As we reported earlier in the week, Sony XDEV Europe now appears to be a global operation. The Liverpool-based division – seemingly now rebranded Sony XDEV – historically partnered with external developers across Europe to bring exclusive titles to PlayStation platforms like Returnal and Detroit: Become Human. However, its remit now appears to extend around the world.
And after closing Japan Studio and its external development arm earlier in the year – at the time, a spokesperson for the platform holder said that the latter would be “concentrated within the global functions of PlayStation Studios” – Sony XDEV now appears to be recruiting producers in Japan and Asia to partner with independent teams on “AAA titles”.
Job postings, machine translated by Google, describe the role as follows: “Work with the best independent game developers in Japan and Asia to find, evaluate, produce, and launch external products (video games) for the best possible quality and success within time and budget.” It adds: “You need to understand what it takes to build and maintain good relationships with your global marketing team and build and deliver AAA titles and franchises within SIE.”
Outside of its internally developed titles like Gravity Rush, Japan Studio was perhaps best known for its partnerships with FromSoftware on Bloodborne and Clap-Hanz on Everybody’s Golf. This recruitment drive suggests that Sony is not abandoning these kind of projects, it just aims to conduct its business from within the framework of Sony XDEV moving forward.
It’ll be interesting to see what kind of games come out of the division in the future. Obviously, the team has already started the PS5 generation strongly, partnering with Sumo Digital on Sackboy: A Big Adventure and Housemarque on Returnal – both European studios, of course. We’re really interested to see what it can achieve now it’s working globally with developers from around the world.
[source sie.com, via sie.com, sie.com, resetera.com]
Comments 18
I can’t see any niche Japanese games getting made. Maybe they’ll try for games like Yakuza, which have proven popular in the west.
This does shed a bit of light on the future of Sony's japanese IPs, so I'm hoping this means we'll get to see more of these.
Damn, that thumbnail got me thinking it was gonna be a new EG game
@Icey664 Same haha. I saw it and got excited.
Really hope we get another Everybody’s Golf. I’ve put so much time into that series.
AAA Sony JRPG. It would sooo work. 👍🏻
Nice, I hope xdev contact fromsoftware for bloodborne 2 and platinum games for new action games 😃
I want a normal platinum games like bayonetta 2 though, not weird one like wonderful 101.
@Feena Wild arm 1 and 2 remake or new wild arm will be great I think, the opening music in both games are so good that I still remember it decades later 😃
Another Eveybody’s/Hot Shots Golf game on the horizon? Please say yes! Also, bring back Folklore!
WE
NEED
ANOTHER
EVERYBODY'S
GOLF
@Icey664 @SoulChimera @johncalmc @AhmadSumadi As Clap Hanz have ported their evergreen golf game onto Apple Arcade (in all but name) I can't see them heading back to help Sony out any time soon. Probably got more chance of it turning up on the Switch.
Closing Japan Studio was the worst move Ryan and his minions have carried out as they clearly didn't look at the total impact of such a (moronic) move and now we're feeling the fallout.
So really they could have just kept Japan studio (excluding Asobi) and rebranded them xdev Japan.
Bloodborne 2 will be the biggest announcements like resistance trilogy .syphon filter.parasite eves.sly cooper.and i want a max payne 4 with bully 2 and manhunt 3.word up son
Every day the line gets more blurred as to if I'm reading Playstation or Nintendo news.
@Icey664 Same lol Imagine a new Hot Shot Golf game with playable Playstation crossover chaarcters, like Kratos or Ellie or Asobi.
So all this doom and gloom about Sony shutting down and shutting out the Japanese markets were all a bit hysterical then? Glad to see that Sony had plans rather than just closing down studios...
@wiiware XDEV don't need to contact From Software for Bloodborne 2 as Sony will no doubt already be looking at a sequel. It's possible that Bloodborne 2 could already be in production, as it's known that From Software are working on two titles at the moment, one of which of course is Elden Ring, with the other as yet unannounced ...
@WilliamFrost12 Already available...
https://youtu.be/B_9FVXKEJV4
We need a new Everybody’s Golf on PS5 and PSVR 2.
@Feena Legend of Dragoon. 🙌
Let's have a Everybody's Golf for PS5. One of the best golf games ever!
Ikumi Nakamura opened her own indy studio recently partnering with her would be an awesome move
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