Sony Liverpool Closing

[Aug 22, 2012, 10:26 am ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

Kotaku has news that Sony is shutting down Sony Liverpool, the studio once known as Psygnosis (thanks nin). They have an official statement from Sony on the reasons for closing the developer of the original Lemmings and the Wipeout series. Here's part of that:

It has been decided that Liverpool Studio should be closed. Liverpool Studio has been an important part of SCE Worldwide Studios since the outset of PlayStation, and have contributed greatly to PlayStation over the years. Everyone connected with Liverpool Studio, past and present, can be very proud of their achievements.

However, it was felt that by focusing our investment plans on other Studios that are currently working on exciting new projects, we would be in a stronger position to offer the best possible content for our consumers.

Our Liverpool Facility will continue to operate, housing a number of other vital WWS!E and SCEE Departments.

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28 Replies. 2 pages. Viewing page 1.
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28.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 23, 2012, 06:05

ViRGE

Hyatus wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 20:17: Also, anyone else pissed when their system was connected online and they'd play Honda commercials before it would let you into a level? Yes. That was one of the dumbest stunts Sony has ever tried, and that's saying something.

27.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 22:11

Reactor

I miss Psyclapse / Psygnosis and their legendary Amiga games.. Agony, Shadow of the Beast, Perihelion, Leander... Ahh those musics pops out old -mod tunes Thank goodness there are some grown-ups around here mentioning Blood Money, Obliterator, Perihelion and others (Hired Guns!). http://www.psygnosis.org/games/ Obviously a lot were just published, but... the memories... the memories...

26.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 20:17

Hyatus

theglaze wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 11:14: Wipeout HD/Fury were the best, most well rounded of the entire series, and butter smooth as usual. How many games run (most of the time) at 60 FPS 1080p on PS3? [...] While I did enjoy Wipeout HD, this isn't "exactly" accurate. While the game does do 1080p, it uses a scaling system that downgrades the internal resolution of the game to achieve 60fps when it starts to detect slowdown. Also, anyone else pissed when their system was connected online and they'd play Honda commercials before it would let you into a level?

25.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 19:16

DangerDog

Verno wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 10:51: These guys published the original Lemmings To be fair all they really do these days is Wipeout & F1 but hey, they do it well! Lots of old games that deserve an HD remake, especially Lemmings.

24.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 18:32

jdreyer

killer_roach wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 16:56:
nin wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 16:20:
jdreyer wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 16:15:
Destruction Derby, Lemmings, and Shadow of the Beast were so awesome back in the day.

Also, Psygnosis had one of the coolest logos in the biz. As soon as I read the name, that logo popped into my brain even though I hadn't thought about them for 20 years.

http://kotaku.com/5603933/

Amnios looks like a Yes album cover.

A lot of the old Psygnosis box artwork was actually done by Roger Dean, the artist who has done most of Yes' album covers...

Heh, you beat me to it. Those game covers are still totally awesome to look at today.




Man is equally incapable of seeing the nothingness from which he emerges and the infinity in which he is engulfed.

23.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 16:56

killer_roach

nin wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 16:20: jdreyer wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 16:15: Destruction Derby, Lemmings, and Shadow of the Beast were so awesome back in the day. Also, Psygnosis had one of the coolest logos in the biz. As soon as I read the name, that logo popped into my brain even though I hadn't thought about them for 20 years. http://kotaku.com/5603933/ Amnios looks like a Yes album cover. A lot of the old Psygnosis box artwork was actually done by Roger Dean, the artist who has done most of Yes' album covers...

22.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 16:54

ViRGE

Well bugger, there goes Wipeout. There really isn't anything quite like it these days. If it wasn't for Wipeout I probably never would have picked up the Vita. Beamer wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 12:06: I hated G-Police. None of the HUD transparencies worked on my S3 Virge! I resent that remark.

21.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 16:39

OneEye

jdreyer wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 16:15: Destruction Derby, Lemmings, and Shadow of the Beast were so awesome back in the day. Also, Psygnosis had one of the coolest logos in the biz. As soon as I read the name, that logo popped into my brain even though I hadn't thought about them for 20 years. BLOOD MONEY!

20.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 16:31

Beamer

jdreyer wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 16:15:
Destruction Derby and Shadow of the Beast were so awesome back in the day.

Actually, as mentioned, those were actually Reflections, which is still open, part of Ubi, and makes the Driver games.

I had forgotten about the Reflections logo before DD.




------------- Music for the discerning: http://www.deathwishinc.com http://www.hydrahead.com http://www.painkillerrecords.com

19.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 16:23

sir

Ah, Shadow of the Beast...ridiculously difficult, but my were those graphics gorgeous.

18.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 16:20

nin

jdreyer wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 16:15:
Destruction Derby, Lemmings, and Shadow of the Beast were so awesome back in the day.

Also, Psygnosis had one of the coolest logos in the biz. As soon as I read the name, that logo popped into my brain even though I hadn't thought about them for 20 years.

http://kotaku.com/5603933/

Amnios looks like a Yes album cover.




RollinThundr Apr 17, 2013, 12:25: Eh really tossing stuff like that in there only to get your panties all bunched up. If you really want to call that trolling sure. Mr. Tact Apr 17, 2013, 12:33: Pretty sure that's the definition of trolling...

17.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 16:15

jdreyer

Destruction Derby, Lemmings, and Shadow of the Beast were so awesome back in the day.

Also, Psygnosis had one of the coolest logos in the biz. As soon as I read the name, that logo popped into my brain even though I hadn't thought about them for 20 years.




Man is equally incapable of seeing the nothingness from which he emerges and the infinity in which he is engulfed.

16.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 15:32

RailWizard

Beamer wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 10:35: I played a ton of Destruction Derby and Destruction Derby 2 on the PC. Man, the DD levels of Flat-Out weren't half as good. I played those on the PSone. Man, so long ago...that was before I even had a pc.

15.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 14:43

Lemmings was developed by oringinal GTA developer DMA Design in Dundee (Scotland), now known as Rockstar North in Edinburgh after being purchased by the Houser brothers. Psygnosis was the publisher of Lemmings - though that's not to overly discount their hand in the game's success, back then publishers were actually considered useful. They have an odd history as both developer and sometimes publisher, they did develop Shadow of the Beast and WipEout. Kinda struck me as a relatively successful acquisition by a big label, but far as I can tell game shops only seem to work as either "small" owner-managed highly entrepreneurial shops or very big corporate places. Though the latter seem to turn around staff so fast I'm not sure that from game to game they're really the same studio in anything but name.

14.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 14:33

ASeven

My first Amiga games were Psygnosis ones. Sad to see this ancient studio die.

13.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 14:28

Zoom

I miss Psyclapse / Psygnosis and their legendary Amiga games.. Agony, Shadow of the Beast, Perihelion, Leander... Ahh those musics pops out old -mod tunes

12.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 14:18

Cutter

I never Sony had Liverpudlians in their employ, wot!




"Are you crazy? Is that your problem?" - Jack Burton

11.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 13:01

Grifter

Beamer wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 12:06: Grifter wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 11:45: That sucks!!!! these were the guys that made some of my favorite old school titles during the PSOne days. Man I miss Colony Wars and G-Police I hated G-Police. None of the HUD transparencies worked on my S3 Virge! I remember them for the pc actually My rig just was not capable of running them back then Crazy how many people remember these guys from the PSX not PC.

10.

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 12:06

Beamer

Grifter wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 11:45:
That sucks!!!! these were the guys that made some of my favorite old school titles during the PSOne days. Man I miss Colony Wars and G-Police

I hated G-Police. None of the HUD transparencies worked on my S3 Virge!

Crazy how many people remember these guys from the PSX not PC.




------------- Music for the discerning: http://www.deathwishinc.com http://www.hydrahead.com http://www.painkillerrecords.com

Re: Sony Liverpool Closing

Aug 22, 2012, 12:02

Optional nickname

theglaze wrote on Aug 22, 2012, 11:14: I've been a Wipeout fan since the beginning, I've played every Wipeout game ever released. Wipeout HD/Fury were the best, most well rounded of the entire series, and butter smooth as usual. How many games run (most of the time) at 60 FPS 1080p on PS3? I find it very hard to believe there won't be a PS4 title down the road... GT5 , driving sim, 1080p, 60fps, all the time, even with 12- 16 drivers multiplayer on the 24hr Nurburgring track. I should give this Wipeout game a try, but I always thought it to be bland, as I prefer actual sims, to this, which is the next best thing I suppose.

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