Housemarque cofounder Ilari Kuittinen has announced his departure from the studio after 31 years of game development. The Finnish developer behind Returnal and Saros confirmed that longtime director Sami Hakala has taken over leadership duties. The transition marks the end of an era for the PlayStation Studios subsidiary as it prepares for its next phase of production.
Kuittinen entered the industry in 1993 with Terramarque before partnering with Harri Tikkanen to establish Housemarque in 1995. The company operated as an independent studio for 26 years, building arcade hits like Super Stardust HD and Resogun. Sony Interactive Entertainment acquired the team following the breakout success of Returnal, which helped establish the studio as a major AAA creator. Their latest release, Saros, continued that technical momentum.
A final message from our co-founder, Ilari Kuittinen pic.twitter.com/ubf0yZJBWq
— Housemarque (@Housemarque) August 31, 2026
In an official farewell message shared across studio channels, Kuittinen explained that the leadership transition had been prepared quietly behind the scenes. Sami Hakala took on the Managing Director position to secure operational continuity across active projects. In his statement, Kuittinen reflected on his core leadership principle over his 3 decades at the company:
My core purpose as a leader has always been simple: to facilitate an environment where extraordinary creators have the freedom and protection to do what they do best.
After 33 continuous years in the games industry, Kuittinen plans to take an extended break before eventually pursuing advisory and mentorship opportunities. His exit mirrors a wider wave of veteran studio founders retiring across the PlayStation ecosystem. Even with the leadership change, the development teams in Helsinki remain focused on expanding their creative ambitions under new management.
