Naughty Dog co-founders Jason Rubin and Andy Gavin in 2001 decided to sell the studio with Sony after many years of working together. The team at the time had huge success with Crash Bandicoot.
Rubin in an interview with IGN said that the decision to sell to Sony wasn’t an easy one and that he and Gavin “definitely agonized over it.”
“Our relationship with Sony was already so intertwined and magical and amazing that certainty for both parties made a lot of sense,” said Rubin.
Rubin believes that if he didn’t sell to Sony that Uncharted and The Last of Us would never have been created:
“I think—my personal life decision aside—it was the right decision for Naughty Dog,” said Rubin. “Look where Naughty Dog is today. As an independent, I don’t think Naughty Dog could have done that. I don’t think you’d have these games.
“Sony has been incredible to Naughty Dog, always giving them the assets that they need to compete. Most people don’t realize but quite often a game is won because a game got more budget. It’s bigger, badder, it’s cooler because it got more budget.”
Source | IGN
