[IGN] PlayStation Confirms Japan Studio Will be Re-Organized (Asobi only, Sony Globals studios to handle Localization & IP Management for SCEJ titles)

[Jawmuncher]

PlayStation Confirms Japan Studio Will be Re-Organized - IGN

PlayStation is reportedly scaling back original game development at Japan Studio, the team behind Ape Escape and Gravity Rush.

www.ign.com

In an effort to further strengthen business operations, SIE can confirm PlayStation Studios JAPAN Studio will be re-organized into a new organization on April 1. JAPAN Studio will be re-centered to Team ASOBI, the creative team behind Astro's PLAYROOM, allowing the team to focus on a single vision and build on the popularity of Astro's PLAYROOM.

In addition, the roles of external production, software localization, and IP management of JAPAN Studio titles will be concentrated within the global functions of PlayStation Studios.

 

[Deleted member 1839]

Make way for the new Mario.

 

[defaltoption]

Pretty freaking sad, wtf happened from PS4 to PS5 or hell from Vita to now

 

[orochi91]

I'm gonna spend the next long-weekend playing through JS games in my backlog/collection.

I'm eternally grateful for their work on Shadow of the Colossus.

 

[Fat4all]

Astro's Universe

 

[The Last One]

 

[mugurumakensei]

Sad day, it means Sony's primary JP partners will be Capcom and Square-Enix with the middle tier guys forgotten.

 

[Cactuar]

All in on Astro.

 

[NotLiquid]

This sucks.

 

[henhowc]

Knack :[

 

[twisted heart]

only Team ASOBI is left good luck to them

 

[Zera Bloodwinter]

Heartbreaking.

 

[Dinoegg_96]

Sooooo about Silent Hill...

Also, fuck this.

 

[Diogo Arez]

Make way for the new Mario.

Click to shrink...

To be completely honest Astro is possibly the only 3D platformer in the market with such potential. Astro's Playroom was incredible for a pre installed game and I can't wait to see what the future brings.

 

[Equanimity]

JAPAN Studio will be re-centered to Team ASOBI, the creative team behind Astro's PLAYROOM, allowing the team to focus on a single vision and build on the popularity of Astro's PLAYROOM.

Click to shrink...

This is good. I want to see more Astro Bot games.

 

[Jencks]

Unfortunate. Astrobot is decent but I would prefer to see more interesting projects out of Japan Studio.

 

[Samiya]

RIP. End of an era.

Really sad that Sony has mismanaged the studio so thoroughly.

 

[Kingasta]

I'll miss Kat although we were never gonna see her again anyway.

 

[Deleted member 16876]

God

This day sucked so bad

 

[Deleted member 1839]

To be completely honest Astro is possibly the only 3D platformer in the market with such potential. Astro's Playroom was incredible for a pre installed game and I can't wait to see what the future brings.

Click to shrink...

It and the VR game are probably the best 3D platformers in years.

 

[TheRealTalker]

I'm gonna spend the next long-weekend playing through JS games in my backlog/collection.

I'm eternally grateful for their work on Shadow of the Colossus.

Click to shrink...

I think I am going to do the same.

Thanks for everything Japan Studio, you will be missed but the games you made won't be forgotten at least by me.

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

Pretty freaking sad, wtf happened from PS4 to PS5 or hell from Vita to now

Click to shrink...

No one bought their games. Looking at the list of their output over the last 10 years is dire.

It's sad to know that almost none of Sonys biggest developers even tried on PSP or vita. First party support was relegated to Sony Japan and the B team

 

[The Praiseworthy]

You better make a full AAA sized platforming games with Astro now at very less...

 

[FF Seraphim]

This news makes me sad... they released some of the best games on Playstation....

 

[Jawmuncher]

Click to shrink...

This is what I hope happens. Too many good Japanese first-party IPs to just leave lying around.

 

[E.T.]

More Astros, lets gooo.

 

[kurahador]

Jim Ryan revenge on Japanese developers continue.

 

[WetWaffle]

RIP Japan Studio, you were one of the real ones.

 

[Deleted member 50658]

Pretty freaking sad, wtf happened from PS4 to PS5 or hell from Vita to now

Click to shrink...

They had terrible sales of their Japan centric games and not profitable enough.

 

[Ridley327]

Hard to see this as anything other than a sad day for the Playstation legacy. I have to imagine that there's a lot of pressure on Asobi to deliver a big hit now with what they have cooking for Astro Bot's next big game.

 

[Diogo Arez]

It and the VR game are probably the best 3D platformers in years.

Click to shrink...

I'm inclined to agree

 

[RedHeat]

Astro fans eating good tonight

 

[Gay Bowser]

Depressing. :(

Every generation I feel like PlayStation is less and less "for me."

 

[schuelma]

to me this sounds..worse than the leak? like basically Sony's Japanese presence is going to zero.

 

[dancingphlower]

Such a shame.

 

[Man God]

 

[Oregano]

Jawmuncher I'm not sure if the title reads correctly. It sounds like Asobi will be concentrating on localisation and IP management when the IGN sentence reads more like those roles in Japan have been dissolved entirely.

 

[Deleted member 2791]

to me this sounds..worse than the leak? like basically Sony's Japanese presence is going to zero.

Click to shrink...

It is worse. It means the external side of Japan Studio is also getting killed. The side that helped make Bloodborne, Shadow of the Colossus, Demon's Souls and all.

Basically Japan Studio doesn't exist anymore. It's only Team Asobi. Sony also seems to be shrinking its partnerships in Japan.

 

[Deleted member 90921]

Really hyped for more Astro but RIP Silent Hill. If it's really Bloober team theyre gonna butcher it

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

Hey I did my part, bought (and enjoyed) both Knack 1 and 2 at full retail.

The only IP I was holding out hope for was an Ape Escape reboot. I'm convinced a new title was in preproduction in tandem with the HUGE tease that anniversary Twitter until it suddenly vanished, my guess canceled. Oh well.

 

[Bundy]

What a tragedy....
Big yikes.

 

[nightstalker962]

I've been meaning to replay Puppeteer and Siren Blood Curse 😭

 

[Deleted member 79451]

Very wary about the culling of niche / creativity. It does seem like this aligns with their direction and perhaps isn't a maliciously stupid as the killing of Studio Liverpool or Evolution Studios. But it's still very disappointing, distressing.

But in the last thread we had a great side discussion about the synchronicity of people who dislike this news and David Lynch fans. I also think Lynch is brilliant. Lynch had that PS2 ad. I think we're on to something.

 

[Deleted member 90921]

Depressing. :(

Every generation I feel like PlayStation is less and less "for me."

Click to shrink...

I feel the opposite. The PS4 generation is my favorite ever. Sorry you feel that way though. I wish this didnt have to happen.

 

[fiendcode]

They had terrible sales of their Japan centric games and not profitable.

Click to shrink...

They were profitable according to Bloomberg.

 

[Nanashrew]

This really, really sucks :(

 

[Jawmuncher]

Jawmuncher I'm not sure if the title reads correctly. It sounds like Asobi will be concentrating on localisation and IP management when the IGN sentence reads more like those roles in Japan have been dissolved entirely.

Click to shrink...

You're right, should be better now

 

[Deleted member 59126]

How many people will keep their jobs?

 

[RailWays]

Pour one out

 

[Ridley327]

Hey I did my part, bought (and enjoyed) both Knack 1 and 2 at full retail.

The only IP I was holding out hope for was an Ape Escape reboot. I'm convinced a new title was in preproduction in tandem with the HUGE tease that anniversary Twitter until it suddenly vanished, my guess canceled.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, that anniversary account got DARK in its last series of tweets. You could practically feel the depression coming out of each tweet as they wound it down.