London Studio, a team with a 22-year history of PlayStation game development that includes the likes of EyeToy, SingStar and PlayStation VR Worlds, has now closed its doors for good after it was revealed back in February that it would become a casualty of mass layoff action across Sony Interactive Entertainment that totaled around 900 jobs lost.
The studio sent out one last heartfelt message on social media in its final moments, thanking fans and the talented creators that historically worked within its walls.
“For over twenty years London Studio has been home to some exceptionally talented and wonderful people in the games industry,” the post reads. “As we close the doors, and all go forward to new adventures, we wanted to say a heartfelt thank you, to all our past and present, players and colleagues who have supported us over the years. We’ve had one wild and wonderful journey!”
For over twenty years London Studio has been home to some exceptionally talented and wonderful people in the games industry. As we close the doors, and all go forward to new adventures, we wanted to say a heartfelt thank you, to all our past and present, players and colleagues… pic.twitter.com/gXe4MnU6SI
— PlayStation London Studio (@LondonStudioHQ) May 21, 2024
London Studio was known to be working on an ambitious and innovative online co-op action game set in a fantasy version of London, built in an engine designed to leverage the studio’s previous expertise while taking full advantage of the PS5 hardware. The game was revealed back in 2022 in an interview with Games Industry but never surfaced beyond that. It seems likely that, as with The Last of Us’ online multiplayer project, a sudden change of heart may have shifted a lot of Sony’s focus away from a wide catalogue of live service titles.
The layoffs at SIE earlier in the year affected a number of studios including Firesprite, Insomniac, Naughty Dog and Guerrilla. Insomniac games wrote on social media in the wake of the changes:
“Like several other teams across SIE and PlayStation Studios, Insomniac Games was impacted by yesterday’s layoffs. There are no sufficient words to express our feelings about it. This is a solemn and unprecedented moment for our studio,” the statement reads.
“We are focusing our energy on helping everyone affected through this challenging time. For those who are hiring, there are great people seeking new roles who made important contributions to Insomniac’s history. We’re extremely grateful for them and they will be missed.”
