SN Systems is not a name that will necessarily be familiar to PlayStation fans, but it’s been creating development tools for Sony since the early 90s, and was acquired by the company in 2005.
Despite being a wholly owned subsidiary, it’s remained an independent entity, working exclusively on creating software for the various PlayStation platforms, including most recently the PS5 and PSVR2.
However, that will change on 1st April, 2025, as the company will be absorbed and integrated into the wider Sony Interactive Entertainment family.
“The exceptionally talented team at SN Systems has been an integral part of SIE by driving innovation in tools development, which has been central to our success across multiple PlayStation generations,” CEO Hideaki Nishino said.
“This next step in our partnership will strengthen our shared sense of unity. Together, we look forward to continuing to empower developers to create compelling gaming experiences for PlayStation players.”
Founded in 1990, SN Systems originally worked with SEGA and Nintendo as well as PlayStation, but it switched its focus solely to Sony once it was acquired in 2005.
“Our close ties with research and development departments within SIE gives us early access to hardware and information, which enables us to create development tools that are feature-rich, robust, and compatible with the latest hardware,” the company notes on its website.
Presumably absorbing the organisation into SIE will remove a few needless layers of bureaucracy, and allow it to focus on its work of creating great development environments for PlayStation platforms.
[source sonyinteractive.com]
Comments 13
"the next step in our partnership".
It's not a partnership. You own them.
@Haruki_NLI while correct I think the term works well in this example in the same way I would think of Nintendo and Intelligent Systems who perform largely a similar role (or at least did).
SN and the hardware/API division will work very closely with each other in developing and designing the devkits and dev environments and SN presumably are some of the first people to get hardware specs for new machines in order to build the necessary hardware and software for developers to use. Presumably they also interact with the first party teams technology groups (like ND’s ICE). Their work is essential in providing good developer environments so the teams can do their jobs easily.
This isn’t like their first party developers who mostly go about their own business between the occasional project review. So I think partnership is a good word for what they do as opposed to their ownership status.
Absorbed simply makes me think of Donut County or Katamari.
@Lowdefal Except Nintendo doesn't own Intelligent Systems, so that IS a partnership. This is a fully owned subsidiary of Sony.
Probably already working on stuff for the PS6 and as soon as they finish that they will start on the process of the PS6 Pro👀
"Presumably absorbing the organisation into SIE will remove a few needless layers of bureaucracy"
Job losses incoming.
@GeeForce No, I think it just alters the chain of command. Whoever you had at the top of SN Systems just takes a job in SIE.
Not sure if this has anything to do with it but there’s numerous reports of layoffs at PlayStation today.
@get2sammyb so job loses much easier to do ...
Well apparently layoffs already are happening according to wccftech article
Looking forward to their live service conversion of PaRappa the Rapper
I've been reading up on them a bit and I still don't fully understand what they do but I hope this makes it easier for first party studios to have their resources available.
@Haruki_NLI thats a marriage which is a partnership.
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