jackissocool
Member
Currently Sony has a very impressive crop of studios. Below is a brief summary of the current crop of studios.
SCE Japan Studio: Makers of Ape Escape, Patapon, Locoroco, Puppeteer, Soul Sacrifice, and a million other games. Also home to Team Ico and Team Siren/Gravity. Officially founded in 1997, but has its roots in developers like Exact Co. (Jumping Flash!). Pretty huge, puts out tons of games. gas an external development branch to help produce such a large quantity of games. Known for creative, out there games. Making like a dozen games, including Soul Sacrifice Delta + 2, Gravity Rush 2, The Last Guardian, Freedom Wars, and a rumoured major JRPG for PS4.
Polyphony Digital: Spun off of Japan Studio in 1998. Makers of Gran Turismo. Will continue to work on Gran Turismo for the foreseeable future.
Naughty Dog: Founded in 1984, labored in obscurity and mediocrity for a decade. Then they made Crash Bandicoot. They followed that up with Jak and Daxter, Uncharted and The Last of Us. Known for insane, mind blowing tech skill and story driven games. Creating Uncharted 4 for PS4 and brain storming their next game.
SCE Santa Monica Studio: Founded in 1999. Made the now forgotten Kinetica as a PS1 launch game and then followed that up with the enormous God of War franchise. Has a hefty external development team that helped create games like Journey, Sound Shapes, Twisted Metal 2012, and PS All-Stars. Like Naughty Dog, known for crazy tech skill. Working on quite a few ex dev games and 2-3 other internally developed games, at least one of which is a new IP.
SCE San Diego Studio: Founded in 2001. Known mostly for their sports games, particularly The Show. Occasionally does external development and creates games like the portable Modnation Racers. About to release The Show 14 foot all PlayStation systems. Will continue to release The Show.
Sucker Punch: Founded in 1997. Known for creating Sly Cooper and inFamous. Acquired by Sony after inFamous 2. Small studio, probably single team. About to release inFamous: Second Son. Rumored to be working on a new IP next.
Bend: Founded in 1994. Created Syphon Filter. Best known for their excellent third person shooters on PSP and Vita. Been silent for a while now. Working on a PS4 game with creatures and vehicles, possibly also working on a Vita game.
SCE Foster Studio: Internal development support. does not assist external development or create its own games.
Media Molecule: Founded in 2008 and acquired in 2010. Creates incredibly creative and family friendly games. Small studio known for LittleBigPlanet and Tearaway. Working in a PS4 game.
SCE London Studio Formed from the merger of Psygnosis Camden and Team Soho in 2002. Recently been making casual experiences like SingStar and Home, but has a varied history. Working on a new PS4 IP that features vehicles.
Guerrilla Games: Creators of Killzone, one of Sony's longest running active franchises. Founded in 2000 and acquired in 2005. Alongside Naughty Dog and SSM, known for some absolutely insane graphics and technical skill. Currently working on a new IP, their first non-Killzone game in a decade, rumoured to be a WRPG.
Guerrilla Cambridge: Founded in 1997 as SCE Cambridge Studio. Has made an eclectic range of games but is best known for MediEvil and Killzone Mercenary. Likely working on a PS4 game.
Evolution: Founded in 1999 and acquired in 2006. Best known for Motorstorm. Working in the delayed but anticipated Driveclub for PS4. Houses many former Studio Liverpool members.
SCE ExDev: An external development team that acts as the European equivalent of Studio Japan and SSM but without internally developed games.
Former studios (notable games; year of closure). Get ready for some tears.
Psygnosis (WipEout, Colony Wars, Rollcage, F1; 2012), BigBig (Pursuit Force; 2012), Incognito (War of the Monsters, Twisted Metal, Warhawk; 2009), Zipper (SOCOM, MAG; 2012), 989 Studios (absorbed into other Sony teams)
Ok, so that's the story until now. What I want to now is where Gaf things they'll go in terms of studios. I'm not talking about what games they'll be making. I'm taking about who will be making them. What teams will they acquire and who's in danger of closing? Personally I think with the massive success of the PS4 (so far) Sony will feel comfortable buying some new studios soon. Typically they buy a studio that has put out a few exclusive games already, with Guerrilla being the only exception. Here's a short list of potential purchases.
Ready at Dawn: I think everyone sees this coming. If The Order is successful and RaD is willing, I'd expect to see them purchased sometime next year. They have put out 3 exclusives that were all well received. The Order is their first IP, Sony owns it, and they have a very friendly relationship with Sony and its studios, particularly Naughty Dog and SSM.
Housemarque: Creators of Super Stardust, Resogun, and Dead Nation. The masters of twin stick shooters with a number of Sony owned IPs. I think aside from RaD they're the most likely single purchase for a studio.
Sanzaru: I would've said they were a likely bet but now they seem to be locked into the new Sonic Boom series, so they'll probably just remain a second party studio akin to Insomniac for now.
Futurlab and Fun Bits: I see these both as potential distant future acquisitions. Futurlab in particular is an up and coming developer to keep an eye with a strong relationship with Sony.
So what do you think? Please comment on my thoughts and provide potential studios you think could be acquired or closed.
SCE Japan Studio: Makers of Ape Escape, Patapon, Locoroco, Puppeteer, Soul Sacrifice, and a million other games. Also home to Team Ico and Team Siren/Gravity. Officially founded in 1997, but has its roots in developers like Exact Co. (Jumping Flash!). Pretty huge, puts out tons of games. gas an external development branch to help produce such a large quantity of games. Known for creative, out there games. Making like a dozen games, including Soul Sacrifice Delta + 2, Gravity Rush 2, The Last Guardian, Freedom Wars, and a rumoured major JRPG for PS4.
Polyphony Digital: Spun off of Japan Studio in 1998. Makers of Gran Turismo. Will continue to work on Gran Turismo for the foreseeable future.
Naughty Dog: Founded in 1984, labored in obscurity and mediocrity for a decade. Then they made Crash Bandicoot. They followed that up with Jak and Daxter, Uncharted and The Last of Us. Known for insane, mind blowing tech skill and story driven games. Creating Uncharted 4 for PS4 and brain storming their next game.
SCE Santa Monica Studio: Founded in 1999. Made the now forgotten Kinetica as a PS1 launch game and then followed that up with the enormous God of War franchise. Has a hefty external development team that helped create games like Journey, Sound Shapes, Twisted Metal 2012, and PS All-Stars. Like Naughty Dog, known for crazy tech skill. Working on quite a few ex dev games and 2-3 other internally developed games, at least one of which is a new IP.
SCE San Diego Studio: Founded in 2001. Known mostly for their sports games, particularly The Show. Occasionally does external development and creates games like the portable Modnation Racers. About to release The Show 14 foot all PlayStation systems. Will continue to release The Show.
Sucker Punch: Founded in 1997. Known for creating Sly Cooper and inFamous. Acquired by Sony after inFamous 2. Small studio, probably single team. About to release inFamous: Second Son. Rumored to be working on a new IP next.
Bend: Founded in 1994. Created Syphon Filter. Best known for their excellent third person shooters on PSP and Vita. Been silent for a while now. Working on a PS4 game with creatures and vehicles, possibly also working on a Vita game.
SCE Foster Studio: Internal development support. does not assist external development or create its own games.
Media Molecule: Founded in 2008 and acquired in 2010. Creates incredibly creative and family friendly games. Small studio known for LittleBigPlanet and Tearaway. Working in a PS4 game.
SCE London Studio Formed from the merger of Psygnosis Camden and Team Soho in 2002. Recently been making casual experiences like SingStar and Home, but has a varied history. Working on a new PS4 IP that features vehicles.
Guerrilla Games: Creators of Killzone, one of Sony's longest running active franchises. Founded in 2000 and acquired in 2005. Alongside Naughty Dog and SSM, known for some absolutely insane graphics and technical skill. Currently working on a new IP, their first non-Killzone game in a decade, rumoured to be a WRPG.
Guerrilla Cambridge: Founded in 1997 as SCE Cambridge Studio. Has made an eclectic range of games but is best known for MediEvil and Killzone Mercenary. Likely working on a PS4 game.
Evolution: Founded in 1999 and acquired in 2006. Best known for Motorstorm. Working in the delayed but anticipated Driveclub for PS4. Houses many former Studio Liverpool members.
SCE ExDev: An external development team that acts as the European equivalent of Studio Japan and SSM but without internally developed games.
Former studios (notable games; year of closure). Get ready for some tears.
Psygnosis (WipEout, Colony Wars, Rollcage, F1; 2012), BigBig (Pursuit Force; 2012), Incognito (War of the Monsters, Twisted Metal, Warhawk; 2009), Zipper (SOCOM, MAG; 2012), 989 Studios (absorbed into other Sony teams)
Ok, so that's the story until now. What I want to now is where Gaf things they'll go in terms of studios. I'm not talking about what games they'll be making. I'm taking about who will be making them. What teams will they acquire and who's in danger of closing? Personally I think with the massive success of the PS4 (so far) Sony will feel comfortable buying some new studios soon. Typically they buy a studio that has put out a few exclusive games already, with Guerrilla being the only exception. Here's a short list of potential purchases.
Ready at Dawn: I think everyone sees this coming. If The Order is successful and RaD is willing, I'd expect to see them purchased sometime next year. They have put out 3 exclusives that were all well received. The Order is their first IP, Sony owns it, and they have a very friendly relationship with Sony and its studios, particularly Naughty Dog and SSM.
Housemarque: Creators of Super Stardust, Resogun, and Dead Nation. The masters of twin stick shooters with a number of Sony owned IPs. I think aside from RaD they're the most likely single purchase for a studio.
Sanzaru: I would've said they were a likely bet but now they seem to be locked into the new Sonic Boom series, so they'll probably just remain a second party studio akin to Insomniac for now.
Futurlab and Fun Bits: I see these both as potential distant future acquisitions. Futurlab in particular is an up and coming developer to keep an eye with a strong relationship with Sony.
So what do you think? Please comment on my thoughts and provide potential studios you think could be acquired or closed.