Housemarque Co-Founder Ilari Kuittinen Has Stepped Down After 31 Years - News
by William D'Angelo , posted 1 day ago / 938 Views
Housemarque has announced co-founder and managing director Ilari Kuittinen has stepped down after 31 hours at the studio.
Kuittinen co-founded Housemarque in 1995 with Harri Tikkanen. Under his leadership the studio developed Saros, Returnal, Resogun, Supreme Snowboarding, and Super Stardust HD.
He plans to take a break from the video games industry, but will remain connected via trade shows and award shows, as well as planning to mentor consult.
Former deputy managing director Sami 'Haxu' Hakala took over as the managing director on July 1, with Kuittinen supporting Hakala and other leadership to ensure there was a smooth transition.
Read the full message below:
End of an Era: 31 Years at Housemarque and 33 Years in Gaming
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 as a Housemarquean.
Starting out in 1993 with Terramarque, and then joining forces with Harri to establish Housemarque in 1995, we had a passion for games but no real blueprint for building a business. Looking back, I feel immensely fortunate. We had the luck of being in the right place at the right time during three decades of incredible industry growth, allowing us to stay fiercely independent for 26 years before finding a home within the PlayStation Studios family.
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.
Together, we’ve achieved things I couldn’t have imagined when we started:
- Pioneering Finnish game development on the global stage.
- Creating studio defining titles-from Supreme Snowboarding, Super Stardust HD, and Resogun to our breakthrough AAA success with Returnal and our latest release, Saros.
- Evolving into a premier AAA developer while maintaining our unique creative identity.
A Heartfelt Thank You to My Industry Family
Beyond the walls of Housemarque and PlayStation, this journey would have been impossible without the broader games community. To the many friends, fellow founders, mentors, and industry peers across the world who have offered invaluable advice, a listening ear, or steady support over the last three decades: thank you.
This industry is defined not just by the games we create, but by the remarkable, generous people who make up its global community. The wisdom, camaraderie, and encouragement you’ve shared with me personally throughout the years mean more than I can express.
Leadership Transition & What’s Next
We have been planning this leadership transition carefully behind the scenes. On July 1, Sami “Haxu” Hakala officially stepped into the managing director role, and I have been supporting him and the leadership team through the end of this month to ensure complete operational continuity and stability. Housemarque’s strategy and creative vision are in exceptional hands.
As for me? After 33 continuous years without a major break, I am taking a rare and well-deserved breather. Starting in September, I plan to embrace what writer David Deida calls the concept of the “Man of Zero”—learning to simply be without always striving for the next milestone. Let’s see how good I am at doing nothing!
However, you certainly haven’t seen the last of me. I look forward to staying connected with the industry, attending trade shows, cheering from the crowd at award shows, and down the road, doing some mentoring or consulting.
To Harri, our partners at [Sony Interactive Entertainment], 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.
Remember our guiding light: strive to be a better professional, and a better human being. Take care of each other, speak with courage, and keep pushing the boundaries of what games can be.
Here’s to the next decade!
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.
