Uncharted: The Lost Legacy Creative Director Leaves Naughty Dog

Shaun Escayg, the creative director of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, has left Naughty Dog. He announced his departure yesterday via Twitter.

Seven years ago I joined the talented team at @Naughty_Dog on a project still in its infancy, The Last Of Us. Well, the rest is history. Left Behind, Uncharted 4 were fleeting and Uncharted The Lost Legacy pushed my creative growth even further- I will miss all my dogs.

— Shaun Escayg (@ShaunEscayg) January 3, 2018

 

Escayg joined Naughty Dog during the developer’s earliest stages of The Last of Us (2013). Since then, he has built an impressive career working on the studio’s biggest titles, like The Last of Us DLC “Left Behind”, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, and finally on Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, where he served as the lead writer and creative director. Check out LoadingXP’s review of The Lost Legacy here, where it’s described as “having some of the best action in the [Uncharted] series.”

In the above Tweet, Escayg says his work on The Lost Legacy “pushed his creative growth even further”, something that was clearly reflected in The Lost Legacy. Chloe Frazer has been a fan-favorite since her introduction in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and Escayg did well to expand on her story and backstory without making it seem contrived. (One of my only complaints was I wish it were longer. Even for a standalone, it felt on the short side). With all the memorable work he’s done at Naughty Dog, Escayg will be sure to carry that “creative growth” with him to another studio, and fans of his work are intrigued to see where he will go next.

If Escayg’s Instagram is any indication, his next move could be to Square Enix. He recently posted a picture of the Avengers logo, possibly hinting that he might be working on the upcoming Avengers game, entitled The Avengers Project. The game is currently in development by Crystal Dynamics and Eidos-Montreal in what Marvel Entertainment is calling a “multi-year, multi-game partnership.” The game is scheduled for a 2018 release. Check out the announcement trailer below.

Though no one knows Escayg’s next move for sure yet, be sure to keep up with more news here at LoadingXP.