Insomniac Games CEO Ted Price to retire from games industry in March, new co-studio heads announced
Games industry icon says goodbye after 30 years.
Insomniac Games CEO Ted Price will retire from the games industry at the end of March after 30 years, he announced. Studio veterans Chad Dezern, Ryan Schneider, and Jen Huang will become Insomniac Games’ new co-studio heads.
Here a message from Ted Price on his retirement:
Hi everyone,
I’d like to start this blog by acknowledging how difficult things have been for our team members and our players in Los Angeles over the past several weeks. As I write this, news reports are being shared predicting more challenges ahead with the fires due to extreme weather.
Our thoughts are with those who have been affected and we’ll continue to work with our peers at Sony to support our team members and their families as they continue to deal with the tragic situation.
I’m so proud of the numerous Insomniacs who have rallied to help others in LA both inside and outside of Insomniac. Helping those who are less fortunate is part of our mission statement. Insomniacs embrace it daily and it’s one of so many aspects of our culture that I love.
Another aspect of our culture I hold dear is the Insomniacs’ ability to pull together and successfully overcome what often seem like insurmountable obstacles.
Speaking of which, despite a challenging 2024, Insomniacs stayed fully focused on building games for our fans. As a result of the team’s persistence and collaboration, we’re in one of the strongest positions we’ve experienced in years, with each game in development looking beautiful and playing fantastic.
Therefore, last week, I felt comfortable announcing to the Insomniac team that after having been incredibly fortunate to enjoy such a fulfilling career in games, I’ll be retiring from the industry at the end of March. Today, I’m sharing this news more broadly.
I actually made this decision last year. For me, after over 30 years of leading Insomniac, I felt it was simply time to step aside and let others pave the way for our team.
During the past year, I had the opportunity to work with the senior leadership team at Insomniac to create a succession plan that I know will provide the continuity, stability and strong leadership necessary to deliver more of what our fans cherish over the next several decades.
So also today, I’m extremely happy to announce that Chad Dezern, Ryan Schneider and Jen Huang will become Insomniac Games’ new Co-Studio Heads.
I believe strongly that for us to continue our success, we need leaders at the top who are intimately familiar with how we do things, leaders who have helped build our culture and our processes, and who have earned people’s trust.
For many years, Chad, Jen, and Ryan have been instrumental in making Insomniac what we are today. I’ve seen each lead major initiatives here which have positively changed Insomniacs’ lives. Plus, they’ve consistently demonstrated the kind of collaboration and transparency that’s part of our DNA. And just as important, their skillsets are truly complementary.
There is no way that I would ever consider handing the reins to a team I didn’t trust to take care of Insomniacs and lead us to even greater heights. Chad, Jen and Ryan are that team. For those who may not be familiar, please take a moment to get to know them here.
To conclude this blog, Insomniac has been my life, my home away from home, for three decades.
I want to thank every Insomniac for having a positive and lasting impact on my life. Working side by side with Insomniacs for so many years has been a gift that I’ll cherish for the rest of my days.
I also want to thank our fans who, for three decades, have shared their enthusiasm, their encouragement and their support – inspiring us to take every game farther than the last. We do what we do for you. And I can assure you that we won’t be slowing down.
As for me, I’m very excited to officially join the ranks of Insomniac fans. I can’t wait to experience our future games purely as a player. Plus, I can’t remember the last time I played any game and wasn’t unconsciously scanning for bugs. I’m ready to break that habit!
Finally, I’m confident that under the combined leadership of Chad, Jen and Ryan, Insomniac will continue to deliver the industry-defining games that players have come to expect from us… while making a positive and lasting impact on people’s lives for decades to come.
Thank you to Insomniacs, to our players and to videogames for 30 wonderful years.
—Ted Price
And here are messages from each new co-studio head:
Ryan Schneider, Co-Studio Head, Insomniac Games
“I started my Insomniac career during the PlayStation 2 era in studio marketing and communications, quickly shifting my role to become Insomniac’s first community director and helping establish the role within the PlayStation ecosystem. I joined Insomniac’s senior leadership team several years ago and have held multiple studio roles including Head of Franchise Strategy & Studio Relations. In that role I partnered with teams within and beyond Sony Interactive on how and when we talk about our games, including in-game creative integrations. More recently, I’ve served as Head of Brand & Leadership Strategy, which means I’m ensuring through communications, coaching and culture development that what Insomniac says to the world about itself and our games matches what we believe and how we act inside Insomniac.
“Outside of work, I play games with my family almost nightly. We enjoyed completing ASTRO BOT and LEGO Horizon Adventures over the winter break. I also love cycling (road and gravel).”
Jen Huang, Co-Studio Head, Insomniac Games
“I joined our incredible studio eight years ago as [Chief Financial Officer] and Head of Finance, and our team has had my heart ever since. As part of our leadership team, I directly support our development teams across all titles, overseeing project planning, production strategy, business operations, resource planning, and co-development partnerships. Together with the best team in the world, we’ve shipped 12 games since my first day, and I’m super excited about the unforgettable experiences we’ll bring to players in the future.
“Before joining Insomniac Games, I was a senior finance executive, providing strategic and financial leadership to global tech and entertainment businesses.
“I’m passionate about driving innovations that elevate our studio and community. Outside of work, I support Glendale’s neighborhood libraries and love playing games with my kids. Over the holidays, I immersed myself in ASTRO BOT and Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered—and loved those unforgettable adventures.”
Chad Dezern, Co-Studio Head, Insomniac Games
“One afternoon, I picked up a copy of Spyro The Dragon for Research™ purposes. I was floored by its charm and attention to detail—here, clearly, was the work of a team at the top of their game, and I wanted to learn their secrets.
“I joined Insomniac in 1998. Since then, I’ve had the honor to contribute to five generations of PlayStation as an Environment Artist, Art Director, Studio Director for the Durham studio, and—starting in 2017—as the Head of Creative. As a senior leader, I support the creative, story, and research teams across all titles to help ensure that our games ship with a uniquely Insomniac vision and a high degree of polish.
“So what secrets did I learn? Mainly that magic happens when talented people build on each other’s ideas even as they challenge each other to advance their craft. In my new role, I’m excited to work with Ryan and Jen to continue Insomniac’s tradition of creative collaboration.”
Going forward, Insomniac Games plans to “keep making the games you love, while taking care of the people who make them,” as well as “preserve what has made Insomniac special for 30-plus years while exploring how we can strategically evolve to succeed for decades to come.”