PlayStation has officially acquired Housemarque, the Finnish studio best known for PlayStation titles such as Super Stardust HD, Resogun, and, most recently, Returnal. The oldest operating development studio in Finland, Housemarque laid its roots over 25 years ago and made a name for itself with console arcade experiences.
The team continuously raised the bar in this regard over the years, but parted ways with arcade titles a few years ago due to the genre's steady decline. Since making such a surprising announcement in late 2017, following the release of side-scrolling shooter Matterfall, the crew has apparently focused its efforts on two projects. Battle royale title Stormdivers counts as one such endeavor, which Housemarque shelved in 2020. The latest venture, Returnal, just hit stores this past spring, introducing PlayStation fans to a new hero and a different type of Housemarque gameplay experience. Evidently, fans weren't the only ones excited about the group's future.
Today, June 29, PlayStation Studios announced its acquisition of Returnal developer Housemarque. PlayStation Studios Head Hermen Hulst shared the news in a PlayStation Blog post, noting that such an addition "enhances the creative force" of the brand. Housemarque's Co-Founder and Managing Director Ilari Kuittinen chimed in with a statement of his own, recounting the team's PlayStation history by acknowledging that such a partnership has been years in the making. Most importantly, the acquisition gives Housemarque stability and a "clear future" that will allow the company to continue producing incredible gameplay experiences. Kuittinen added, "with the backing of SIE and its family of studios supporting us, we can truly grow into our place in the industry and show what Housemarque can create with no limitations."
This marks PlayStation's first studio acquisition since closing a deal with Insomniac Games in August 2019. That, too, constituted a smart choice that had been a long-time coming, especially given Insomniac's lengthy history as a second-party partner for the PlayStation brand.
While today saw Sony purchase a studio for the first time in nearly two years, the company has invested mightily elsewhere in recent months. For example, it's continuously built second-party relationships with newly established groups such as the Jade Raymond-run Haven Studios and Firewalk Studios. Plus, investments in Discord, Evo, and Epic Games have solidified Sony's interest in other aspects of the industry.
Returnal is available digitally and at retail for PlayStation 5.
Source: PlayStation Blog