Jade Raymond

Jade Raymond is a prominent Canadian video game producer and the Founder and CEO of Haven Studios Inc., a development studio focused on creating original intellectual properties for PlayStation. Born on August 28, 1975, in Montreal, she has made significant contributions to the gaming industry, particularly known for her roles in developing major franchises like Assassin's Creed and Watch Dogs.

Early Career and Education

Raymond graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from McGill University in 1998. She began her career as a programmer at Sony, where she contributed to the company's first Research and Development group for online games. She later joined Electronic Arts as a producer on The Sims Online before moving to Ubisoft Montreal in 2004, where she played a crucial role in launching the Assassin's Creed franchise.3

Professional Achievements

Throughout her career, Raymond has held several high-ranking positions:

• Ubisoft: She was instrumental in establishing Ubisoft Toronto and served as executive producer for multiple titles within the Assassin's Creed series.
• Electronic Arts: She founded Motive Studios and worked on projects including Star Wars: Battlefront II.
• Google: Before founding Haven Studios, she served as Vice President at Google, overseeing Stadia Games and Entertainment, which focused on developing exclusive content for Google’s cloud gaming platform.124

In March 2021, Raymond founded Haven Studios with an emphasis on creating innovative gaming experiences. The studio was acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment in July 2022, making it part of the PlayStation Studios family.25

Recognition

Raymond has received numerous accolades throughout her career:

• Named one of Variety Magazine's top 500 most influential business leaders in entertainment for two consecutive years (2018-2019).
• Awarded the New York Video Game Critics Circle Legend Award and the Pioneer Award at the Guggenheim Museum Games Festival.
• Recognized as #1 on Maclean's Power List of Canadian Gaming Tycoons in 2023.13

Current Focus

At Haven Studios, Raymond leads a team dedicated to developing new gaming experiences, leveraging cloud technology to innovate how games are created and played. The studio has grown rapidly, now employing over 100 team members and focusing on delivering high-quality games that foster community engagement.54

Jade Raymond continues to be a significant figure in the gaming industry, advocating for innovation and diversity within the field while inspiring future generations of game developers.