BrandWikiReturn

PlayStation Studios

PlayStation Studios (formerly SCE Worldwide Studios and SIE Worldwide Studios) is a division of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) that oversees the video game development at the studios owned by SIE. The division was established as SCE Worldwide Studios in September 2005 and rebranded as PlayStation Studios in 2020 to include the PlayStation brand.

History

On September 14, 2005, Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE, now known as Sony Interactive Entertainment), the video game arm of Sony, announced the formation of SCE Worldwide Studios earlier that month, combining all studios SCE owned at the time. Phil Harrison was appointed as the division's president;[2] he resigned in February 2008.[3] Kazuo Hirai became acting president,[4] succeeded by Shuhei Yoshida in May 2008.[5] When Yoshida moved to lead the indie game development of SIE, Hermen Hulst, previously of SIE's Guerrilla Games studio, became the president of SIE Worldwide Studios in November 2019.[6] The studios productions are generally supported by the Visual Arts Services Group, founded in 2007 in San Diego.[7]

SIE announced the rebranding of the division to PlayStation Studios in May 2020 as part of the introduction of the PlayStation 5, which was released later that year. PlayStation Studios serves as the publishing brand for Sony's first-party development studios, as well as for games developed by studios brought in by Sony in work-for-hire situations.[8]

In 2022, Sony stated half of its first-party PlayStation Studios games will be on personal computers (PC) and mobile by 2025.[9] In August 2022, SIE announced the formation of the PlayStation Studios Mobile Division, alongside the acquisition of the company's first mobile development team, Savage Game Studios,[10] later renamed Neon Koi.[11] In February 2024, Sony announced it would eliminate 900 jobs, or 8% of SIE and PlayStation Studios employees. These cuts included the closure of London Studio.[12]

In July 2024, Sony and Bungie announced that as part of restructuring at Bungie, one of the studio's incubation projects would be spun out, with the team behind the game forming a new studio within PlayStation Studios, later on in May 2025 it being revealed as teamLFG.[13][14] In October 2024, Sony announced the closure of Neon Koi and Firewalk Studios.[15][16] In March 2025, Sony formed Dark Outlaw Games, a new studio under PlayStation Studios, led by Jason Blundell.[17] In an August 2025 financial briefing, Sony CFO Lin Tao stated that SIE planned to fully integrate and oversee Bungie as a developer within the core PlayStation Studios lineup, after initially allowing them to function as an independent subsidiary since their acquisition in 2022.[18] On February 19, 2026, Sony announced that they will shut down Bluepoint Games.[19] On March 24th, 2026, it was reported by Jason Schreier that Dark Outlaw Games were closing down.[20]

Studios

Former

See also

External links

References

  1. Stephen Totilo. PlayStation to broaden line-up, but won't abandon roots, studio chief says Axios, October 4, 2022, retrieved October 4, 2022^
  2. Daniel Choi. Phil Harrison to head up SCE Worldwide Studios for Sony Joystiq, September 14, 2005, retrieved August 30, 2022^
  3. Andrew Yoon. Phil Harrison leaves Sony Computer Entertainment, Kaz Hirai takes place Joystiq, February 25, 2008, retrieved January 23, 2025^
  4. Andrew Yoon. SCE Worldwide Studios gets new president Joystiq, May 15, 2008, retrieved January 23, 2025^
  5. Jason Dobson. Sony finds Harrison's replacement in Shuhei Yoshida Joystiq, May 16, 2008, retrieved August 30, 2022^
  6. Elise Favis. Sony appoints Guerrilla Games' Hermen Hulst new head of PlayStation worldwide studios The Washington Post, November 7, 2019, retrieved January 18, 2020^
  7. Chris Scullion. Sony is building a new dev team to work with Visual Arts and Naughty Dog on a 'AAA' title Video Games Chronicle, 26 October 2022, retrieved October 26, 2022^
  8. Christopher Dring. Sony unveils PlayStation Studios brand to launch alongside PS5 GamesIndustry.biz, May 12, 2020, retrieved May 12, 2020^
  9. Darryn Bonthuys. Half Of PlayStation Releases Will Be On PC And Mobile By 2025, Sony Says GameSpot, May 26, 2022, retrieved 2023-03-09^
  10. Owen S. Good. Sony spins up PlayStation Mobile division, plans major push to phones Polygon, August 29, 2022, retrieved August 30, 2022^
  11. Stephen Tailby. PlayStation's Mobile Games Studio Rebrands Following Multiple Departures Push Square, 2023-11-21, retrieved 2023-11-21^
  12. Tom Gerken. PlayStation to axe 900 jobs and close London studio 2024-02-27, retrieved 2024-03-03^
  13. Destiny 2 dev Bungie laying off 220 devs and handing new game to Sony 31 July 2024, retrieved 31 July 2024^
  14. The New Path for Bungie 31 July 2024, retrieved 31 July 2024^
  15. S. I. E. Communications. An Update from PlayStation Studios Sony Interactive Entertainment, 2024-10-29, retrieved 2024-11-08^
  16. Vikki Blake. Sony shuts Neon Koi and Firewalk Studios GamesIndustry.biz, 2024-10-29, retrieved 2024-11-08^
  17. Jordan Middler. PlayStation has formed new studio Dark Outlaw Games with Call of Duty Zombies lead Jason Blundell Video Games Chronicle, March 17, 2025, retrieved March 18, 2025^
  18. Andy Chalk. Sony has seen enough: 3 years after acquiring Bungie, Sony says the days of independence are 'getting lighter' and its future 'is to become part of PlayStation Studios' PC Gamer, 2025-08-07, retrieved 2025-08-09^
  19. Rebekah Valentine. PlayStation Shuts Down Demon's Souls, Shadow of the Colossus Remake Studio Bluepoint Games IGN, 2026-02-19, retrieved 2026-03-10^
  20. Andy Robinson. PlayStation is closing another game studio VGC, 2026-03-24, retrieved 2026-03-25^
  21. Sammy Barker, Stephen Tailby. PlayStation Studios: All Sony First-Party Developers and What They're Working On Push Square, October 4, 2024, retrieved October 4, 2024^
  22. Chris Scullion. Sony's Firesprite is moving to an office more than 20 times larger than its current one Video Games Chronicle, June 10, 2022, retrieved August 30, 2022^
  23. Why PlayStation is buying Firesprite, one of the UK's fastest growing studios Gamesindustry.biz, September 8, 2021, retrieved September 8, 2021^
  24. Christopher Dring. Jade Raymond's Haven Studio is already inspiring other PlayStation studios - and not just with its game Gamesindustry.biz, July 11, 2022, retrieved August 30, 2022^
  25. Fairgame$ Is the First Game From Jade Raymond's Haven Studios 24 May 2023, retrieved 24 May 2023^
  26. Jason Schreier. Sony Buys Game Developer of PlayStation Bestseller Returnal Bloomberg, June 29, 2021, retrieved June 29, 2021^
  27. Robert Leedham. Why PlayStation bought Returnal developer Housemarque: the inside story British GQ, June 29, 2021, retrieved June 29, 2021^
  28. Alissa McAloon. Sony's 2019 acquisition of Insomniac Games priced at $229 million Game Developer, February 10, 2020, retrieved August 30, 2022^
  29. Chris Remo. In-Depth: Insomniac Talks New North Carolina Studio Gamasutra, June 4, 2008, retrieved August 30, 2022^
  30. PlayStation to open development studio in Malaysia November 8, 2019, retrieved May 22, 2024^
  31. How PlayStation Studios Malaysia is Playing a Growing Role in Sony's Most Important Franchises October 13, 2022, retrieved May 22, 2024^
  32. Eddie Makuch. Sony Buys Another Game Studio, Avengers And Rise Of The Tomb Raider's Nixxes Software GameSpot, July 1, 2021, retrieved July 1, 2021^
  33. Taylor Lyles. Ghost of Tsushima and Horizon: Forbidden West Among the First Games Supporting AMS FSR 3.1 IGN, June 29, 2024^
  34. Shaun Prescott. The Last Of Us Part Two Remastered hits PC in April PC Gamer, Future plc, December 13, 2024, retrieved December 13, 2024^
  35. Wesley Yin-Poole. Sony-Published Helldivers 2 Gets Shock Release Date on Xbox Series X and S IGN, 2025-07-03, retrieved 2025-07-05^
  36. Ramón Varela. PlayStation: Todos sus estudios y los juegos en desarrollo Vandal, January 16, 2020, retrieved March 19, 2021^
  37. Samuel Tolbert. PlayStation Studios: Everything we know Sony Worldwide Studios is working on in 2021 for PS5 Android Central, December 16, 2021, retrieved January 20, 2022^
  38. Wesley LeBlanc. Team Asobi Officially Announced as a PlayStation Studio, Reveals New Logo IGN, June 2, 2021, retrieved June 2, 2021^
  39. Astro Bot Sequel Announced For PS5, Coming September 6 May 30, 2024, retrieved June 4, 2024^
  40. Welcome teamLFG to the PlayStation Studios family 7 May 2025, retrieved 7 May 2025^
  41. Andrew Reiner. Sony To Acquire Developer Valkyrie Entertainment Game Informer, December 10, 2021, retrieved August 30, 2022^
  42. Saros launches March 20 on PS5, first look at gameplay from today’s State of Play PlayStation.Blog, 2025-09-24, retrieved 2025-11-19^
  43. Kena: Scars of Kosmora announced for PS5 and PC, out 2026 PlayStation.Blog, 2026-02-12, retrieved 2026-02-18^
  44. Sal Romano. Sony Interactive Entertainment JAPAN Studio establishes External Development Department Gematsu, April 1, 2020, retrieved 19 June 2025^
  45. Sammy Barker. Guide: All Sony First-Party Studios and What They're Working On Push Square, August 28, 2019, retrieved September 13, 2019^
  46. Sammy Barker. Sony XDEV's Japan Division Assisting with PS5's Rise of the Ronin Push Square, September 19, 2022, retrieved March 18, 2024^
  47. Andrew Yoon. Sony shuts down Little Deviants, Pursuit Force dev Shacknews, January 10, 2012, retrieved September 13, 2019^
  48. IN DETAIL: Sony's sixteen first-party studios MCV/Develop, August 2, 2011, retrieved August 30, 2022^
  49. Mitch Dyer. Who Is Bluepoint Games? IGN, January 28, 2014, retrieved September 30, 2021^
  50. Stephen Tailby. Sony Finally Confirms Acquisition of Demon's Souls PS5 Dev Bluepoint Games Push Square, September 30, 2021, retrieved September 30, 2021^
  51. Jason Schreier. Sony Shuts Down Video-Game Studio Bluepoint Bloomberg.com, 2026-02-19, retrieved 2026-02-19^
  52. Andy Robinson. PlayStation is closing another game studio VGC, 2026-03-24, retrieved 2026-03-24^
  53. James Brightman. Sony confirms closure of Evolution Studios GamesIndustry.biz, March 22, 2016, retrieved September 13, 2019^
  54. PlayStation to acquire AAA multiplayer developer Firewalk Studios 20 April 2023, retrieved 20 April 2023^
  55. An Update from PlayStation Studios Sony Interactive, retrieved 2024-10-29^
  56. Allegra Frank. Sony shuts down 20-year-old studio in European restructuring Polygon, January 12, 2017, retrieved September 13, 2019^
  57. Frank Cifaldi. How Moving To Austin Energized Starhawk Gamasutra, May 13, 2011, retrieved September 13, 2019^
  58. Luke Plunkett. Every Game Studio That's Closed Down Since 2006 Kotaku, January 16, 2012, retrieved September 13, 2019^
  59. Hirohiko Niizumi. SCE reorg taps Harrison, Yamauchi, Chatani GameSpot, 8 July 2005, retrieved 19 June 2025^
  60. Andy Robinson, Alex Calvin. Sources: PlayStation is winding down Sony Japan Studio Video Games Chronicle, February 25, 2021, retrieved June 30, 2021^
  61. Wesley Yin-Poole. PlayStation London Studio Issues Heartfelt Goodbye After Sony Studio Closure IGN, Ziff Davis, May 21, 2024, retrieved May 22, 2024^
  62. Christopher Dring. PlayStation to close Manchester VR studio GamesIndustry.biz, February 4, 2020, retrieved February 4, 2020^
  63. Concrete Genie Developer PixelOpus Is Shutting Down May 5, 2023, retrieved May 5, 2023^
  64. Wesley Yin-Poole. WipEout: The rise and fall of Sony Studio Liverpool Eurogamer, July 21, 2015, retrieved September 13, 2019^
  65. Colin Moriarty. Confirmed: Sony Closes Zipper Interactive IGN, March 31, 2012, retrieved September 13, 2019^