Sony has quietly closed down PixelOpus, one in all its first-party PlayStation Studios. Primarily based in San Mateo, California, the studio was accountable for 2014’s Entwined and 2019’s Concrete Genie.
Information of this primary broke via a Twitter publish from the studio, which expressed the crew’s gratitude to the gamers who’ve loved their video games.
“Expensive associates, our PixelOpus journey has come to an finish. As we glance to new futures, we needed to say a heartfelt thanks to the thousands and thousands of passionate gamers who’ve supported us, and our mission to make lovely, imaginative video games with coronary heart. We’re so grateful!”
Sony didn’t instantly touch upon the closure publicly however has since confirmed in a press release to IGN that PixelOpus is, in actual fact, shuttering on June 2.
“PlayStation Studios recurrently evaluates its portfolio and the standing of studio tasks to make sure they meet the group’s brief and long-term strategic goals,” the corporate advised IGN. “As a part of a current evaluation course of, it has been determined that PixelOpus will shut on June 2.”
PixelOpus was a small crew inside the hulking large that’s PlayStation Studios, having lower than 20 workers as of 2019. The studio’s breakout recreation was 2019’s Concrete Genie on PS4, which was attractive to take a look at and had cool portray mechanics, however its pacing felt a bit plodding, even with a brisk run time of 5 or so hours. Earlier than the closure, Pixelopus was engaged on a mission with Sony Photos Animation, however we don’t know but if that recreation remains to be within the works with one other crew or has been canceled fully.
It’s a tragic finish for a proficient studio, however feels fairly in keeping with Sony’s laborious pivot to status blockbusters in any respect prices. On prime of closing PixelOpus, the corporate shuttered Japan Studio in 2021, which was placing out a number of the extra experimental work inside the PlayStation first-party ecosystem. It’s a disgrace, and whereas there are nonetheless some studios doing cool issues at locations like Media Molecule, there’s definitely a niche inside Sony’s catalog with out it.
