“No comment” sometimes means more than “no comment.”

Eurogamer reported this morning that Sony designer Fumito Ueda, currently working on The Last Guardian for PlayStation 3, has left the company to finish his work on that project as a freelancer.

Ueda is known for designing the emotionally-charged Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, both of which just had high-definition revamps released in a rather swank collection.

Sony has trotted out the usual line about now commenting on rumors and speculation, but if Ueda was still working at Sony, it’s strange that Sony wouldn’t want to stamp out this rumor right away.

The Last Guardian has been delayed several times, and is tentatively slated for a 2012 release. If this report is true, it's unclear how or if it would impact the game's development.

The developer has not disappeared from the Internet, however, and updated his Twitter account as recently as a few hours ago. He has not commented on the reports regarding his status at Sony.

“No comment” sometimes means more than “no comment.”

Eurogamer reported this morning that Sony designer Fumito Ueda, currently working on The Last Guardian for PlayStation 3, has left the company to finish his work on that project as a freelancer.

Ueda is known for designing the emotionally-charged Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, both of which just had high-definition revamps released in a rather swank collection.

Sony has trotted out the usual line about now commenting on rumors and speculation, but if Ueda was still working at Sony, it’s strange that Sony wouldn’t want to stamp out this rumor right away.

The Last Guardian has been delayed several times, and is tentatively slated for a 2012 release. If this report is true, it's unclear how or if it would impact the game's development.

The developer has not disappeared from the Internet, however, and updated his Twitter account as recently as a few hours ago. He has not commented on the reports regarding his status at Sony.

No! Last Guardian!

NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Well this sucks...

OH GOD MAYBE HE'LL START WORKING ON XBOX GAMES

Patrick weren´t you the one who said never to trust an eurogamer rumor again? If true tho .... oh noes Last Guardian D:!!!

He's gonna be making Kinect games from now on. Sorry guys!

@Aetheldod: I believe it was the Official Playstation Magazine UK he didn't want to trust any more after that misleading Metal Gear Solid 5 confirmation.

*Tears

Well, that's interesting. But him working as a freelancer on the game doesn't really change the game. Does it? And if he left Sony, that just probably means he's going to either make his own studio or sign up to an independent one. For as much as people who work for Sony say how good it is; seems like first chance they get, they leave. Mmmm....

So, if he's not leaving until Last Guardian is out, he's not leaving then?

I kid!

I don't really see why it sucks so bad? I'm sure he'll continue making great (maybe even better?) games.

Thanks, OBAMA

Ugh. Yuck.

Who cares? He's doing what he wants (unless he got the boot) and that is what people should be happy for.

He was fired because he was taking too long on TLG. He managed to stay on as freelance with a new game director most likely.

@Jolt92 said:

He's gonna be making Kinect games from now on. Sorry guys!

hahah Sweet.

Wasn't the last guardian scrapped anyway? The game with the big furry/feathery friend who will most certainly meet a tragic end.

Well, that's interesting. But him working as a freelancer on the game doesn't really change the game. Does it? And if he left Sony, that just probably means he's going to either make his own studio or sign up to an independent one. For as much as people who work for Sony say how good it is; seems like first chance they get, they leave. Mmmm....

I hope this won't reflect badly on The Last Guardian. Well, whatever's happening I hope he's still going to be making games that I'm going to play.

Patrick, I feel like it was a little premature to make an article on this rumor. At least wait for some kind, ANY kind of proof.

If he's not leaving before finishing The Last Guardian, he's probably going to be there for the next 2-3 years.

I want The Last Guardian more than any game that has came out for this Gen or will come out. I fear we may never get it. sniff.

@Cyrisaurus said:

Patrick, I feel like it was a little premature to make an article on this rumor. At least wait for some kind, ANY kind of proof.

"No comment" is some pretty damning evidence.

Oh man that's funny.

@Sjupp said:

NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

please, dont do this to me. . . .

...?!

Patrick, you are talking like The Last Guardian is a game.

LIES!!!!!!!!

ABANDON SHIP, ABANDON SHIP!

I care about this guy and his vision for games more than the vast majority in the industry. Hopefully this is all happening on his terms and hopefully he'll be able to keep applying his vision to games even if he doesn't have exactly the same team behind him.

This move could actually bode very well for the future if things unfold in a certain way.

@cap123: MGS4 ON XBOX. FINALLY. RISING WILL BE ABOUT SUNNY AND HER PET METAL GEAR.

@Aetheldod: Eurogamer =/= OPM UK

I didn't want the dogcatbird thingy to die anyways. Nor the kid. This just saves everyone an ocean of tears.

It looks like he'll will still work on LG so that good. But if he is 100% leaving Sony, I wonder what he will do.

mobile games or grasshopper.

If this is true, I'd love to know his reasons for leaving. Looking at his track record, it's quite clear that Sony just lets him do whatever the fuck he wants.

As long as he finishes The Last Guardian, I'm excited about his future projects. If he doesn't finish it, I will destroy him.

So if The Last Guardian makes it out and if this rumour is true then its probably going to be the last Team Ico game since Ueda wouldn't leave if he just wanted to keep making games with them and I'm skeptical someone is going to step in to take his place.

Its interesting because it seems like Sony has been giving a lot of leeway to Ueda to make whatever he desires because even if it doesn't make money they can point to it as a high quality art game on their system. So I doubt he could go anywhere else and get more leeway with anywhere near the budget. So maybe he is leaving the game industry?

maybe he and sony had a disagreement on just how much time he should spend slacking off and not working on his game.

not a good omen for The Last Guardian if there is any truth to this rumor. Every time a creative director leaves a game in mid development the game almost always turns out lackluster. The Force Unleashed 2, ACB, Dragon Age 2, and another game that escapea my memory at the moment, come to mind. Not to mention that it could be a huge loss for Sony.

@Anwar: In what manner would them saying "no, he is still an employee of Sony" fuel speculation? But if you don't want Patrick to write about, you know, news, I get you..

"and sony didn't comment" 
 
have they ever commented?

@Vegetable_Side_Dish said:

Ueda make us anxious, Fumito!

Best comment.

DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sony has trotted out the usual line about now commenting on rumors and speculation

Journalism~!

He's too much of a perfectionist to let this game sail without him. I'm sure he'll finish it... but what next? =/