Amy Hennig, director and writer of the Uncharted series, "forced out" of Naughty Dog - Polidicks

[quote]Amy Hennig, the creative director and writer on the Uncharted series, has left developer Naughty Dog. Numerous trusted sources close to Naughty Dog have verified Hennig’s departure from the studio. She was writing and leading development of Uncharted PS4. Her final day at the studio was Monday, March 3. Sources claim Hennig was “forced out” by The Last of Us’ Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley, and explained that Uncharted may now come under their control. [url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/03/05/uncharted-ps4-writer-amy-hennig-leaves-naughty-dog]Source[/url][/quote] Really hoping this isn't as dramatic as it sounds; the studio would be foolish to part ways with her on a sour note. Either way, she was one of the biggest figures at Naughty Dog for the last decade and it's sad to see her go, especially with Uncharted 4 looming on the horizon.

What? Aw, that sucks.

So she was fired.

This is why we need feminism [highlight](User was banned for this post ("off topic / trying to derail" - MaxOfS2D))[/highlight]

[QUOTE=Wafflemonstr;44133209]This is why we need feminism[/QUOTE] Holy shit are you serious

[QUOTE=Wafflemonstr;44133209]This is why we need feminism[/QUOTE] And just like that the thread is ruined.

Just to be on topic, I'm not terribly worried about where Amy is going to end up. She's proven to be a fantastic writer, I just hope it's with the right company.

That's a shame, the Uncharted games are pretty cohesive and show a good director behind it. Of course everyone gave TLoU GOTYAY so with office politics everyone thinks they do a better job and she finds herself in a tight spot. I like how Naughty Dog claim the timeline for Uncharted 4 won't be affected, no mention to how changing the director a good way through the project will fuck up the quality.

[QUOTE=Banned?;44133281]And just like that the thread is ruined.[/QUOTE] Pretty sure he was just trying to make a joke, relax mate. [QUOTE=Devodiere;44133300]That's a shame, the Uncharted games are pretty cohesive and show a good director behind it. Of course everyone gave TLoU GOTYAY so with office politics everyone thinks they do a better job and she finds herself in a tight spot. I like how Naughty Dog claim the timeline for Uncharted 4 won't be affected, no mention to how changing the director a good way through the project will fuck up the quality.[/QUOTE] Never really indicated how large of a role she had though. It's certainly possible the game won't be affected, depending on how their office structure is set up.

[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;44133319]Pretty sure he was just trying to make a joke, relax mate. [/QUOTE] pretty dumb joke [QUOTE=sloppy_joes;44133319] Never really indicated how large of a role she had though. It's certainly possible the game won't be affected, depending on how their office structure is set up.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE][B]creative director[/B] and writer on the Uncharted series[/QUOTE] so a pretty big role

[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;44133319] Never really indicated how large of a role she had though. It's certainly possible the game won't be affected, depending on how their office structure is set up.[/QUOTE] Hennig was pretty much the driving force behind Uncharted. Directed and wrote them. She was one of the best writers in the industry, hell she worked on the Legacy of Kain series. If she really was forced out by the LoU hacks then shit things are gonna be grim for ND.

it seems that naughty dog understood how important she was to the company i doubt she was 'forced out' over the success of one game, considering the uncharted 2 and 3 probably each won as many awards as the last of us

[quote]Sources claim Hennig was “forced out” by The Last of Us’ Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley, and explained that Uncharted may now come under their control.[/quote]Forced out? I hope Neil doesn't turn out to be a massive asshole because he seems like a genuinely good person. [editline]5th March 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=Diet Kane;44133358]Hennig was pretty much the driving force behind Uncharted. Directed and wrote them. She was one of the best writers in the industry, hell she worked on the Legacy of Kain series. If she really was forced out by the LoU hacks then shit things are gonna be grim for ND.[/QUOTE]Hacks really?

Yeah that sounds like Neil Druckmann. If you watched the Last of Us video he just seems like that guy. Like he wants to grasp at whatever he can.

Not really enough information to draw any conclusions. Either way I hope she finds another job, she's obviously very talented.

[QUOTE=Wafflemonstr;44133209]This is why we need feminism[/QUOTE] Yeah that's cool and all but when she and Glenn Schofield were running LoK, they pretty much ran it with an iron fist and were assholes about any character development they didn't approve. Also nicely ironic that she gets Uncharted taken from her when she pretty much helped LoK get taken from Silicon Knights and turned into to some scifi bullshit. She's a fine writer and an excellent Lead, but she's been an asshole in the past in her own right, and she's not some beatific saint who died for Nathan's sins.

[QUOTE=Diet Kane;44133358]Hennig was pretty much the driving force behind Uncharted. Directed and wrote them. She was one of the best writers in the industry, hell she worked on the Legacy of Kain series. If she really was forced out by the LoU hacks then shit things are gonna be grim for ND.[/QUOTE] just because somebody is an asshole doesn't mean that they can't be good at something

[QUOTE=Wafflemonstr;44133209]This is why we need feminism[/QUOTE] And this is why they should ban people like you [highlight](User was banned for this post ("backseat moderating" - MaxOfS2D))[/highlight]

[QUOTE=Banhfunbags;44133171]So she was fired.[/QUOTE] She left on her own accord. Probably because she didn't feel welcome or comfortable, hence "forced out"

[QUOTE=Adarrek;44134728]And this is why they should ban people like you[/QUOTE] It was a harmless joke.

i dont get how these fucking games get eaten up like hot cakes, uncharted 3 was piss [editline]6th March 2014[/editline] maybe she was like fuck it lets work with david cage maybe i can then do more insane bs than make crappy pg storylines

[QUOTE=s0m3_guy;44134900]i dont get how these fucking games get eaten up like hot cakes, uncharted 3 was piss [editline]6th March 2014[/editline] maybe she was like fuck it lets work with david cage maybe i can then do more insane bs than make crappy pg storylines[/QUOTE] It's pretty simple really: the Uncharted games are fun as shit. You don't need a particularly deep story to have a good one, and the character acting is exceptionally good, making the characters likable. Plus it's pretty much as close as we're gonna get to a (good) playable Indiana Jones.

I feel like this is an exaggeration of the fact that she was replaced. She hadn't been writing much since Uncharted 2, and Neil had been the primary writer for The Last of Us. [editline]5th March 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=Adarrek;44134728]And this is why they should ban people like you[/QUOTE] Speak for yourself.

[QUOTE=JeanLuc761;44135378]It's pretty simple really: the Uncharted games are fun as shit. You don't need a particularly deep story to have a good one, and the character acting is exceptionally good, making the characters likable. Plus it's pretty much as close as we're gonna get to a (good) playable Indiana Jones.[/QUOTE] That's probably one of my biggest issues with the Uncharted series and the fact that they've had Hennig for so long. She went from LoK a game with three different timelines intersecting over an entire series to something as cut and dry as Uncharted. Wasted talent.

[QUOTE=spekter;44135708]That's probably one of my biggest issues with the Uncharted series and the fact that they've had Hennig for so long. She went from LoK a game with three different timelines intersecting over an entire series to something as cut and dry as Uncharted. Wasted talent.[/QUOTE] Hennig made the Uncharted characters feel alive though. She's able to make gothic undead feel alive (the irony?) so I hope she finds more work soon, she's one of the best writers in the industry. I look foreward to whatever it may be based on her abilities alone.

Another source states that she was forced to go because she criticized the Last of Us DLC. [url]http://www.gameranx.com/updates/id/20700/article/amy-hennig-leaves-naughty-dog/[/url] [QUOTE] It's a shame you guys missed the drama from Amy and the Uncharted team about the Last of Us DLC. She called the story needlessly pandering to a socially abrasive niche that demeans the quality of narrative in its entirety and enforces the idea of the death of camaraderie. She did a seminar recently about how the increasing focus on sexuality is robbing readers, viewers, and gamers of themes that have been present in story since the time of antiquity: Friendship and camaraderie. By the end of it Amy said that we're entering an age where no one could write a story like Alls Quiet on the Western Front or Band of Brothers without people insisting that the men are gay for each other. [/QUOTE] It is from /v/, so take it with variable amounts of salt.

[QUOTE=MittRomney;44139038]Another source states that she was forced to go because she criticized the Last of Us DLC. [url]http://www.gameranx.com/updates/id/20700/article/amy-hennig-leaves-naughty-dog/[/url] It is from /v/, so take it with variable amounts of salt.[/QUOTE] Well I could agree to that, yet my horizon is surely way too limited to judge that. But it somewhat sounds plausible to me.

From what I've read in past game company histories, this kind of thing is more the result of politics. One person, or a group, has the power. Then for whatever reason, another person or group decides to challenge for that power. FIGHT! Then the loser of the power struggle has to leave. It could be anything really. She could be great at what she does, but what if the company decides what she does isn't as needed as what those other guys do? Or she could have been perceived as more trouble than she's worth. It's common for someone to be 'right' at work and still be the one forced out if everyone else simply does not want to be bothered by all the drama.

Aw, man. I've loved anything she's been involved in since Soul Reaver. I hope she gets hired elsewhere quick.

[QUOTE=MittRomney;44139038]Another source states that she was forced to go because she criticized the Last of Us DLC. [url]http://www.gameranx.com/updates/id/20700/article/amy-hennig-leaves-naughty-dog/[/url] It is from /v/, so take it with variable amounts of salt.[/QUOTE] Those are some plausible points, but if I was part of Naughty Dog I'd like having writers with varying viewpoints on board. Like you said though, it's to be taken with some salt (probably a lot).