London Studio

Last updated

London Studio
Company type Subsidiary
Industry Video games
Predecessor Team Soho
Founded2002;22 years ago (2002)
Defunct21 May 2024 (2024-05-21)
FateClosed
Headquarters
London
,
England
Key people
  • Stuart Whyte
  • Tara Saunders
Products
Parent PlayStation Studios
Website playstationlondonstudio.com

London Studio was a British video game developer based in London. Founded in 2002, it was a first-party studio for PlayStation Studios. The studio was best known for developing the SingStar series, as well as games for PlayStation's external peripherals including the EyeToy camera and the PlayStation VR virtual reality headset. The studio created more than 60 titles since it was established. [1]

Contents

History

SingStar and EyeToy

London Studio was established in 2002 following the merger of Psygnosis's Camden studio and Team Soho, the developer behind The Getaway . [2] As London Studio, the studio developed the SingStar series, which became extremely popular and helped broaden the appeal of the PlayStation 2 beyond the typical demographics of young male gamers. The series sold more than 20 million copies within 6 years. [3] It also created a lot of games for Sony's EyeToy webcam, and assisted the development of other Sony titles, such as Killzone 2 and LittleBigPlanet . [4] The studio was working on two AAA exclusives for the PlayStation 3 including Eight Days and the sequel to The Getaway, but both were cancelled by Sony Europe as Sony wanted to reallocate resources to other first-party games. [5]

Virtual reality

London Studio developed a virtual reality (VR) rendering technology, called LSSDK, which supports PlayStation 4 and PC. This engine was first used in PlayStation VR Worlds , which contained five virtual reality experiences: "The London Heist", "Into The Deep", "VR Luge", "Danger Ball" and "Scavenger's Odyssey". [6] While VR Worlds received mixed reviews, "London Heist" was critically acclaimed, and the game was commercially successful. Developing titles for the virtual reality headset became the company's main focus. [7] The studio's next game was Blood & Truth , which serves as the successor to the London Heist level. It became the first VR title to reach number 1 on the UK's retail sales chart when it was released in May 2019. [8]

In 2022, the studio was working on a cooperative multiplayer game for the PlayStation 5. Set in a modern fantasy London, it was described by studio head Tara Saunders as the company's "most ambitious project to-date". Players wouldn't need to use a virtual reality headset to play this game. [9]

Closure

In February 2024, Sony announced that it was proposing the closure of the studio as part of wider layoffs that includes 8% of the company's workforce, or 900 employees. [10] The studio closed in May 2024. [11]

Games developed

GameYearPlatform(s)
This is Football 2003 2002 PlayStation 2
Hardware: Online Arena
This is Football 2004 2003
EyeToy: Play
This is Football 2005 2004
EyeToy: Groove
SingStar
The Getaway: Black Monday
SingStar Party
EyeToy: Chat 2005
World Tour Soccer: Challenge Edition PlayStation Portable
Fired Up
SingStar Pop PlayStation 2
EyeToy: Play 2
EyeToy: Play 3
SingStar '80s
EyeToy: Kinetic
EyeToy: Operation Spy
EyeToy: Kinetic Combat2006
EyeToy: Play Sports
SingStar Rocks!
SingStar Anthems
Gangs of London PlayStation Portable
SingStar Legends PlayStation 2
World Tour Soccer 2 PlayStation Portable
SingStar Pop Hits 2007PlayStation 2
SingStar 90s
SingStar Amped
SingStar Rock Ballads
Aqua Vita PlayStation 3
SingStar R&B PlayStation 2
Beats PlayStation Portable
SingStar PlayStation 3
SingStar Summer Party 2008PlayStation 2
SingStar Vol. 2 PlayStation 3
SingStar ABBA PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3
SingStar Vol. 3 PlayStation 3
PlayStation Home
SingStar Queen 2009PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3
SingStar Pop Edition PlayStation 3
SingStar Motown PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3
EyePet PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable
SingStar Take That PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3
SingStar Guitar 2010PlayStation 3
SingStar Dance
DanceStar Party 2011
EyePet & Friends
DanceStar Party Hits2012
Wonderbook
SingStar: Ultimate Party [12] 2014PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
PlayStation VR Worlds 2016 PlayStation VR
SingStar Celebration 2017PlayStation 4
Blood & Truth 2019PlayStation VR
Erica PlayStation 4

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virtual reality</span> Computer-simulated experience

Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that employs 3D near-eye displays and pose tracking to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment, education and business. VR is one of the key technologies in the reality-virtuality continuum. As such, it is different from other digital visualization solutions, such as augmented virtuality and augmented reality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sony Interactive Entertainment</span> Sonys video game division

Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (SIE) is an American multinational video game and digital entertainment company based in San Mateo, California, and a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. Jointly established by two subsidiaries in 2016, it primarily operates the PlayStation brand of video game consoles and products. It is also the world's largest company in the video game industry based on its equity investments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CCP Games</span> Icelandic video game developer

CCP hf., doing business as CCP Games, is an Icelandic video game developer based in Reykjavík. Novator Partners and General Catalyst had previously collectively owned a majority stake in the company, and in September 2018, CCP was acquired by South Korean video game publisher Pearl Abyss for $425 million. CCP Games is best known for developing Eve Online, which was released in 2003 and has since been maintained.

nDreams Video game company

nDreams is a company that develops and publishes video games. Based in Farnborough, Hampshire, UK, it was formed in August 2006 by former SCi and Eidos creative director, Patrick O'Luanaigh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PlayStation Studios</span> Group of video game developers owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment

PlayStation Studios is a division of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) that oversees the video game development at the studios owned by SIE. The division was established as SCE Worldwide Studios in September 2005 and rebranded as PlayStation Studios in 2020.

<i>The Playroom</i> (2013 video game) 2013 video game

The Playroom is a video game developed by Japan Studio's Team Asobi and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. It is a collection of augmented reality mini-games meant to demonstrate the use of the PlayStation Camera and the DualShock 4 controller and comes preloaded with all PlayStation 4 consoles. The PlayStation Camera accessory is required to play The Playroom. If a camera is not present, a trailer for The Playroom will be displayed instead of the full game. Firesprite, a studio founded by former employees of Studio Liverpool, worked on the visuals of The Playroom. Downloadable content is free.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firesprite</span> British video game developer

Firesprite is a British video game developer formed in 2012 by former members of Studio Liverpool based in Liverpool. In September 2021, Sony Interactive Entertainment acquired the company, making them a first-party developer for PlayStation Studios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reality Labs</span> Virtual and augmented reality products company

Reality Labs, formerly Oculus VR, is a business and research unit of Meta Platforms that produces virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) hardware and software, including virtual reality headsets such as Quest, and online platforms such as Horizon Worlds. In June 2022, several artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives that were previously a part of Meta AI were transitioned to Reality Labs. This also includes Meta's fundamental AI Research laboratory FAIR which is now part of the Reality Labs - Research (RLR) division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PlayStation VR</span> Virtual reality headset developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment

The PlayStation VR is a virtual reality headset developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, which was released in October 2016.

Cross-buy is a feature of some digital distribution systems available across multiple device platforms, where users who purchase a license to a specific piece of software are able to use the versions of the software for different device classes at no additional charge.

Supermassive Games Limited is a British video game developer based in Guildford, Surrey. The studio is best known for developing horror games such as Until Dawn for Sony Interactive Entertainment, The Dark Pictures Anthology for Bandai Namco Entertainment, The Quarry for 2K Games, and The Casting of Frank Stone for Behaviour Interactive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virtual reality headset</span> Head-mounted device that provides virtual reality for the wearer

A virtual reality headset is a head-mounted device that uses 3D near-eye displays and positional tracking to provide a virtual reality environment for the user. VR headsets are widely used with VR video games, but they are also used in other applications, including simulators and trainers. VR headsets typically include a stereoscopic display, stereo sound, and sensors like accelerometers and gyroscopes for tracking the pose of the user's head to match the orientation of the virtual camera with the user's eye positions in the real world.

<i>Golem</i> (2019 video game) 2019 video game

Golem is a video game developed by Highwire Games and published by Perp Games for the PlayStation 4 video game console, specifically for the PlayStation VR virtual reality headset. It was released on November 15, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virtual reality game</span> Video game played in virtual reality

A virtual reality game or VR game is a video game played on virtual reality (VR) hardware. Most VR games are based on player immersion, typically through a head-mounted display unit or headset with stereoscopic displays and one or more controllers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PlayStation 5</span> Sonys fifth home video game console

The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was announced as the successor to the PlayStation 4 in April 2019, was launched on November 12, 2020, in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North America, and South Korea, and was released worldwide a week later. The PS5 is part of the ninth generation of video game consoles, along with Microsoft's Xbox Series X/S consoles, which were released in the same month.

<i>Five Nights at Freddys: Help Wanted</i> 2019 video game

Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted is a 2019 virtual reality (VR) survival horror video game developed by Steel Wool Studios and Scott Cawthon. It is an anthology of different minigames based on the Five Nights at Freddy's franchise, where the player must complete tasks without being jumpscared by homicidal animatronic characters. The minigames include VR adaptations of the main entries in the series and several new experiences. Hidden inside the levels are coins that unlock collectable objects and cassette tapes that provide insight into the game's metafictional plot.

<i>Blood & Truth</i> 2019 video game

Blood & Truth is a first-person shooter developed by London Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was released on May 28, 2019 for the PlayStation 4's virtual reality headset PlayStation VR.

<i>PlayStation VR Worlds</i> 2016 video game

PlayStation VR Worlds is a video game compilation developed by London Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was released on 10 October 2016 as a launch game for the PlayStation VR, the PlayStation 4's virtual reality headset. The game includes five different experiences of varying genres, ranging from sports games to first-person shooters. Upon release, the game received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the London Heist experience but criticized the high initial launch price and short length.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PlayStation VR2</span> Virtual reality headset developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment

The PlayStation VR2 is a virtual reality headset for the PC and PlayStation 5 home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment released on February 22, 2023.

References

  1. Avard, Alex (4 October 2020). "Here's every PlayStation Studio, and the games they're currently working on". GamesRadar . Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  2. Exposed, Marco (25 May 2019). "Blood & Truth: who are the guys from London Studio and what The Getaway was". IGN . Archived from the original on 9 June 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  3. Handrahan, Matthew (16 October 2019). "Sony will close down SingStar servers in January 2020". Gamesindustry.biz . Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  4. Boxer, Steve (28 April 2008). "Inside Sony's Secret Powerhouse". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  5. Yin-Poole, Wesley (2 August 2011). "Cancelled Eight Days was "jaw dropping"". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  6. Answer, James (March 2016). "Fast and Flexible: Technical Art and Rendering For The Unknown". GDC Vault . Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  7. Lang, Ben (8 November 2017). "Sony's London Studio Doubles Down With VR as Its Top Priority". RoadtoVR. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  8. Dring, Christopher (3 June 2019). "UK Charts: Blood & Truth is the first VR game to claim No.1". Gamesindustry.biz. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  9. Dring, Christopher (27 October 2022). "Why PlayStation London Studio is leaving VR to create a fantasy online combat game". Gamesindustry.biz. Archived from the original on 30 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  10. "Difficult News About Our Workforce". Sony Interactive Entertainment. 27 February 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  11. Yin-Poole, Wesley (21 May 2024). "PlayStation London Studio Issues Heartfelt Goodbye After Sony Studio Closure". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  12. "SingStar coming soon to PS4 with free microphone app". blog.eu.playstation.com. 21 May 2014. Archived from the original on 21 May 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.