Playstation Studios - Just What Are They Developing?

Playstation Studios is a somewhat recent name in the industry, but it has credibility dating back to 2005. Formally known as SCE Worldwide Studios, this umbrella of several different developers covers any exclusive Playstation game and was rebranded to Playstation Studios in 2020. With the race to snatch up talent getting more and more competitive this year, I think it’s the perfect time to take a look at what Sony’s current developers are working on. Note that not every company will be included in this list, but that’s mainly because there are several ‘support’ studios that help with other projects and don’t actually have anything under their own belt (yet). This includes the 2021-acquired Nixxes Software and San Mateo Studios. That being said, in a (sort of) particular order, let’s look at what’s in store for the future of Playstation exclusivity.

Santa Monica Studios

The most relevant studio for the coming months is most certainly Santa Monica Studios. Being the creators of the God of War franchise, this studio is responsible for one of the most anticipated Sony titles in years. God of War: Ragnarok is the follow-up to the 2018 Reboot of God of War, which followed Kratos and Atreus as they journeyed to spread the ashes of Kratos’ late wife, Faye. In the meantime, they fought (and killed) trolls, elves, and (you guessed it) Gods. The game ended with Atreus discovering his real name is actually Loki, which certainly sets up the end-of-the-world scenario for the conclusion to Kratos’ Norse Journey. With an inevitable Thor and Odin confrontation certainly on the horizon, Playstation fans have a lot to look forward to with this blockbuster sequel launching on November 9th this year.

Naughty Dog

The other PlayStation Studios developer launching a game later this year is the flagship Naughty Dog. Made famous for the Uncharted series (although initially loved for the Jak and Daxter series), Naughty Dog has decided to return to the massively revered ‘The Last of Us’ for a full-on remake launching on September 2nd. Now, this announcement has been met with some controversy, such as the lack of any discounted upgrade for those who already bought the PS4 edition, or the £69.99 price tag for a project which some say has not earned it. However, there is still plenty to be excited about with ‘The Last of Us Part II’. By incorporating gameplay and visuals from the second iteration of the franchise, Naughty Dog is certain to create yet another masterpiece. After this, we recently got a tiny glimpse (as in, one piece of concept art) of the Last of Us multiplayer standalone game coming sometime next year. This is presumably based on the cult classic Factions multiplayer mode from the original game, which does have potential. However, besides knowing that it’s being worked on, not much more is known about this project yet.

Insomniac Games

Insomniac is on a roll recently. Creators of the Ratchet and Clank series added another iteration last year with Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, which was well-loved by both critics and fans. However, it seems that the studio is taking a break from the Lombax and robot for a while. Instead, they seem to be diverting all efforts to the upcoming sequel to Marvel’s Spider-Man from 2018. Seemingly incorporating elements from the short but sweet Spider-Man: Miles Morales from 2020, this Venom-centric story is slated for 2023 barring no delays. After this, the studio also announced a Wolverine game in the works, which has no slated release date yet, but we can expect this to be the next big project after Spider-Man next year. Apart from its existence, nothing else is known about this yet, but more details are expected to come next year.

Sucker Punch

Sucker Punch was snatched up by Sony way back in the PS3 era. Creators of Sly Cooper and Infamous, this studio has been ingrained into the DNA of Playstation for over a decade. Their most recent game was the critically loved Ghost of Tsushima from 2020, which received a substantial DLC in 2021 in the form of Iki Island. Apart from this, however, Sucker Punch has been tight-lipped on their next project. This studio has a lot of potential, from a fifth Sly Cooper iteration, a trilogy remake, or (which I’m hoping for) a follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima. Until anything is set in stone, it seems the plans for this studio are up in the air.

Bluepoint

Bluepoint is one of the most recent Sony acquisitions, being grabbed in 2021 after their resounding success with the PS5 exclusive remake of FromSoftware’s Demons Souls. Masters of ports and remasters (such as the PS4 rendition of Shadow of the Colossus and Gravity Rush Remastered), it seems the studio is taking a different approach in the coming years. This is because it's been confirmed that the developers are working on their own IP. This could really be anything but given their track record, it’ll be interesting to see what Bluepoint has up its sleeve.

Guerilla Games

First earning their stripes with the Playstation 3 Killzone franchise, Guerilla games moved towards the third-person open-world genre with Horizon: Zero Dawn. This year, this received a sequel with Horizon: Forbidden West, which some are hoping will receive a DLC similar to The Frozen Wilds of the first game. Apart from the impressive-looking VR Call of the Mountain coming with the PSVR 2, not much else is known to be planned by these developers. It’s likely Alloy’s robotic journey through post-apocalyptic America will continue with a third iteration towards the end of the PS5’s lifetime. 

Housemarque

Housemarque is another studio recently snatched up in 2021 by Sony. Best known for Resogun and 2021’s psychological rogue-like Returnal, this Swedish developer doesn’t have a track record for sequels or follow-ups. Therefore, it’s really up in the air what they’re inclined to work on next, but it's safe to say a new IP is on the horizon for these developers. For the time being, however, the studio has earned itself a break after last year’s success with Returnal.

Team Asobi

Known for the free and fantastic Astro’s playroom launching with the PS5, Team Asobi are veterans of the third-person platformer genre, while also dipping their toes into VR with Astro Bot Rescue Mission. The studio has confirmed that they’re working on another platformer, although whether this features a brand new character or the loveable Astro Bot remains to be seen. Either way, hopefully, it manages to utilize the amazing Dualsense like Astro’s playroom did in 2020.

So, there are all the biggest Playstation studios developers. With some having confirmed projects, and others up in the air when it comes to what’s coming next, this is certainly an exciting time to be a Playstation owner- no matter what types of games you enjoy.