Sony Axes Projects at UK Studios

[Logan Westbrook]

Sony Axes Projects at UK Studios

Sony has taken a long look at its UK studios and decided that its resources aren't arranged the way that they should be.

The Sony reorganization might be great news [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/108371-PlayStation-Boss-Scores-Promotion-in-Sony-Reshuffle] for Kaz Hirai, but it's not so good for the company's UK based first party developers. Three of SCE's six UK studios will see projects either "streamlined" or cut entirely, following a portfolio review.

In a statement, Sony said that it was reallocating resources from a small number of projects to other, higher priority games. Sony made it clear that the UK was still an important part of Sony's first party development stable. The three studios affected by this decision are Evolution Studios, which created the MotorStorm series, and Sony's Liverpool and London studios, which created Wipeout and SingStar respectively. This is the second time this year that Studio Liverpool has had projects cut for resource reallocation.

Sony didn't go into any more detail about the decision, so we don't know what projects have been axed. Sony also didn't comment on whether anyone had lost their job as a result of the changes to projects. It seems rather unlikely that all three studios have come away with their respective staffs untouched, however.

Source: GamesIndustry [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2011-03-09-sony-closes-projects-at-uk-studios]




Permalink

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Damn, really?

I've played the Motorstorm Apocolypse demo, my first outing into the series, and it's the best racing game I've played since Burnout 4.

I hope the post-release support doesn't suffer because of this.

 

[katsabas]

Ah, shit...the chances for a new Wipeout are getting even more dim....

 

[manythings]

Ah, shit...the chances for a new Wipeout are getting even more dim....

Did people even buy wipeout though? Then again I only saw one ad for the previous installment. Sucks for the people working there, even more if "resource reallocation" is code for "fired straight out the fucking window".

 

[therandombear]

...the studios who made singstar, motorstorm and wipeout...I don't see anything bad with them being closed..=/

Sure it's bad for the people losing their job, but no tears shed for no more of those games =/

 

[lee1287]

Hmm. Andthe game business is booming, they say.

 

[Fensfield]

Uuuu, WipEout.. T-T

And after they made that nifty online museum and all.

 

[katsabas]

Did people even buy wipeout though? Then again I only saw one ad for the previous installment. Sucks for the people working there, even more if "resource reallocation" is code for "fired straight out the fucking window".

Well, it was downloadable only for quite some time. But it sold quite well for an expansion to be made for it. The main downside is that it was bleeding difficult. It even went on to be put on a blu ray. A rather cheap game to buy. You got a title about as lengthy as a very good rpg for about 25 bucks. One of the best deals I have ever come across. I even wrote a review for the game.

 

[Muco5681]

you know i think it might be a bad sign my reaction to this was merely a shrug and ''oh well'' it seems to me Sony is becoming the new activation

 

[Megacherv]

Ah, shit...the chances for a new Wipeout are getting even more dim....

Isn't there one already partly made for the NGP?

 

[katsabas]

Ah, shit...the chances for a new Wipeout are getting even more dim....

Isn't there one already partly made for the NGP?

Googled it and apparently, yeah. But until we see what projects got the shaft, I have to assume the worst. I really wish for them to make it. I had to see Legacy Of Kain, Tomb Raider and now this to begin slipping into oblivion.

 

[Baresark]

Interesting. I don't really care for the studios that much. But, how does it work in this business when a studio is owned by a publisher? It's quite different than when a developer is independent from a publisher. I mean, do they submit games they want to develop, or does Sony tell them what they want developed?

That means it can either be that they are shit developers, or it could be that Sony wrote them off a long time ago and took the time to create a paper trail, depending on the answer to that question.

 

[obijino]

I know a few people that have worked as testers at SCE in Liverpool and they said it was an awesome job. There's barely any jobs going around here at the minute, never mind ones that you actually don't mind getting out of bed for.... Bad times =(

 

[teanabowlie]

Damnit Sony, haven't you done Pygnosis enough damage already?

 

[Atmos Duality]

I wonder if this has to do with the UK revising its tax laws in regards to video game development? (different qualifications for tax credit)

 

[ForsakenUK]

I mean, do they submit games they want to develop, or does Sony tell them what they want developed?

I can work both ways, a good example of a publisher approaching a 3rd party developer would be Capcom going to Ninja Theory for the next DMC.

OT: None of the studios have shut, it sounds like they've just stopped/ delayed some smaller projects in favour of "bigger" ones.
All 3 studios have produced popular and fairly successful titles over the years so their closure wouldn't be a small matter.