Ilari Kuittinen, co-founder of the PlayStation studio Housemarque, has announced his exit after 31 years with the company. Kuittinen shared the news in a message to fans, confirming that his final day with the team was today.
"After 33 years in the games industry and 31 incredible years at Housemarque—the studio I co-founded with Harri Tikkanen—today marks my last day at the company," Kuittinen stated. He reflected on the studio's origins in 1993 as Terramarque, and its establishment as Housemarque in 1995, driven by a passion for games without a clear business plan. Kuittinen expressed gratitude for being in the right place during decades of industry growth, which allowed Housemarque to remain independent for 26 years before becoming a PlayStation Studio.
Kuittinen emphasized his core purpose as a leader was to "facilitate an environment where extraordinary creators have the freedom and protection to do what they do best." Throughout its history, Housemarque has evolved, maintaining its commitment to gameplay while branching out beyond simple shoot-em-ups.
The studio gained significant recognition with the release of Resogun for the PlayStation 4 launch in 2013. This was followed by twin-stick shooters like Alienation in 2016 and Nex Machina in 2017. Housemarque then pushed its capabilities further with the story-driven roguelike Returnal for the PlayStation 5 in April 2021. Sony officially integrated the company into its PlayStation Studios family later that year. The studio's most recent release, Saros, arrived in April of this year.
Kuittinen highlighted Housemarque's evolution into a AAA developer, its game catalog, and its status as a pioneering Finnish game studio as key achievements. He clarified that his departure follows a planned transition, with studio veteran Sami 'Haxu' Hakala having taken over as managing director on July 1, 2026. This succession plan had been carefully managed behind the scenes by Kuittinen, Hakala, and the wider team.
"Housemarque’s strategy and creative vision are in exceptional hands," Kuittinen added. "As for me? After 33 continuous years without a major break, I am taking a rare and well-deserved breather trying to find out how good I am at doing nothing! To Harri, our partners at SIE, our global industry friends, and every single team member who has ever walked through Housemarque’s doors: thank you for making the past 31 years the privilege of a lifetime."
Saros, released earlier this year, received a 7/10 review from IGN. The review noted that while the game "tries at an interesting and ambitious story it isn't always able to effectively tell, but Housemarque has once again proved that its bullet-hell sensibilities mesh incredibly well with fluid and challenging action."