Tag: Japan Studio
News Sony's Japan Studio 'Forgot What It Feels Like to Have a Hit'
Shawn Layden wasn't surprised by closure
Sony’s shuttered Japan Studio, a much-loved team by PlayStation enthusiasts, was not a hit factory when it closed. The developer worked on numerous fan-favourite franchises – like Gravity Rush and Ape Escape – but many of these failed to resonate commercially, and the department was infamously chaotic...
News Japan Studio Has Officially Been Removed from Sony's Website
End of an era
Well, we knew Japan Studio had been disbanded, but here’s closure: the team has been removed from Sony’s official website – consider this the divorce papers at the end of a messy separation, perhaps. Astro’s Playroom developer Team Asobi has ta
News Puppeteer's Gavin Moore Rounds Out Japan Studio Exodus As Team Disbands
Played like a Puppeteer
And with that, Japan Studio is no more. There’s been a spate of sad stories surrounding PlayStation this year, but perhaps the most disappointing of all is the disbandment of the manufacturer’s oldest first-party studio. The closure has culminated in an exodus of talent, with Gavin Moore being the latest high-profile...
News Gravity Rush Character Designer the Latest Departure from Sony's Japan Studio
Kat's outta the bag
Another Japan Studio staff member is leaving the developer for pastures new. Today, Shunsuke Saito announced his departure from the steadily shrinking team. Saito is best known for his work on the Gravity Rush series, serving as character designer and animator on both games and as art director on Gravity Rush 2. He will have...
News Sony Officially Confirms Re-Organisation of Japan Studio
Team ASOBI to build on the popularity of Astro's Playroom
Sony has officially confirmed that it’s “re-organising” Japan Studio, effective 1st April. One of the oldest first-party teams within the platform holder’s stable will be restructured around Team ASOBI, the developer of the recent Astro’s Playroom, as well as Astro Bot Rescue...
Soapbox Japan Studio Is Currently One of Sony's Best
East becomes beast
Historically when people have talked about Sony's strong first-party network, Japan Studio has been right at the bottom of the list. One of the platform holder's oldest developers, the division is probably best known for the likes of Ape Escape and Legend of Dragoon, as well as Fumito Ueda's output. But during the PlayStation 3...
News Gravity Rush Director to Start Work on New PS4 Game Soon
Sounding the Siren?
Gravity Rush 2 releases imminently on the PlayStation 4, and we really like it. But once director Keiichiro Toyama is done with the title's free expansion pack, he'll be turning his attention to a new project. The former Silent Hill man told Dengeki PlayStation that he expects work to begin in earnest on something fresh soon...
News Japan Studio Concert Will Celebrate the Sounds of Sony's Greatest Games
Audio tribute
Japan Studio's output may have been pants during the PlayStation 3 era, but under the leadership of ex-Santa Monica head Alan Becker, Sony's biggest developer has been restored to the bosom of its Worldwide Studios network. Over the past few years alone the organisation has had a hand in Bloodborne, The Last Guardian, and Knack – the...
News Japan Studio Livestream to Spotlight Downloadable PS Vita Software
Heaven in a handheld
PlayStation Vita will feature in a NicoNico livestream tomorrow, as Japan Studio prepares to outline some new "download-only" software for the portable system. The programme description isn't entirely clear, so this could include unseen titles – or localised releases that are merely being brought over to Japan. It's probably...
Rumour Project Puppet Could Be Japan Studio's Next Big PS4 Exclusive
Update: No, it's not
Update: You can't knock a coconut down everytime, and it seems like we've been duped. This is not Japan Studio's next project, but rather a short movie posted to Vimeo a few years ago. In other words, it's faker than Simon Cowell's front teeth. Hype deflated. Original story: Japan Studio had a rough few years during the...
News Japan Studio Planning Large Scale Properties for PS4 and Vita
Go East
While the internal output of Japan Studio may have slowed to a crawl over recent years, its External Development Group is thriving. A lot like Sony Santa Monica and XDev Europe, this division works alongside independent developers in order to create exclusive content for the various PlayStation platforms, with some of its recent projects...
News Don't Worry, Gravity Rush 2 Is Coming Along Nicely
Nevi gonna give you up
Yesterday we reported on a 4gamer article in which Team ICO director Fumito Ueda blatantly teased us about The Last Guardian. We thought that was absolutely everything that we could glean from the gargantuan report, but it seems that it was in fact home to a veritable smorgasbord of juicy informat
News Sony Shines a Bright Light on Siren PS4 Speculation
A macabre mistake
As is so often the case with rumours relating to Japan Studio’s terrifying Siren series, Sony has shut the speculation down. Earlier in the week, the Romanian arm of Sony Computer Entertainment hinted that the frightening franchise could be making a comeback on the PlayStation 4, but this was merely a mix-up according to the...
News Ooh, Sony's Soul Sacrifice Team Is Working on a PS4 Project
No rest for the wicked
Despite spending much of the PlayStation 3 generation twiddling its thumbs, Sony’s primary Eastern game production outfit Japan Studio has been transformed under the leadership of Allan Becker. As such, it’s not especially surprising to learn that the team’s External Development Group – which is responsible for...
Review Puppeteer (PlayStation 3)
Ahead of the game
Within minutes of starting Puppeteer, it's clear that it's an absolutely stunning game. The art style, the animation and the sheer amount of detail packed into each and every visual asset make the title a joy to behold. Trailers and screenshots simply don't do the product justice – this is something that you need to see in motion...
News Gravity Rush Scores Big In Latest Issue Of Famitsu
Defying gravity
Gravity Rush is undeniably one of the most tantalising propositions in the PlayStation Vita's upcoming line-up Buoyed by a stylish art aesthetic and some strong gameplay mechanics to boot, the Japanese Studio developed title sits just behind Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Wipeout 2048 on our most wanted list. And it seems our enthusiasm...
News You Can't Deny The Brilliance Of This Live-Action Gravity Rush Trailer
Apples are renowned for their sweet taste and gravitational properties
They're also the star of Sony's brand new live-action Gravity Rush commercial. Uncharted: Golden Abyss and WipEout 2048 may be the PlayStation Vita's headline releases — but we really think Gravity Rush is the star of the system's line-up. Gorgeous, original and totally unique:...
News Gravity Rush To Be Download Only In Europe
Sony's made a couple of bizarre decisions regarding the PlayStation Vita's release in Europe
Top of the charts is the platform holder's decision to not offer a 32GB memory stick at launch, with the highest capacity card being the 16GB. While frustrating, we can forgive Sony for saving us money. Less forgivable is the platform holder's decision to...
News Dark Days: Sony Confirms Fumito Ueda's Departure
Legendary PlayStation developer Fumito Ueda -- the creative force behind ICO and Shadow Of The Colossus -- has left Sony, the platform holder has announced
Ueda's departure comes following a series of rumours surrounding the developer's employment. But while Ueda's long-term future remains unclear, Sony confirmed that his immediate commitments are...
News Sony Comments On Team ICO, Says Fumito Ueda Is 'Committed To Completing' The Last Guardian
Sony's said that Fumito Ueda is "committed to completing" upcoming PlayStation 3 exclusive The Last Guardian, but has once again managed to completely dodge the issue of the developer's employment
In a statement issued to IGN's Colin Moriarty, a SCEA spokesperson revealed that "Ueda-san is in fact under contract and is committed to completing...
News Fumito Ueda Reassures Fans Of The Last Guardian
Fumito Ueda has responded to rumours suggesting that he has left Shadow Of The Colossus developer Team ICO, affecting development of the studio's next project
In a short Twitter message, the creative powerhouse said that development of The Last Guardian was still on track and that fans have nothing to worry about. While Ueda did not outright deny...
News New Gravity Rush Screenshots Show Off Huge Industrial Environments
For many, Team Siren's Gravity Rush is looking like the must-have PlayStation Vita game
The super-stylised gravity-driven platform game not only promises to take advantage of the Vita's multitude of input devices, but its bold cel-shaded art-style also looks custom built to showcase the system's OLED screen. In a batch of new screenshots, Sony's...
News TGS 11: Sony Releases Brand New Gravity Daze Footage
Nothing annoys us more than regional name discrepancies
But Gravity Daze or Gravity Rush — it's all the same to us. Team Siren's debut PlayStation Vita platformer thing looks incredible. Don't believe us? Catch the latest trailer after the jump.
News Gravity Daze Now Gravity Rush, New Screenshots and Trailer
Jump on in
Gravity Rush, previously known as Gravity Daze, is a PS Vita exclusive from Japan Studio, the devs that gave us such portable classics as Locoroco and Patapon. The game has a surreal, cel-shaded look that favors flair over realism, and gameplay revolves around a gravity manipulation mechanic that has the female protagonist jumping and...
News Shuhei Yoshida: Team ICO 'Making Progress' With The Last Guardian
Shuhei Yoshida has admitted in an interview with VG247 that Team ICO is "making progress" with The Last Guardian, despite development not moving as quickly as hoped
"The Last Guardian team has been making progress," Shuhei told the website. "Its been very difficult in terms of seeing the progress: not as fast as wed been hoping...
News Sony Reveals The Bonus Content And Trophies For The Team ICO Collection
The Team ICO Collection includes more than two of the most revered titles in PlayStation history
A post on the PlayStation Blog this afternoon has revealed the game's full range of bonus video content. The on-disc videos include prototype footage of ICO and Shadow Of The Colossus, as well as a round-table discussion with Fumito Ueda (creator), Kenji...
News ICO: Castle In The Mist Novel Releases This Month
ICO is widely considered to be one of the best video games of all time
Fumito Ueda's PlayStation 2 classic is a banner release, set to get a PS3 make-over next month. So of course, such an important release requires a novel. ICO: The Castle Of Mist is due out on August 13th via Viz Media. "A boy with horns, marked for death. A girl who sleeps...
News Japanese Version Of Minna No Golf 5 Secures PlayStation Move & 3D Support
As has been speculated for a few months now, Sony has released a title update for Minna No Golf 5 (Everbody's Golf: World Tour, Hot Shots Golf: Out Of Bounds) which brings PlayStation Move and 3D support to the PS3 classic
Unfortunately the update is currently limited to the Japanese version of the game, and is unlikely to make its way into the...
News Gawp At ICO & Shadow Of The Colossus, Cry A Little Bit
Sony's updated the Japanese websites for the upcoming ICO and Shadow Of The Colossus HD remakes
With the updated pages comes two new trailers which have been handily posted to YouTube for our embedding pleasure. Check out trailers for both games after the jump.
News Oh Right Yeah, Gravity Daze Is Really Bloody Pretty
Sony and Team Siren's whacked up a new trailer for the cel-shaded action-adventure title, Gravity Daze
While the soundtrack used in the trailer doesn't necessarily fit the game's aesthetic, we're going to assume that's placeholder. It's the visual style that's most intriguing. Check the trailer out on the game's official Japanese website through...
E3 2011 Gravity In Development At Team Siren, Looks Gorgeous
Despite being announced alongside the PlayStation Vita at its original unveiling in January, the cel-shaded action title Gravity Daze has been shrouded in mystery
However, an update on Sony's official PlayStation website has revealed a little more about the intriguing title. The game is in development at Sony's Team Siren studio, the group...
E3 2011 No PlayStation System Is Complete Without Everybody's Golf
We've always had a soft-spot for the Everybody's Golf franchise
While we're not overly keen on golf games in general, there's something refreshing about Clap Hanz's ability to accelerate the pace of a traditional slow sport. The gameplay is also perfectly suited to a handheld, allowing you to pick-up and play in short bursts. Everybody's Golf on...
E3 2011 God Of War Origins Collection, Team ICO Collection Dated For September
Sony has confirmed the God Of War Origins Collection for PlayStation 3, a compilation package featuring both God Of War: Chains Of Olympus and God Of War: Ghost Of Sparta remastered in HD
The package will support 3D and will launch in September. Also due out in September is the Team ICO Collection, the hotly anticipated double-pack featuring Fumito...
News Get Your White Knight Chronicles Fix On June 10th In The UK
Sony has dated both White Knight Chronicles II (PS3) and White Knight Chronicles: Origins (PSP) for a June 10th release in the UK
Both games will release on June 8th across the rest of Europe. There's new trailers for both games after the jump.
News Dry Your Eyes, Mate: The Last Guardian, Team ICO Collection Delayed
Deep down, we all knew it was coming
But now it's official: Sony's confirmed that both The Last Guardian and Team ICO Collection will miss their respective Holiday and Spring 2011 release windows. We'll give you chance to have a little sob... Producer Fumito Ueda was regretful on the PlayStation Blog, apologising for the delay but stating it was...
News Ape Escape Makes Its Escape From Japan
The Ape Escapes this Summer
The time for Ape Escape to finally make its debut on the PlayStation 3 outside of Japan is finally approaching. Ape Escape Fury! Fury! released a few months ago in Japan, but an official release outside of Japan has yet to be heard. Today that changed when the PlayStation Blog announced that PlayStation Move Ape Escape is...
News Hell Yes: Ape Escape Is Coming To The PlayStation 3
We tested out the PlayStation Move controlled Ape Escape game the moment its demo became available on the Japanese PlayStation Store, and we ended up liking a lot of what we saw
The game mixes traditional ape collecting with on-rails shooting, and wraps it up in a package that's befitting of the phrase "only in Japan". It's bonkers. And...
News Patapon 3 Drums Its Way Onto PlayStation Portable In April
Patapon 3, we nearly forgot about you
After previewing the game's multiplayer demo late last year, news on Sony's adorable rythmn RPG has been scarce. Thankfully SCEA's come out of the woodwork this morning to slap an April 17th US release date on the Japan Studio developed game. But why the delay? The game's producer, Chris Hinjoso-Miranda, says...
First Impressions Ape Escape Fury! Fury!
The Ape's for the Kids
Ape Escape fans have been craving a new console entry in the series for years, and it’s finally close to being upon us. Ape Escape Fury! Fury! brings a unique style of gameplay to the franchise that can only be possible with the power of Move, and we recently got to catch a few Apes for ourselves. Ape Escape became a fan...
News echochrome ii Sheds Some Minimalist Light Over The Festive Period
Sony's confirmed that their ambitious mannequin puzzler, echochrome ii, will launch in time for Christmas on the American PlayStation Store
No word of a European date yet, but we're going to assume it will follow North America's lead. echochrome ii is one of the most anticipated PlayStation Move titles since the device's launch, using the motion...
News Beat Sketcher Hits The American PlayStation Store On November 23rd
Bizarre PlayStation Move paint/rhythm game hybrid, Beat Sketcher, is set to hit the American PlayStation Store on November 23rd
The whacky paint application — which allows you to draw all over your PlayStation Eye's camera feed — mixes beats and blops with pin-perfect PlayStation Move paint precision. It's all a bit weird, but it's pretty...
News Can We Get A 'Hell Yes"? Tokyo Jungle's Confirmed For Europe!
Keiji Inafune may have thought the Tokyo Game Show was filled with "awful games", but one title which did get the press buzzing was PlayStation Network exclusive Tokyo Jungle
The game is set in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo in which the human race has been completely wiped out, leaving wild animals to rule the city. It's kind of hard to explain, but...
News SCEJ: Demon's Souls 2 Could Happen "One Day", Masochists Rejoice
There's a Demon's Souls 2 coming, except it's not called Demon's Souls 2
Project Dark was announced at the Tokyo Game Show by Demon's Souls developer From Software, but it's coming to the XBOX 360. Sony owns the Demon's Souls IP, so while Project Dark might be a spiritual successor to Demon's Souls, it will never adorn the brand on the box. Sony...
News Ueda Aiming For Accessible Controls In The Last Guardian
Ueda's clear that The Last Guardian is not a "pet game"
He stated as much in a Q&A session on the PlayStation Blog, explaining that the player will be protected by the giant animal from the trailers. The title suggests that while the giant griffin-like animal might be the last protector of its kind, the player might run into other large beasts...
News TGS 10: At Least The New Ape Escape Game Has A Good Logo, Right?
Brace yourself; this trailer for the upcoming PlayStation Move Ape Escape game is packed with smiles and overwhelming happiness
It also looks like a disappointing mini-game collection. Hopefully there's another Ape Escape game in the works — something a little more exciting than this one. Still, at least the logo's good.
News Fumito Ueda Joins Twitter, Teases Tokyo Game Show Announcement
Fumito Ueda, the PlayStation legend behind titles such as Ico and Shadow Of The Colossus, has revealed on his newly formed Twitter account that his team will be showing "something" at Tokyo Game Show later in the year
Amidst a bunch of lifestyle related Tweets, Ueda declared: "We should be able to show something at Tokyo Game Show, so look...
First Impressions Kung Fu Rider on PlayStation 3
Questionable controls
Despite looking like the spiritual successor to zany PSone classic, Incredible Crisis, our hands-on time with the PlayStation Move's Kung Fu Rider revealed some irritating control quirks. We just couldn't get Kung Fu Rider to work. It took several attempts before we realised what the game wanted from us, and even then it...
News British Demon's Souls Practically Sold Out Nationwide
The Black Phantom Edition of Demon's Souls is practically sold out everywhere in the UK
That's according to publishers Namco Bandai Partners, who are only aware of a few "dribs and drabs". "I can't give you a number, but what I mean by an 'amazing success' is that all the stock we built of the Black Phantom Edition has sold out...
News Playing PlayStation Move: The Fight: Lights Out & Kung Fu Rider
PushSquare's editor, Sammy Barker, recently got a chance to go hands-on with Sony's PlayStation Move offerings
While we were unable to get video for Sports Champions [we were too busy having fun with it - Ed], we did get chance to shoot some video for The Fight: Lights Out and Kung Fu Rider. [Big thanks to Jas-n from SonyFanatic.com for shooting and...
News Atlus To Maintain Demon's Souls Servers Into 2011
When Demon's Souls launched, there were warnings scattered everywhere that Atlus could close the game's servers within six months of its release
The game's gone on to become a smash-hit worldwide, and so Atlus has decided to sponsor the servers for an extended period. They've announced that the online portion of the "hardest game ever"...
