The landscape of PlayStation’s first-party studios has seen significant changes, raising concerns among fans and industry analysts alike. Recent announcements regarding the closure of developers like Bluepoint Games and Dark Outlaw Games have highlighted a notable trend within Sony’s strategy.
Fans were particularly taken aback by the news that Bluepoint Games, a highly regarded studio, would be closing its doors just a few years after its acquisition by Sony. This was swiftly followed by the announcement concerning Dark Outlaw Games, adding to the growing list of developers ceasing operations.
These events have prompted a closer look at the number of studios operating under the PlayStation banner that have shut down during the current console generation. The analysis reveals a striking figure: a total of eight PlayStation development studios have either been closed or are scheduled for closure since the PlayStation 5 first launched in 2020.
Here is the complete overview of PlayStation Studios developers that have been impacted since 2020:
- 2020 – Manchester Studio
- 2021 – Japan Studio
- 2023 – PixelOpus
- 2024 – London Studio
- 2024 – Firewalk Studios
- 2024 – Neon Koi
- 2026 – Bluepoint Games
- 2026 – Dark Outlaw Games
Unfortunately, there is a pervasive concern that this list may not be final. Many anticipate that further studio closures from Sony could still be announced in the future, even as we hope sincerely that this will not be the case.