Harry Krueger, a talented director known for his work on Returnal and Nex Machina, has announced his departure from Housemarque after 14 years with the studio. Krueger expressed his gratitude for his time at Housemarque and noted that each project was a dream come true. His contributions greatly impacted the growth of the studio, moving from arcade games to ambitious projects like Returnal, which marked a turning point for Housemarque. Although he described his departure as difficult, Krueger expressed excitement for the future of the studio and its new projects. He also expressed confidence in the strong team remaining at Housemarque and the continued support of Sony, which absorbed him as an internal team in 2021.
Housemarque co-founder and CEO Ilari Kuittinen highlighted Krueger’s significant impact on the development of the studio. Under Krueger’s leadership, Housemarque surpassed several milestones, including the rebirth of the arcade genre through the success of Returnal. Kuittinen sees this moment as an ideal opportunity for new leadership to take over and continue building on the foundation created by Krueger. With Sony’s continued support, Housemarque is now preparing to embark on a major new project – creating “the next big hit” from Finland – while honoring the legacy and innovations introduced during the Krueger era.