In a move that seems logical (and honestly, most have seen coming), Housemarque, the devs behind Returnal, Dead Nation, and more, have been acquired by Sony, and is now part of PlayStation Studios!
This announcement was made today by Head of PlayStation Studios Hermen Hulst, who made the announcement over on Twitter:
Thrilled to announce @Housemarque has officially joined PlayStation Studios! The extremely talented studio with a proven track record and best-in-class gameplay has a bright future and we couldn’t be more excited to be part of it! pic.twitter.com/B47YlfmgCs
— Hermen Hulst (@hermenhulst) June 29, 2021
Thrilled to announce @Housemarque has officially joined PlayStation Studios! The extremely talented studio with a proven track record and best-in-class gameplay has a bright future and we couldn’t be more excited to be part of it!
Given that Housemarque’s past games have been synonymous with PlayStation platforms, this is a no-brainer move — especially if you consider how well received Housemarque’s games have been in the past.
Ilari Kuittinen, Co-Founder of Housemarque had this to say regarding the new venture (via the PlayStation Blog):
Today is a big day for Housemarque and it has been over 26 years in the making. Our strong partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment started with Super Stardust HD on PS3 and since then we have made arcade inspired games for all of the PlayStation platforms. With Returnal for PS5, our most recent release, our biggest foray into third-person action gaming solidified our voice and brand in the industry as delivering unique and quality player experiences.
We are so excited to finally join the PlayStation Studios family! This gives our studio a clear future and a stable opportunity to continue delivering on gameplay centric approaches, while still experimenting with new methods of narrative delivery and pushing the boundaries of this modern artform. Locally here in Helsinki, this also means that we will officially expand the PlayStation family to a growing industry hub and secure the legacy of the oldest game studio in Finland.
Finally, what this means for our fans? We at Housemarque are gamers, and we have grown from the need to perfect and tinker with facets of games that we have found most fascinating. We are also not known for shying away from running our own course and trying out new combinations. With the backing of SIE and its family of studios supporting us, we can truly grow into our place in the industry and show what Housemarque can create with no limitations. We can’t wait to show everyone what will be in store in the upcoming years, and we hope to usher in more lasting memories and exhilarating titles for the next quarter century and beyond.
Congrats to both parties, and we can’t wait to see what other games they brew together next!
Speaking of Returnal, if you haven’t checked the game out yet, go read our review and see why we feel the title is a potential Game of the Year contender!