Sony quietly says goodbye to Japan Studio

As of last month (as spotted by PushSquare and captured by the Internet Archive), the page included Japan Studio in the list, referring to it as “the long-standing talent behind some of PlayStation’s most original titles”.

As the page stands now, however, Japan Studio is no longer present. In its place is Team Asobi, the studio behind the pre-installed PS5 game Astro’s Playroom.

People with knowledge of the matter told VGC that Sony Japan Studio simply hasn’t been profitable enough in recent years.

Japan Studio was Sony Interactive Entertainment‘s oldest first-party studio, with a focus on introducing new styles of gameplay.

The developer was known for games such as Knack, LocoRoco and Ape Escape, as well as its collaborations on the likes of Bloodborne, The Last Guardian and Everybody’s Golf. It most recently worked on PS5’s Demon’s Souls with US studio Bluepoint.

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/playstation-has-officially-removed-japan-studio-from-its-list-of-studios/

"People with knowledge of the matter told VGC that Sony Japan Studio simply hasn’t been profitable enough in recent years."

Maybe they should have tried putting some of those games on PC, some Shadow of the Colossus perhaps.

When they worked on BB and Demon's, what exactly were they doing? Demon's was made by Bluepoint and BB by Fromsoft, so what was Japan Studio's actual work?

@lamprey263: Knack on PC would have saved them.

DIdn't they do Gravity Rush and its sequel? Shame to see Sony ripping out and disposing of their roots.

@hardwenzen: Japan Studio is the producer/publisher of Demon's Souls and Bloodborne. They planned, budgeted, scheduled, marketed, and launched those games.

Edit: Technically, Demon's Souls (2009) was published by SCE in Japan, Atlus in North America, and Namco Bandai in Europe, and Bloodborne and Demon's Souls remakes were published by SIE. So it wasn't accurate that I called Japan Studio its publisher. But what I wanted to say was that members of SIE Japan Studio, including a Bloodborne producer Masaaki Yamagiwa, who recently left the studio, were in positions such as producer and manager of those games and helped develop and release them.

Well that sux then.

RIP. There goes Bloodborne 2 and any form of remasters/PC versions, I guess.

Nobody cares, some joined Team Asobi and rest of them formed a new Studio Bokeh and some got laid off that’s life that’s business, maybe gamers should support them by buying their games instead of investing millions in crap games like Fortnite. Don’t blame Sony for loosing money on them and shutting them down. Great studio i still have most of their games

It's sad. Great dev, great games, tons of talent. It's not their fault word didn't get around.

Sony's move towards being fully mainstream movie games is what sickens me most.

This studio had most of the "heart" left in the company.

Trimming the fat. Good work, Jimbo.

@hardwenzen: Polishing up the udders.

@casey-wegner: You're almost as much of a one trick pony as Ghost, keep up the work you'll get there soon enough I'm sure.

how weren't they profitable, i thought that all cows bought exclusives?

Nice to see them getting rid of the little good they have left. One step closer to FIFA / CoD / 3rd person action/walking game console. Brodudes rejoice.

For real. Can't understand why new Sony wants to be like old Xbox so badly, when they had it all before going woke and moving to the US.

What evs, Sony. I'll still pick up a digital PS5 just for a few exclusives this gen and absolutely nothing else.

Sony wants to be as boring as the people, because they get more money that way. Not that hard to understand..

Just like the movie industry makes the same Avengers movie again and again earning billions on fucking crap, Sony wants the FIFA / CoD crowd. With this crowd, they can introduce their 3rd person action/walking games that even FIFA playing monkies can play, since they mostly play themselves. These are the people who get impressed by shit games with shiny coats that Sony is known for.

True. even some of my real life friends barely play games impressed by sony third person because "OMG animationz" I can see what thier target audience is.

Microsoft are far and far above sony and its not even funny.

Microsoft have RTS, FPS, RPG and different variety of genre whereas Sony only have third person movie games.

Well that sucks. The Playstation I used to love is pretty far gone at this point. I preferred their offerings for a long time because of the more distinctive Japanese and indie-centric flare they supported alongside the usual mainstream schlock. But unless things improve I am not sure I'll buy another PlayStation at this point

It's a tough business. They can't make games for 5 people 😄 Just a reminder to support your favorite franchises when you can.

They never got to remaster Patapon 3... man, they should have done a remastered trilogy from the get-go, not this milking it trickle out.

This is quite unfortunate for the first-party developer, but the fact that Sony moved its major corporate operation from Japan to California is more unfortunate. Why would Sony incorporate in a state that is one of the most business-unfriendly in America? California is losing businesses like Tesla to other states because of the heavy taxes and regulations imposed on them. Sony could have moved its operations to business-friendly states like Texas or Florida, but bring the woke nonsense with it.

Closing studios is about the only thing Phony is good at these dayzz. lol :P

Yep. How I feel too. Sony is becoming as generic as the rest of the AAA industry.

Same. The PS I loved died with the PS4, as the PS3 was the last to carry the variety from 1 and 2. And makes me glad I've been with XBOX and Nintendo primarily.

Still not a fan of this new Japan-less direction Sony is going in.

So, all the wailing and keening aside, apart from "assistance" to other Sony teams (which is fine, but nothing unique or exciting), Team Asobi (who still exist) and the Knack games (lol), Japan Studio didn't actually make anything of note in the past decade?

What exactly is everyone going to miss? Knack 3? Bluepoint doing their next port by themselves?

pretty much. it's typical business to get rid of what doesn't sell and make more of what does. Their walking simulators heavy on cut scene and story sell the most (TLOU, uncharted, etc) so that's what they will push more of. The market decides it more than anything and money talks.

Cya later kid You didn't make games I liked or bought....have a good one. Go quietly into the night.

Sony sure knows how to kill off studios. How many studios of have died under Sony in the past 6 years?

@onesiphorus: Been hearing this same talking point repeated my whole life. When you get down to it, all the business friendly states can manage to do is syphon off California's success. The debate about "why?" could be its own forum, but the fact remains technological innovation happens in California, not Kansas.