Sony has shut down legendary WipEout developer Studio Liverpool. The unfortunate news was originally revealed on the GRCade forum, but has since been confirmed by a slew of staff on Twitter. The British outfit – which originally started life as Psygnosis – has been in business since 1984.
Sandy Lobban, an audio lead at the developer, said on Twitter: "End of an era today for Studio Liverpool. Honoured to have been a part of it."
The platform holder has yet to make a comment about this news, but we’re trying to find out what we can. It looks like it’s set to be a sad day for PlayStation fans, though.
Update: Sony has released the following statement.
“As part of SCE Worldwide Studios, we do regular reviews to ensure that the resources we have can create and produce high quality, innovative and commercially viable projects in an increasingly competitive market place. As part of this process, we have reviewed and assessed all current and planned projects for the short and medium term and have decided to make some changes to our European Studios.
"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 and SCEE Departments.
"This should not take anything away from the great work WWS are doing and the incredible games and services that we have made, and continue to make.”
Push Square would like to extend our very best wishes to anyone affected by this news.
Comments 24
The first PlayStation studio I ever truly fell in love with, and an icon of the British industry. A very, very sad day. I wish all the very best to all of the employees affected by this news.
What is wrong with these people?!?!?!?!
Psygnosis was one of the best, and Sony managed not to screw it up by buying it- until now.
WipEout HD is still one of the best running games for PS3, and WipEout 2048 was arguably the best offering on the Vita from the get go- and certainly ate up more playtime for me than any other Vita game.
Since my Amiga days (500 with an extra 1MB of RAM!!!) their games were always beautiful and fun. This is such a shame. I'm sure Sony will give them work elsewhere, but it's a damn shame the studio is closing. What about XDev?
@KALofKRYPTON From what I understand, XDev is staying put and the Liverpool staff are being offered other positions within SCEUK. My hope is that they end up expanding Evolution Studios, and housing WipEout there instead. I guess that would be ok...?
This is the saddest news in the industry I read in a long time, I can't believe Psygnosis is really gone now. Huge part of my childhood as I am sure anyone who ever owned a Commodore Amiga will tell you the same. My next album release is a special edition of my original 2008 "The Wipeout Legacy", It will now have a sadder tone. I will be dedicating it to everyone at the studio.
@Shiryu Keep in touch about your next record, Shiryu. We'll make sure we give it some coverage on Push Square. You always do stellar work!
@get2sammyb
Ah, saying that, if they moved them all up to Evolution we could end up with some sort of MotorStorm/WipEout mashup! Silver lining?
@KALofKRYPTON Haha. I'm sure the talent over there could make it work. I'd prefer them to stay separate, though. I'd always kinda hoped Evolution would make WaterStorm next...
@get2sammyb I will make sure to drop a tip early September. Man, this is just plain wrong. Hurts as bad as when Factor 5 went under after "Lair".
@Shiryu
At least there were fiscal reasons behind Factor 5 going under. I loved Lair, but it was torn to shreds by the press (lazy, lazy reviewers I say!) and absolutely demonised as a result.
It was by no means a perfect game, and really was just Rogue Leader with leather wings and a front end facelift.
This just smacks of shortsightedness on Sony's part. Hopefully there's a bigger picture we're not privy to . . .
@get2sammyb
WaterStorm! haha. That could be good, but I'm not sure how well water racing would fit the wrecking formula.
@KALofKRYPTON I never played "Lair" and I do know about the bad management (there are still a LOT to tell about that one...) but it was the same with Free Radical going under after "Haze": Companies that invest everything in big budget projects and just forget what it was that made them special in the first place. What a terrible monster this industry has become nowadays...
Sad hopefully they will stay in SCE
@Shiryu
It was decent, not great. But reviewers really turned on it. I never really had any issues. It looked good, the motion control in my opinion was great, had a brilliant score and was as I said, just like playing one of the Rogue Squadron games.
Reading some of the reviews, I find it incredibly difficult to relate to what amount to professional gamers who had such issues with the controls, if they had been 5 year olds with little sense of proportional movement, then perhaps . . .
Haze too, was a perfectly fine game, only played the demo, but enjoyed it for what it was.
Hopefully the next Wipeout will be up to scratch - I'm sure they've thought things through - right?
@antdickens
I don't think we'll see any more from WipEout until the next gen'.
A very sad day indeed. Been buying Psygnosis games since my Commodore 64 days. Lemmings is still one of my all time favourites whilst Wipeout on the Vita is one of the best games available on the platform IMHO... what are they thinking???
Made more depressing by the fact that I'm a scouser and I've always been very proud of the fact that it's a world renowned games company based in my home town.
RIP Psygnosis
Aw man.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Wow. This just sucks. I'm gonna miss these guys, they brought some really great games to the table. I remember I played WipEout HD with a friend for hours one time. Such a shame that this had to happen.
I do love how Sony drops studios like Zipper and now Studio Liverpool, but they hand their properties over to Nihilistic.
its so sad...sony already lack of third party support this gen and they are closing bit by bit their first party studios...i know they are in debts but closing studios that have contributions and not buyng news ones will hurt them more in the long run...RIP sony...
WHAT?!!! Many times I'll come here and read some awesome news that makes my day but this is the total opposite. Wipeout HD is hands down my favorite PSN game. Best of luck to all the employees that were affected.
@Shiryu
Looking forward to "The Wipeout Legacy" special edition.
I guess this is considered sad for English gamers and such, so please don't take what I say next to heart please
As an NA gamer, Psygnosis (Liverpool, w/e) is possibly THEE worst developer in Sony's arsenal. I think there only good game for me was the first Destruction Derby, and they have made LOTS of games. Again, I don't care, but I'm from NA, not europe Wipeout was always a F-Zero to me
I felt more saddened by Zipper being closed, this seems to make since to me that liverpool is closing though
This is a massive disappointment. Studio Liverpool were (contrary to the above posters statement) one of Sony's most talented internal development studios. Wipeout 2048 is the best game on the Vita in my opinion. I have wider concerns for the future of Wipeout. Once the series was synonymous with playstation, but it seems to have slipped dramatically down the pecking order. As good as HD was, it was download only for some time. When 2048 was announced as a launch game it seemed to restore the series to the forefront of Sony's thinking, not for long apparently.
Psygnosis has been dead for a long time. Studio Liverpool has made two games...Wipeout and mediocre F1 titles. Personally, Im glad to see Sony trying to use their resources better.
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