First party and third party studios are often terms thrown around within the video game industry. Both are fairly misuderstood terms and in hope to clarify, I will, in the coming weeks, be discussing who I believe are the best first party studios and third party studios. First party studios are owned by a company who creates gaming consoles; the studio will then develop games exclusively for their parent console—third party studios are often hired by publishers to create games for several platforms. Unlike first party studios, that are given freedom to create what they want within the game, third party studios regularly work with the publisher so are ultimately given less freedom while creating the game.

This week, I’ve chosen the developer Naughty Dog, their most notable games include the Crash Bandicoot series, the Uncharted series and The Last of Us. Naughty Dog is perhaps the most famous first party studio and arguably one of the most famous video game developers in existence.

I personally love Naughty Dog as a studio, as they have not only created great games but great games within different genres. The diversity of the studio ranges from the action, racing, and platforming genres. Most studios usually specialize within one genre; Naughty Dog’s diversity is what really gives them their strength. But not all developers are able to handle this kind of diversity. A prime example of this is Sony Santa Monica who struck gold within the action genre, but failed to make a stand in the fighting genre. While Naughty Dog never truly pursued fighting, their other genres, such as action/adventure and fps, really made them stand out and strongly against their competitors.



The writing behind Naughty Dog games is a huge draw because the dialogue and story continually draw you in. The Last of Us and the Uncharted series have incredible story lines. I particularly enjoyed The Last of Us as it was so emotionally connective. Not only this, but it was incredibly fun to play. I also found that the character’s dialogue in both The Last of Us and the Uncharted series really helped you feel for the characters more, as they were either made to be liked or disliked. It made them real, connective, and interesting to analyze.

Naughty Dog also has a record of impeccable voice acting. So much so, that their voice actors have recied multiple awards just for their performances. Most notable, Troy Baker’s portrayal of Joel from The Last of Us was some of the best voice acting and motion capture I have ever seen. Naughty Dog brought Baker’s performance to life with enhanced facial animation and realistic movements. The studio, along with Baker’s voice acting, were able to bring a completely new aspect to gaming: tangibility.



Because Naughty Dog has brought variety, flawless characterization, massive in-depth story lines, and knows how to truly connect acting and animation, I see them as one of the strongest first party studio developers in the industry. It is because of their attention to detail and genuine devotion to the art that they’re able to create their masterpieces—and we can only expect the best that they have to offer.