryan have been instrumental in making Insomniac what we are today. I’ve seen each lead major initiatives here which have positively changed Insomniacs’ lives. Plus, they’ve consistently demonstrated the kind of collaboration and transparency that’s part of our DNA. And just as important, their skillsets are truly complementary." You can read Ted Price's full statement through the link.
[source sonyinteractive.com]
Comments 26
Good for Ted. Needless to say he has had a heck of a run in the industry so I wish him a well earned retirement and look forward to where Insomniac goes from here.
Two of three new co-head are marketing and finance people?
But Ted Price earn his rest so thank you Ted for your hardworks 🫡🙇♂️
He will certainly be missed. Insomniac has done some of the biggest contributions to gaming. I do wish they were still making Ratchet and Spyro rather than Spider-Man and Wolverine, but I hope for their continued success under new leadership.
The guy is a legend. What a shame.
Seems like local co-op boss mode has become all the rage at Sony after Jim Ryans tenure as almighty live service champion ended.
3 co heads... over looking a project each, maybe?
Xtreme Software is such a 90s name, I love it.
Big congrats to Ted, he should be proud of Insomniac and everything the studio has done.
Wow, haven’t read that name in a long long time, if anyone asked me I probably would have said he retired during the PS3 generation a decade or so ago.
I guess these days if you aren’t in the news you are living a good life. Congrats to him on retirement.
What an absolute legend. I highly recommend "The Game Maker's Notebook" the gaming podcast where Ted talks to industry luminaries like Todd Howard, Evan Wells, Josh Sawyer, Sam Lake, Lorne Lanning, Ron Gilbert, David Grossman... and many more
Wishing him well with whatever he does next, even if it's putting his feet up. I am sure he's lined up Insomniac for years of future success.
Much of a muchness now as Insomniac have been demoted to pumping out Marvel garbage until the 2030s.
Heck of a career for the guy and he really cashed in when he sold Insomniac to Sony.
He will be missed, I wish him well in retirement and everything else from here on.
Wish him well in whatever he does in the future.
PlayStation is so unrecognizable now its not even a joke.bring back jack tretton. And give me a resistance trilogy remastered.word up son
@MrPeanutbutterz I know right?! All the Insomniac Marvel games are trash! No critical acclaim, no awards! Noth… Oh, wait…?
I miss seeing interviews with Ted Price.. I will miss his creativity such as his work on Resistance Fall of Man.. I loved the Spider-Man games but I’m afraid that there will be Marvel fatigue with all these games coming out and I wish we had something new and original. And Ted has always had a creative and innovative approach to do something different. Ted Price, the best to you my man, you deserve it.
Goodbye sir thank you for all the great games and memories! (plus I'm sure he didn't enjoy watching his baby turn into a subsidiary of Disney).
From the sale of insomniac, he should have a nice retirement. He had a great career.
Wish him a great and fulfilling retirement. Well deserved to an absolute legend of the industry!
cut off 1 head, 3 more shall take its place. Hail Hydra!
3 co-heads seems excessive, can't see this set-up lasting very long.
Insomniac are a fantastic studio - quite a legacy for the guy to leave behind.
Seeing the Resistance series in the news in any way shape or form just makes me wish there was a remaster / remake / sequel / whatever for one of the best Sony franchises of the past decade or so. If ever there was a series deserving of some fresh life in it it’s the Resistance series.
Enjoy the retirement, legend. His name is up there in terms of prestige with all the amazing Japanese creators I grew up playing their creations, Miyamoto, Sakaguchi, Kojima, Inafune, Igarashi, etc.
The industry is saying goodbye to a huge name. Thanks for your contributions.
Why the long face?
I'm not that fussed. His decisions over the years have just disappointed me more and more. But I don't have hopes for the next staff in charge either. Then again none of Sony's games not even Ratchet, GT, Astro or Sackboy have impressed so like I care.
Hastings bros still there? Others? Hmm still something then. Song of the Deep was a great underrated game if people knew it existed like Tourist Trophy known by Polyphony fans.
The VR games are cool, Xbox period was fair. Mobile was sure. Song of the Deep was cool for that team of people.
Good on him he has done fair for the studio but eh.
Ratchet games were too story focused and following animation studios, I don't like that, I didn't like Ratchet PS2 era because it was like a Dreamworks movie of references/adult humour, I thought it fit the Ratchet world/gameplay and they had their own direction with it. I liked Future Saga because it had great gameplay ideas besides good story. 2016/Rift Apart are the most eh things ever. 2016 has good gameplay mixed in with QOL but a lot of garbage too. Rift Apart I have so many gameplay problems with it let alone another cliffhanger and just eh story.
Appealing to a new audience/generation is fine, but telling fans via Rift Apart's story such messaging, eh of staff intro videos and more, and a game to appeal to many eras. Just like other IPs have had to. I think Rift Apart came off as just ridiculous despite the challenges to appeal to all audiences not just a new one with 2016 or even those that didn't play it.
The gameplay just kept disappointing me more and more. Same with Polyphony, so same long running directors but just results I wasn't a fan of.
He is a good guy but some of his takes were very strange too.
The constant following the industry with 'some fair ideas' but others so stupid as well.
Resistance 2 did not need to change it's weapon wheel to 2 weapons or health mechanics, it's an alternate era shooter, Wolfenstein or not comparison even. What gameplay does a casual care about? Nothing. 3 having Ratchet like leveling was the most I like this not for familiarity but using a feature they know so well and works well with the game, why wouldn't they implement it to add depth/keep a patent or whatever. Socom 4 I enjoyed the level up system there too.
Sunset Overdrive was a great open world while, Spiderman to me being super bland. When I liked the lab puzzles like a Ratchet game did them to the odd side missions were good, but most were pretty typical and bland. The laser in a Spiderman side mission more than the last level with laser in Ratchet 2016.
I preferred Infamous Second Son's side missions way more and the story missions while I didn't like the tasks attached to them I still wanted to play to the end. Spiderman I didn't.
The co-op Ratchet games they had to make I get that so I can let them pass they are fine games experiments or Sony requested for a reason.
Spyro did what it could for the time with a bunch of ideas. But experimental ideas don't happen that much anymore.
But the PS4 era stuff just didn't hit for me at all.
I focus on quality. I didn't like Sunset Overdrive's tone yet it's my favourite open world (after replaying it with a different mindset), besides Gravity Rush 1 or Infamous Second Son.
Fuse I preferred over Ratchet All For One yet Fuse is in a way a more bland game but it stood out enough for me.
@AhmadSumadi I like how you deliberately missed the bit where people are bored stiff of the same old tired worlds, stories and characters.
For me, Insomniac together with Naughty Dog is the duo that made me want a PS2/PS3 as a kid.
Santa Monica (God of War) and SuckerPunch (Sly Cooper / InFamous) were also great but came after I owned the consoles
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...