Stern hiring Elwin is not necessary the same as a company decision to have four design teams - or concurring projects. Mind you. They need to for a while, if they do not want to slow down, to allow the new blood to get up to speed.

So Trudeau, as we suppose, out for good, may not leave a gap to fill as such.

Three concurring projects, with the odd mix of Gomez/Nordman/... one off games, seems to fit Stern just fine.

As for the software, it must have been a hugh task to build the framework of the new screen. And to learn to integrate it with the games. Look how stunning it has turned out. That has not come easy. If this has sacrifised developement of core game design, this will ease up with experience and the developement of reusable framework components.

As to what to do with the Trudeau game in developement. Phew, that must cause headaches.