The Developers of Many PlayStation Hits Join PlayStation Studios
Finnish video game developer Housemarque has officially joined the PlayStation Studios family, by which we mean they were bought by Sony. This isn’t exactly a surprise, as Housemarque has been involved with Sony for quite a while now and has produced a number of hit titles across various PlayStation console generations. While Housemarque’s most recent success is the well-received sci-fi AAA title Returnal, its partnership with Sony began in 2007 with the development of Super Stardust HD for PS3. Housemarque’s track record shows it as a studio with incredible vision, so its addition to the ranks of PlayStation Studios should provide an important boost to Sony’s creative team.
Ilari Kuittinen, Co-founder and Managing Director of Housemarque, stated that the developer is excited to join the PlayStation Studios family and that this decision gives the studio a clear future. He reported that Housemarque intends to continue creating games that take a gameplay-centric approach to storytelling, experiment with new methods of narrative delivery, and generally push the boundaries of video games as an art form. As Housemarque is based out of Helsinki, the capital of Finland, this purchase will also help to expand PlayStation Studios into a local industry hub.
Formed all the way back in 1995 by the fusion of two previous developers, Bloodhouse and Terramarque, Housemarque is the oldest game studio in Finland. According to Kuittinen, being purchased by Sony doesn’t change that–in fact, it secures Housemarque’s legacy. He assures fans that the backing of SIE means Housemarque will be able to grow into its true place in the industry and create without limitations. Furthermore, he speaks with excitement about exhilarating future titles and opportunities to try out new combinations, which could imply that Housemarque already has something new waiting in the wings. We’ll have to wait and find out.
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