Earlier this year, Sony announced that it was laying off a staggering 900 workers, equating to about eight percent of its workforce. This was a death sentence for PlayStation London Studio, which was hard at work on an online game for the PlayStation 5 set in a fantasy version of London.
Back in 2022, more details about the game were revealed by co-studio heads Stuart Whyte and Tara Saunders, who called it the team’s “most ambitious project to date.” Unfortunately, we’ll never know what this mysterious game would have been.
A few months after this devastating announcement, PlayStation London Studio has officially closed, but before riding off into the night, the studio took to X to post a heartfelt farewell to fans.
“For over 20 years London Studio has been home to some exceptionally talented and wonderful people in the games industry. As we close the doors, and all go forward to new adventures, we wanted to say a heartfelt thank you, to all our past and present, players and colleagues who have supported us over the years,” the post reads. “We’ve had one wild and wonderful journey!”
The studio is most well known for its work on VR Worlds, Blood and Truth, SingStar Ultimate Party, Gangs of London, and many more. Inn the mid-2000s, the company worked on the once-popular EyeToy accessory.
The gaming industry has seen over 10,000 people lose their jobs in the first five months of 2024. In 2023, a total of 10,500 people were laid off in the industry, putting this year on a terrible trajectory.
