Harry Krueger, the director of the 2021 Roguelike Returnal, has announced that he is moving on from the studio Housemarque after nearly 15 years.
Krueger worked with the Finnish studio, which was acquired by Sony in 2021, from smaller, arcade-inspired indie titles to the much larger, full-priced Returnal, which was critically praised and given multiple awards, including BAFTA’s Game of the Year award.
“During my 14 years at Housemarque, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work on one dream project after another, and had the privilege of working alongside some truly talented and wonderful people along the way,” Krueger said in statement on the Housemarque’s website.
“Departing from Housemarque was a very difficult decision for me, but I’m leaving the company with nothing but deep gratitude for the past, and a glowing optimism for the future – with an exciting new project in the works, a fantastic team that’s stronger than ever, and the continuous support of Sony and PlayStation Studios, I know that Housemarque’s brightest chapter has yet to be written.”
The General Manager and Co-Founder of Housemarque, Ilari Kuittinen, commented on Krueger’s departure, saying “Throughout Harry’s tenure, we’ve seen the “death of Arcade”, and also achieved growth milestones we once only dreamed of. Harry’s passion and direction have been vital in sculpting our studio’s trajectory to the current scale. The rebirth of “Arcade,” defined by Returnal, speaks volumes of his impact and vision, and is a great point for future leaders to take over and keep improving upon.”
Though we do not know what their new project will be, previous interviews have suggested that it will be new IP as opposed to a Returnal sequel. Whatever it is, the company is looking forward to the future, even if it does not involve Krueger’s direction. “As Housemarque gears up for the new big project, an air of appreciation coupled with eagerness for the promising future ahead is what the growing team will take forward to build the next best thing from Finland,” the website announcement states.