PlayStation Studios is about to experience another upheaval. However, contrary to what we have seen in recent years, this is not a takeover of a new entity. In fact, quite the opposite: the Japanese company is about to get rid of one of its dependencies. because yes, starting June 2, 2023, the PixelOpus team will have to say goodbye to their establishmentthus sharing the same fate as Japan Studio closing in 2021. Everything has just been confirmed via a tweet.
“Dear friends, the PixelOpus adventure is over. As we look to new horizons, we’d like to extend our sincere thanks to the millions of passionate gamers who have supported us and our mission to make beautiful, imaginative games with heart. We are very grateful to you! »
Created in 2014, the year the release of their first creation – the rhythm game Intertwined to a somewhat mixed reception – PixelOpus then orchestrated the production of Concrete Genie, a production as colorful as ever. Since that date (2019), nothing… at least nothing has appeared in front of the general public, because, obviously, a project is well and truly done working with Sony Pictures Animation. A project that, in the end, may never materialize. We don’t know anything. No communication was made regarding this.
Sony: the future is always focused on blockbusters?
Of course, Sony expresses itself well. However, the company only confirmed the info previously released by the studio in question, before announcing it “PlayStation Studios regularly assesses its portfolio and the status of studio projects to ensure they are meeting the organization’s short-term and long-term strategic goals”. Words couldn’t be clearer, PixelOpus has no place in the future that Sony is likely to make.
Which will not surprise us. Given its creation, PixelOpus isn’t what one might call a high-end studio for a Japanese company. In the end, that’s more of a problem than any of Sony’s other ambitions. And with twenty employees to its credit, that might be seen as a negligible “distraction,” Sony surely prefers to allocate its budget and manpower devoted to what matters most: making blockbusters. Because yes, when we talk about Japanese companies, we think primarily of these types of entertainment, like Spider Man, Ratchet & Clank or God of War.
From Sony’s side, it looks like a game should make some noise, look. Hence, it implies avoiding risks as little as possible and exploring exploitables, even “over-exploitable” ones. What’s more, on this matter, there is not a lack of testimony. Some time ago (probably in 2021), some independent developers reported having trouble working with the manufacturer, which was absent with the others (Nintendo and Xbox). Among other things, we pointed out Sony’s desire to deliver only “production hits”. But, we can really be skeptical about this. If Sony’s gaze is rather focused on the commercial scene, why is it inclined to gravitate towards the “emerging future” even if it means investing as it recently did in India? Is it to create a breeding ground that can be used for their real purpose and not to promote their creations? Possible.
