Japan Studio was a Japanese video game developer based in Tokyo. Formerly the video game development division for Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. and serving as a first-party developer for the company, it was best known for the Ape Escape, LocoRoco, Patapon, Gravity Rush, and Knack series, the Team Ico games, Bloodborne, The Legend of Dragoon, and Astro's Playroom. In April 2021, Japan Studio was reorganized and merged with Team Asobi and other SIE studios.
 | |
Native name | JAPANスタジオ |
|---|---|
| Formerly | Sony Computer Entertainment Japan (1993-2006) |
| Company type | Division |
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | November 16, 1993 |
| Defunct | April 1, 2021 |
| Fate | Merged into Team Asobi and other studios |
| Successor | Team Asobi |
| Headquarters | , Japan |
| Products | |
| Parent | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
History
Sony Computer Entertainment was founded in Tokyo on November 16, 1993, jointly established by Sony and Sony Music Entertainment Japan.[1] The studio was run similar to Sony Music Entertainment Japan during its first few years, with producers seeking out creative talent and nurturing them to help develop new games.[2] Examples of these works included PaRappa the Rapper by NanaOn-Sha, and Everybody's Golf by Camelot Software Planning.[2]
Shuhei Yoshida oversaw the company from 1996 through 2000. Yoshida started creating teams and hired for them, while simultaneously assisting other developers for Sony-published exclusives; said teams included Sugar & Rockets, Arc Entertainment and Contrail.[3] These teams were consolidated into the company in 2000.[4] Sony's internal development team also developed original titles such as Ape Escape and The Legend of Dragoon, with dedicated teams such as Team Ico for Ico, Project Siren/Team Gravity for Siren and Gravity Rush and Polys Entertainment for Gran Turismo (which eventually was spun out as Polyphony Digital) emerging.[5] Alongside these first-party titles, the latter years of the original PlayStation saw strong third-party support, with games like Square's Final Fantasy VII and Konami's Metal Gear Solid. According to Yoshida, this led Sony into some complacency on relying on third-party games to support further consoles, and oversight and support for first-party games was less of a priority.[5] The studio was moved to SCE Worldwide Studios in 2005, rebranding afterwards as Japan Studio; the brand first appeared in Genji: Days of the Blade, the studio's first game for the PlayStation 3. Though Japan Studio's output during the PlayStation 2 years were strong, it struggled to release successful games during the PlayStation 3 era. Yoshida attributed this to the general game development practice in Japan which he described as a "grassroots and bottom up", without a clear vision of what a final game would look like, with exceptions being for people like Kazunori Yamauchi or Fumito Ueda who possessed a specific drive towards a product. In contrast to Western video game development, Yoshida said Japan Studio's methods tended to allow games to wander.[5] Allen Becker, who led Japan Studio starting in 2011, said that their complacency during the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 era caused the studio to fall behind on updated tools and methodologies for game development.[2]
Yoshida took over full control of Japan Studio in 2008, at the same time that the PlayStation 3 was out and Sony was preparing to launch the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita. Around that time, mobile gaming and casual gaming started to become a major factor in the Asian video game market and drove competition from the consoles.[5] Sony found that there was a lack of triple-A third-party support for these new products, and they had to turn to rely on their internal studios for game support. To get Japan Studio back on track, Sony brought in Becker, who had been working at Santa Monica Studio, to lead Japan Studio. Becker made several tough calls of the 40-some games that were in development at the time of his arrival to terminate development of those unlikely to be successful and implemented similar development processes as Sony's Western studios to get the studio back on track.[5] Though Becker's approach, the studio was able to release shorter but cohesive titles that still reflected a Japanese approach to video games, such as Puppeteer, Rain and Knack.[5] Also during this time, emphasis was placed on The Last Guardian, the highly anticipated third title from Ueda which had been in development for over six years, eventually released in 2016.[2]
Across late 2020 and early 2021, several notable Japan Studio employees announced that they were departing the company.[6][7][8] According to multiple sources speaking with Video Games Chronicle Sony had not renewed most of the contracts for the studio outside of those on the Team Asobi because the studio was not considered profitable enough to continue with original game development.[9] In a statement, Sony stated that, as of 1 April 2021, Japan Studio would be re-centered around Team Asobi to build on the popularity of Astro's Playroom.[10] Before and shortly after 1 April 2021, several additional Japan Studio staff announced their departure from the studio.[11] Team Asobi was moved into PlayStation Studios in June 2021.[12] Shawn Layden, former chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios, stated in 2024 that Japan Studio had been suffering from "legacy malaise", having failed to recreate the successful games they once had and lacked the experience to do so again, and eliminating all but Team Asobi was akin to "trimming a bonsai", hopeful that the smaller team would be able to recapture the earlier successes.[13]
List of games
1994–1998
| Year | Title | Platform(s) | Ref(s). |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Crime Crackers | PlayStation | [14] |
| Motor Toon Grand Prix | |||
| 1995 | Victory Zone | ||
| Rapid Reload | |||
| Jumping Flash! | |||
| Arc the Lad | |||
| Philosoma | |||
| Hermie Hopperhead: Scrap Panic | |||
| Wizardry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant | |||
| Sengoku Cyber: Fujimaru Jigokuhen | |||
| Beyond the Beyond | |||
| Sentou Kokka: Air Land Battle | |||
| Project Horned Owl | |||
| 1996 | Jumping Flash! 2 | ||
| Motor Toon Grand Prix 2 | |||
| PopoloCrois Monogatari | |||
| Eigo no Tetsujin: Center Shiken Trial | |||
| Victory Zone 2 | |||
| Arc the Lad II | |||
| Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenyaku Romantan – Ishin Gekitou Hen | |||
| PaRappa the Rapper | |||
| Fluid | |||
| Wild Arms | |||
| 1997 | I.Q.: Intelligent Qube | ||
| Sentou Kokka Kai: Improved | |||
| Alundra | |||
| Velldeselba Senki Tsubasa no Kunshou | |||
| Pet in TV | |||
| Baby Universe | |||
| Quest for Fame | |||
| Ghost in the Shell | |||
| Everybody's Golf | |||
| Arc the Lad: Monster Game with Casino Game | |||
| Linda Cube | |||
| The Granstream Saga | |||
| Crime Crackers 2 | |||
| Elemental Gearbolt | |||
| Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan – Juu Yuushi Inbou Hen | |||
| Gran Turismo | |||
| 1998 | PlayStation Comic No. 1 – Space Adventure Cobra: The Psycogun Vol. 1 | ||
| PlayStation Comic No. 1 – Space Adventure Cobra: The Psycogun Vol. 2 | |||
| Zero Pilot: Ginyoku no Senshi | |||
| PlayStation Comic No. 2 – Carol the Dark Angel | |||
| Tomoyasu Hotei: Stolen Song | |||
| Devil Dice | |||
| Yarudora Series Vol. 1: Double Cast | |||
| Souten no Shiroki Kami no Za: Great Peak | |||
| Yarudora Series Vol. 2: Kisetsu O Dakishimete | |||
| Yarudora Series Vol. 3: Sampaguita | |||
| Legend of Legaia | |||
| Yarudora Series Vol. 4: Yukiwari no Hana | |||
| PopoRogue | |||
| Wonder Trek | |||
| PlayStation Comic No. 3 – 2999 Game Kids | |||
| I.Q Final |
1999–2000
| Year | Title | Platform(s) | Ref(s). |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Circadia | PlayStation | [15] |
| Pocket MuuMuu | |||
| PlayStation Comic No. 4 – Cobra Galaxy Knights | |||
| Global Force: Shin Sentou Kokka | |||
| Um Jammer Lammy | |||
| Pocket Dungeon | |||
| Tamago de Puzzle | |||
| PlayStation Comic No. 5 – Buzzer Beater (Part 1) | |||
| PlayStation Comic No. 5 – Buzzer Beater (Part 2) | |||
| Lord of Monsters | |||
| Ore no Shikabane o Koete Yuke | |||
| Ape Escape | |||
| The Book of Watermarks | |||
| Gekisou TomaRunner | |||
| Doko Demo Issyo | |||
| Everybody's Golf 2 | |||
| Panekit | |||
| Wild Arms 2 | |||
| Ore no Ryouri | |||
| Paqa | |||
| Robbit Mon Dieu | |||
| Brightis | |||
| Poketan | |||
| Arc the Lad III | |||
| Pet in TV With my dear Dog | |||
| Alundra 2: A New Legend Begins | |||
| The Legend of Dragoon | |||
| Vib-Ribbon | |||
| Love & Destroy | |||
| XI Jumbo | |||
| 2000 | Pocket Jiman | ||
| Beat Planet Music | |||
| PoPoLoCrois Monogatari II | |||
| Chase the Express | |||
| Koneko mo Issyo: Doko Demo Issyo Tsuika Disc | |||
| Addie no Okurimono: To Moze from Addie | |||
| Fantavision | PlayStation 2 | ||
| I.Q. Remix+: Intelligent Qube | |||
| Tiny Bullets | PlayStation | ||
| Docchi Mecha! | |||
| Aconcagua | |||
| Boku no Natsuyasumi | |||
| Scandal | PlayStation 2 | ||
| TVDJ | |||
| Gekitotsu Toma L'Arc: TomaRunner vs L'Arc-en-Ciel | PlayStation | ||
| Bikkuri Mouse | PlayStation 2 | ||
| Magical Dice Kids | PlayStation | ||
| Bealphareth | |||
| Gunparade March | |||
| Kouashi Kikou Shidan: Bein Panzer | |||
| Sky Odyssey | PlayStation 2 | [16] | |
| Shachou Eiyuuden: The Eagle Shooting Heroes | PlayStation | [15] | |
| Kokohore! Pukka: Dig-a-Dig Pukka | |||
| Dark Cloud | PlayStation 2 | ||
| Blood: The Last Vampire (Volume One) | |||
| Blood: The Last Vampire (Final Volume) |
2001–2002
| Year | Title | Platform(s) | Ref(s). |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Sagashi ni Ikouyo | PlayStation 2 | [16] |
| Tsugunai: Atonement | |||
| Extermination | |||
| Okage: Shadow King | |||
| Check-i-TV | |||
| Phase Paradox | |||
| iMode mo Issyo: Doko Demo Issyo Tsuika Disc | PlayStation | ||
| Mister Mosquito | PlayStation 2 | ||
| Rimo-Cocoron | |||
| Pipo Saru 2001 | |||
| Everybody's Golf 3 | |||
| PaRappa the Rapper 2 | |||
| Ico | |||
| SkyGunner | |||
| The Yamanote Sen: Train Simulator Real | |||
| Mad Maestro! | |||
| Genshi no Kotoba | |||
| Seigi no Mikata | |||
| Bravo Music: Christmas Edition | |||
| Legaia 2: Duel Saga | |||
| Toro to Kyuujitsu | |||
| Yoake no Mariko | |||
| 2002 | Bravo Music: Chou-Meikyokuban | ||
| Yoake no Mariko 2nd Act | |||
| Dual Hearts | |||
| Wild Arms 3 | |||
| Surveillance Kanshisha | |||
| Otostaz | |||
| Popolocrois: Adventure of Beginnings | |||
| Futari no Fantavision | |||
| Boku no Natsuyasumi 2 | |||
| Ape Escape 2 | |||
| Poinie's Poin | |||
| Space Fishermen | |||
| The Keihin Kyuukou: Train Simulator Real | |||
| Dark Chronicle | |||
| Gacharoku | |||
| Let's Bravo Music | |||
| Bombastic |
2003–2005
2006–2007
| Year | Title | Platform(s) | Ref(s). |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Gunparade Orchestra: Shiro no Shou | PlayStation 2 | [18] |
| Rule of Rose | |||
| Yarudora Portable: Blood The Last Vampire | |||
| Bleach: Hanatareshi Yabou | |||
| Forbidden Siren 2 | |||
| Monster Kingdom: Jewel Summoner | PlayStation Portable | ||
| Blade Dancer: Lineage of Light | |||
| Derby Time 2006 | |||
| Bomberman: Bakufuu Sentai Bombermen | |||
| XI Coliseum | |||
| I.Q. Mania | |||
| Gunparade Orchestra: Midori no Shou | PlayStation 2 | ||
| Talkman Euro | PlayStation Portable | ||
| Doko Demo Issyo: Let's Gakkou! | |||
| Boku no Natsuyasumi | |||
| Brave Story: New Traveler | |||
| Brave Story: Wataru's Adventure | PlayStation 2 | ||
| Saru! Get You! Million Monkeys | |||
| LocoRoco | PlayStation Portable | ||
| Gunparade Orchestra: Ao no Shou | PlayStation 2 | ||
| Bleach: Heat the Soul 3 | PlayStation Portable | ||
| Blood+: Souyoku no Battle Rondo | PlayStation 2 | ||
| Blood+: Final Piece | PlayStation Portable | ||
| Everybody's Tennis | PlayStation 2 | ||
| Bleach: Blade Battlers | |||
| Tenchi no Mon 2: Busouden | PlayStation Portable | ||
| Genji: Days of the Blade | PlayStation 3 | ||
| Jeanne d'Arc | PlayStation Portable | ||
| PaRappa the Rapper | |||
| Ape Escape Racing | |||
| Wild Arms 5 | PlayStation 2 | ||
| P-kara | PlayStation Portable | ||
| 2007 | Talkman-Shiki Shaberingual Eigkaiwa | ||
| Kikou Souhei Armodyne | PlayStation 2 | ||
| Bleach: Heat the Soul 4 | PlayStation Portable | ||
| Minna no Golf Ba Vol. 1 | |||
| Folklore | PlayStation 3 | ||
| Piyotama | |||
| Talkman-Shiki Shaberingual Eigkaiwa for Kids! | PlayStation Portable | ||
| Boku no Natsuyasumi 3 | PlayStation 3 | ||
| Everybody's Golf 5 | |||
| Saru! Get You! SaruSaru Big Mission | PlayStation Portable | ||
| Minna no Golf Ba Vol. 2 | |||
| Wild Arms XF | |||
| Rezel Cross | |||
| LocoRoco Cocoreccho! | PlayStation 3 | ||
| Bleach: Blade Battlers 2nd | PlayStation 2 | ||
| Go! Sports Ski | PlayStation 3 | ||
| Minna no Golf Ba Vol. 3 | PlayStation Portable | ||
| The Eye of Judgment | PlayStation 3 | ||
| Toy Home | |||
| Minna no Golf Ba Vol. 4 | PlayStation Portable | ||
| Dark Mist | PlayStation 3 | ||
| What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord? | PlayStation Portable | ||
| Everybody's Golf Portable 2 | |||
| Talkman Travel | |||
| Doko Demo Issyo: Let's Gakkou! Training Hen | |||
| Patapon |
2008–2009
| Year | Title | Platform(s) | Ref(s). |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Ape Quest | PlayStation Portable | [19] |
| Go! Sports Skydiving | PlayStation 3 | ||
| Coded Soul | PlayStation Portable | ||
| MyStylist | |||
| Echochrome | |||
| Echochrome | PlayStation 3 | ||
| Nippon no Asoko de | PlayStation Portable | ||
| Bleach: Heat the Soul 5 | |||
| Shiki-Tei | PlayStation 3 | ||
| Siren: Blood Curse | |||
| The Last Guy | |||
| Afrika | |||
| Xam'd: Lost Memories | Video | ||
| Aquanaut's Holiday: Hidden Memories | PlayStation 3 | ||
| What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord? 2 | PlayStation Portable | ||
| Bleach: Soul Carnival | |||
| Derby Time Online | PlayStation 3 | ||
| Patapon 2 | PlayStation Portable | ||
| LocoRoco 2 | |||
| Minnya no Putter Golf | PlayStation 3 | ||
| White Knight Chronicles | |||
| 2009 | Dress | ||
| Enkaku Sōsa: Shinjitsu e no 23 Nichikan | PlayStation Portable | ||
| Demon's Souls | PlayStation 3 | ||
| Trash Panic | |||
| Bleach: Heat the Soul 6 | PlayStation Portable | ||
| Juusei to Diamond | |||
| Numblast | |||
| Numblast | PlayStation 3 | ||
| Boku no Natsuyasumi 4 | PlayStation Portable | ||
| Toro to Morimori | PlayStation 3 | ||
| Everybody's Stress Buster | PlayStation Portable | ||
| Echoshift | |||
| LocoRoco Midnight Carnival | |||
| Bleach: Soul Carnival 2 |
2010–2014
2015–2020
| Year | Title | Platform(s) | Ref(s). |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Bloodborne | PlayStation 4 | [23] |
| Gravity Rush Remastered | |||
| 2016 | The Playroom VR | ||
| The Tomorrow Children | |||
| The Last Guardian | |||
| 2017 | Gravity Rush 2 | ||
| PaRappa the Rapper | |||
| LocoRoco | |||
| Everybody's Golf | |||
| Patapon | |||
| Knack II | |||
| Japan Studio VR Music Festival | |||
| No Heroes Allowed! VR | |||
| LocoRoco 2 | |||
| 2018 | Shadow of the Colossus | ||
| No Heroes Allowed! DASH! | Android, iOS | [24] | |
| Astro Bot Rescue Mission | PlayStation 4 | [23] | |
| Déraciné | |||
| 2019 | Everybody's Golf VR | ||
| Monkey King: Hero Is Back | [25] | ||
| 2020 | Patapon 2 | [23] | |
| Astro's Playroom | PlayStation 5 | [26] | |
| Demon's Souls |
Former teams
Japan Studio was formed by several internal development teams, with all of them being disbanded, reorganised, or spun off into a separate studio.
Polys Entertainment
Polys Entertainment was founded in 1994 as a team under Japan Studio and was formally spun off into Polyphony Digital after the success of Gran Turismo.
Team Asobi
Team Asobi is a team founded in 2012 by Nicolas Doucet, who previously worked for London Studio and Saffire.[27] In April 2021, they were formally spun off into a separate studio under SIE Worldwide Studios.[12]
Team Ico
Team Ico is best known for developing Ico and Shadow of the Colossus.[28] They were disbanded following lead game designer Fumito Ueda leaving the company and establishing genDESIGN.[29]
Team Gravity
Team Gravity, originally known as Project Siren, was a team formed in 1999 by former members of Team Silent, the creators of Silent Hill.[30] The team developed games in the Siren and Gravity Rush series and was led by game designer and director Keiichiro Toyama, who, alongside designers Kazunobu Sato and Junya Okura, left Japan Studio in late 2020 to form Bokeh Game Studio.[31]
Notes
References
External links
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