Sony Studio Liverpool Closes

Nooo

Had an interview there before I came to Eutechnyx. So gutted for all the wonderful guys and girls there. Awful, awful news.

PostRe: Sony Studio Liverpool Closes by **Photek** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 11:47 am

The Vita thing puzzles me, according to Eurogamer its quite a powerful and impressive piece of kit. Why Sony released it apparantly to die seems stupid. How about not releasing Vita and bolstering up some of their devs instead?

PostRe: Sony Studio Liverpool Closes by KK » Wed Aug 22, 2012 11:47 am

Just some of the titles they published and developed on PlayStation...

3D Lemmings Winterland
Lemmings 3D
The Adventures of Lomax
Alundra
Colony Wars
Colony Wars: Vengeance
Colony Wars: Red Sun
Destruction Derby
Destruction Derby 2
Destruction Derby Raw
Discworld
Discworld II
G-Police
G-Police: Weapons of Justice
Formula 1
Formula 1 97
Monster Trucks
Novastorm
O.D.T.
Overboard
Psybadek
Rascal
Rollcage
Rollcage Stage II
Rosco McQueen
Spice World
Team Buddies
Wipeout
Wipeout: 2097
Wipeout 3

Really does bring back a lot of memories from the OPM demo disc...

PostSony Studio Liverpool Closes by **Cumberdanes** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 11:47 am

This is a shame. One of my earliest gaming memories comes from a Psygnosis published game. I got an Atari 520 STe for Christmas when I was about 6 and it came with a bundle of around 10 games. The first game I tried after getting it hooked up to the TV was called Blood Money. When it starts up an ominous voice over proclaimed "First there was Menace. Now, Psygnosis presents, a DMA Design game.... Blood Money".

Having only previously played on my uncle's Spectrum I was blown away. The game was a side scrolling SHMUP a bit like a slower paced R-Type. I think it only had 4 levels but I only ever managed to finish the first yet here I am 20 odd years later still gaming thanks in part to that first Atari game I played.

RIP Psygnosis!

PostRe: Sony Studio Liverpool Closes by **Cal** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 11:49 am

Frankly, I'm amazed they'd managed to keep open till now. Like many, I was under the impression they'd been merged into something else long ago, if not shut down.

Ah well. Just another reminder why a 'career' in the games industry these days is nothing of the sort. More like an endless series of short-term contracts.

PostRe: Sony Studio Liverpool Closes by **Photek** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 11:49 am

Wipeout had a profound effect on how I view games and media in general., not least, the kind of music I listen to. A genuine loss for gaming, not just Sony.

PostRe: Sony Studio Liverpool Closes by **Mafro** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 11:50 am

Photek wrote:The Vita thing puzzles me, according to Eurogamer its quite a powerful and impressive piece of kit. Why Sony released it apparantly to die seems stupid. How about not releasing Vita and bolstering up some of their devs instead?

Power doesn't really mean that much when you've not got a good software line up, unfortunately.

PostRe: Sony Studio Liverpool Closes by **Octoroc** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 11:52 am

bear wrote:
Octoroc wrote:strawberry float me. I was at a funeral with a lot of them yesterday. There was no indication at all. strawberry float me.

In other news:I think Sony might be quietly killing Vita too.

go on...

I had a dream that Sony are currently in the process of writing off third party Vita exclusives- even projects that were near completion. It's just not worth publishing them. Now it looks like they're doing it internally too.

It was just a dream. What am I thinking? As we all know, the Vita's going from strength to strength.

Last edited by Tafdolphin on Wed Aug 22, 2012 12:02 pm, edited 2 times in total.

I never owned a PlayStation but have incredibly fond memories of going to my mate's house and spending ages in absolute hysterics laughing about how gooseberry fool we were at WipEout. Bouncing off the walls, heading the wrong way, intentionally trolling each other with missles and bombs. Good times.

And Destruction Derby...one of the first games I played on the first PC I ever owned. Used to spend ages in the arena bashing into Barmy Army, Suicide Squad and The Doctor. I remember being mesmerised by the graphics. Good times again.

:cry:

It sucks so much. You can make the most incredible titles for years and years, then suddenly, gone. :cry:

PostRe: Sony Studio Liverpool Closes by **Winckle** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 11:58 am

jiggles wrote:
Winckle wrote:Specifically Sony. Japanese games industry is irrelevant these days.

Yeah, alright, Phil.

I've got to admit, I rarely get called an xbox fanboy on this forum. :lol:

But seriously, Japanese games account for about 10% of the market at this point, down from 50% in 2002.
Their games have become extremely introverted, to quote Square-Enix, "almost xenophobic".

PostRe: Sony Studio Liverpool Closes by KK » Wed Aug 22, 2012 12:02 pm

Question is how many staff will lose their jobs, and how many will be relocated elsewhere.

Economic climate and all that, but perhaps Sony have plans to open a new studio elsewhere (or simply bolster existing ones)...

PostRe: Sony Studio Liverpool Closes by **abcd** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 12:04 pm

I didn't see this thread until I read about it on Eurogamer....

Sad news indeed.

PostRe: Sony Studio Liverpool Closes by **jiggles** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 12:05 pm

I'm obviously gutted (WipEout HD being the greatest game of all time and all), but this has probably been coming since Sony lost the F1 license.

The studio went from pumping out big system-sellers annually to refining the WipEout formula every two years, and WipEout hasn't shifted hardware since PSOne. With the poor Vita sales, I wonder how long it's been since the studio was profitable.

Still doesn't lessen the sting of losing such a talented team, who made games that were almost strawberry floating bespoke to my desires.

Maybe Sony will spend the saved money on Vita advertising?

PostRe: Sony Studio Liverpool Closes by **jiggles** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 12:07 pm

Winckle wrote:
jiggles wrote:
Winckle wrote:Specifically Sony. Japanese games industry is irrelevant these days.

Yeah, alright, Phil.

I've got to admit, I rarely get called an xbox fanboy on this forum.

Is Phil Fish an Xbox fanboy? I've no idea.

That's a blow. I used to be jealous of amiga owners buying Psygnosis games.

PostRe: Sony Studio Liverpool Closes by **Winckle** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 12:11 pm

jiggles wrote:
Winckle wrote:
jiggles wrote:
Winckle wrote:Specifically Sony. Japanese games industry is irrelevant these days.

Yeah, alright, Phil.

I've got to admit, I rarely get called an xbox fanboy on this forum.

Is Phil Fish an Xbox fanboy? I've no idea.

Oh right, sorry :lol:

I thought you meant Phil Harrison, isn't he some big shot in the Xbox division?

PostRe: Sony Studio Liverpool Closes by KK » Wed Aug 22, 2012 12:13 pm

Statement:

VG247.com wrote:Sony Liverpool closed: Wipeout dev’s projects cancelled

Wipeout developer Sony Liverpool has been closed and all of its projects cancelled, Sony has confirmed. Sony has also issued a statement explaining the studio’s closure

Rumours of Studio Liverpool’s demise began with a post at the GR Arcade forums.

Sony then issued a statement confirming the closure:

“As part of SCE Worldwide Studios, we do regular reviews to ensure that the resources we have can create and produce high quality, innovative and commercially viable projects in an increasingly competitive market place. As part of this process, we have reviewed and assessed all current and planned projects for the short and medium term and have decided to make some changes to our European Studios.

It has been decided that Liverpool Studio should be closed. Liverpool Studio has been an important part of SCE Worldwide Studios since the outset of PlayStation, and have contributed greatly to PlayStation over the years. Everyone connected with Liverpool Studio, past and present, can be very proud of their achievements.

However, it was felt that by focusing our investment plans on other Studios that are currently working on exciting new projects, we would be in a stronger position to offer the best possible content for our consumers. Our Liverpool Facility will continue to operate, housing a number of other vital WWS!E and SCEE Departments.

This should not take anything away from the great work WWS are doing and the incredible games and services that we have made, and continue to make.”

Studio Liverpool’s Sandy Lobban took to Twitter to express his gratitude for his time spent working at the studio, “End of an era today for Studio Liverpool. Honoured to have been a part of it.”

Sony Studio Liverpool began life as Psygnosis in 1984, and earned itself a solid track record for making and publishing fun and technically advanced titles across a range of formats. One of its largest and long-standing publishing deals was DMA Design’s Lemmings series and its several successful spin-offs.

Famed for iconic classics such as Shadow of the Beast, Puggsy and the Discworld games, Psygnosis hit a real stride on PlayStation with the launch of Destruction Derby, catapulting it in front of new audiences and earning the studio worldwide acclaim.

The studio’s biggest hitter however, was the futuristic 1995 racer Wipeout. The game’s pounding dance soundtrack and eclectic art style helped Sony underline PlayStation as the stylish new console on the market, helping it break the teen and young adult markets.

Many regard Wipeout’s gravitation towards licensed music as the catalyst for signed and named artists being used in games today. The trend would continue and evolve with sequels Wipeout 2097 and Wipeout 3, solidifying the franchise’s dominance over the futre racing genre.

Many tried to toppled Wipeout, but few could match its pace, style and exemplary design, as bolstered by design collective, The Designer’s Republic.

Onto PSP, PS3 and PS Vita, the Wipeout series would remain consistently popular, carving out a niche of its own that no one rival studio could challenge.

http://www.vg247.com/2012/08/22/sony-li ... ed-report/

PostRe: Sony Studio Liverpool Closes by **jiggles** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 12:14 pm

Winckle wrote:
jiggles wrote:
Winckle wrote:
jiggles wrote:
Winckle wrote:Specifically Sony. Japanese games industry is irrelevant these days.

Yeah, alright, Phil.

I've got to admit, I rarely get called an xbox fanboy on this forum.

Is Phil Fish an Xbox fanboy? I've no idea.

Oh right, sorry I thought you meant Phil Harrison, isn't he some big shot in the Xbox division?

Harrison never would have closed Psygnosis if he stayed with Sony. :cry:

Sony Studio Liverpool Closes

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