STUDIOS THAT SONY SHOULD CONSIDER FOR ACQUISITION
STUDIOS THAT SONY SHOULD CONSIDER FOR ACQUISITION
INSOMNIAC GAMES
Insomniac Games is a renown independent game studio based in Burbank, California. Founded in 1994 by Ted Price, Insomniac has developed many well-known franchises, especially for the PlayStation systems (Spyro, Ratchet & Clank, Resistance, etc). Their most recent title, Spiderman, has been critically acclaimed, winning numerous awards and selling at prolific numbers. Spiderman is a PlayStation 4 exclusive, and has been a major selling point for the system. While Insomniac certainly is doing quite fine as an independent studio, Sony should definitely give them a call about possible acquisition, given their long standing, and successful relationship.
REMEDY ENTERTAINMENT
Remedy Entertainment is a well-regarded, independent studio based in Espoo, Finland. Remedy is best known for its work on Alan Wake, Max Payne 1 and 2, and Quantum Break. Alan Wake and Quantum Break were Xbox platform exclusives, but its soon to be released title, Control, will be multi-platform, and have some additional content for PS4 users. With Remedy just recently acquiring the publishing rights to Alan Wake from Microsoft, that title and a potential sequel could come to PlayStation platforms, as well. As a studio with a strong reputation for story driven gameplay, Remedy would be a perfect fit for Sony’s collection of studios.
HOUSEMARQUE
Housemarque is a long standing, independent studio based in Helsinki, Finland. Founded on July 19, 1995 as a merger between Bloodhouse and Terramarque, Housemarque is the oldest game studio in Finland. Housemarque has made several PlayStation platform exclusives, such as Resogun, Alienation, Matterfall, and Nex Machina. Considering their established relationship and exclusive games for the PlayStation platforms, and that they are currently working on an unannounced AAA title, Housemarque makes sense as a possible acquisition target.
BLUEPOINT GAMES
Bluepoint games was founded in 2006 by Marco Thrush and Andy O’Neil. This independent studio is based in Austin, Texas, and specializes in the remastering of older games. Their work on The Nathan Drake Collection, Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, Shadow of the Colossus, and other titles show a keen eye for detail, and an uncanny ability to make established games perform and look better than before. Given Bluepoint’s exceptional handling of previous PlayStation IP’s, it would be an excellent addition to PlayStation’s portfolio of studios.
SUPERMASSIVE GAMES
Supermassive Games is an independent studio based in Guildford, England. Founded in 2008, Supermassive is best known for their hit titles Until Dawn and Hidden Agenda, both of which were PlayStation platform exclusives. Supermassive is currently working on The Dark Pictures Anthology, the first of them being Man of Medan, due out 2019. As an award winning and creative studio, Supermassive would be a quality addition to PlayStation’s studio library.
KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS
Kojima Productions is the studio helmed by the visionary game developer, Hideo Kojima. Founded in 1995 as a Tokyo based subsidiary of Konami, Kojima’s studio worked on many great titles for Konami, most notably, the Metal Gear Solid franchise. After Kojima’s contract with Konami was terminated in 2015, Kojima relaunched the studio as an independent studio based in Shinagawa, Japan. Kojima Productions is currently working its first title since independence. This title, Death Stranding, has captivated critics and fans alike with its bizarre and abstract design gameplay and plot, along with its star-studded cast. Death Stranding is launching later this year on PlayStation 4. Given Kojima’s long-standing relationship with PlayStation platforms, his studio makes sense as an acquisition target.
READY AT DAWN
An independent studio based in Irvine, California, Ready At Dawn is an acquisition target bursting with potential. Founded in 2003 by Ru Weerasuriya and Andrea Pessino, RAD has an established track-record of making games that push the limits of modern technology, and create breathtaking experiences. The Order 1886, while criticized for its overall length, is an exceptional display of graphics power, creative writing, and world design. RAD is currently working on a new AAA game for console, making this a perfect time to consider them for possible acquisition.