In addition, PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst has also confirmed in a message published on the official Sony Interactive Entertainment website that, as part of the company’s restructuring, the complete closure of SIE London Studio is also “proposed”.

SIE London Studio was founded in 2002, following which it went on to work on the Singstar and EyeToy lines of games, before going on to develop 2019’s acclaimed PS VR exclusive first-person shooter Blood and Truth.

In October 2022, the studio announced that it was working on a live service PS5 title set in a contemporary fantasy version of London. The game was set to be the studio’s most ambitious title to date.

Gameplay elements have yet to be revealed, but it could have a roster of heroes to choose from. In the Senior/Principal Combat Designer listing, the scope of work entails “Critical contribution to the design of a well-balanced roster of Heroes, each with signature abilities.” The developer also wants to ensure the enemies have “clear attack patterns which players can learn to combat with a Heroes’ set of abilities.”

Working with gameplay and Live Ops designers to create “engaging and scalable skills” and a “progression system that retains players” seems to point towards a roster of heroes. The part under “Experience / Knowledge” also asks for experience in creating and delivering “large-scale combat features, preferably on PC and Console, from concept to in the hands of players.”

On top of possibly hinting at content like raids and whatnot, it also seemingly indicates that the title could launch simultaneously for PC and PS5. PlayStation Studios boss Hermen Hulst did confirm that first-party live service games would launch simultaneously for both platforms, so this tracks.

There’s no indication of when the untitled game could release, so stay tuned for more details.

Some are fine with that. Others are probably angry. You can make up your mind. However, it does raise the question: What are Sony’s first-party studios doing?

Let’s start with the confirmed titles. First is Insomniac Games, which finally showcased gameplay for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Not only did it introduce Kraven as one of the new villains, but also Dr Curt Connors in his Lizard incarnation, tearing through the East River as Kraven’s Hunters chased him. The Symbiote suit was also revealed, but on Peter Parker, who has some new brutal abilities to go with it. Miles Morales was no slouch, showcasing new gadgets and enhanced Venom Blast powers that can chain lightning.

It was a lot to dissect, and we’re left with many questions about the story (like the state of Harry Osborne). A release date isn’t confirmed, but Insomniac said it would share the same soon with other details like the pre-order date, accessibility features and more.

Haven Studios, founded by Jade Raymond of Assassin’s Creed, Watch Dogs and EA Motive fame, also showcased its brand-new title, Fairgame$. Coming to PS5 and PC, it’s an online heist game with competitive elements. No gameplay was showcased, but the various scenarios of its CG trailer did reinforce the emergent sandbox moments that Haven is going for.

Heisters had a grappling hook which could, well, grapple onto the environment and hoist them up. However, it could also grapple a piece of metal to use as a shield or create a barrier against laser wires. It appears to support three-player teams, but not much else is known. A QR code led to a page that may be for pre-registering for an upcoming closed beta. It’s either that or Sony really wants to know which billionaire needs a spanking (seriously).

Firewalk Studios, founded in 2018 by Harold Ryan, former CEO of Bungie, unveiled its new title as well. It’s a PvP first-person shooter called Concord out in 2024 for PS5 and PC. That’s more or less it – yes, once again, no gameplay was showcased. It was touted as a “unique universe of vibrant worlds” and a “rich cast of colorful characters,” so maybe a hero shooter? It’s too early to say, but its director and executive producer have worked on Destiny, so we’ll see.

Odd as it sounds, that’s really all that was revealed on the first-party side. Bungie is owned by Sony and unveiled Marathon, but that’s coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC with crossplay and cross-save. It’s also a PvP extraction shooter, presumably one with live-service elements. Again, time will tell, but at least whenever gameplay debuts, it will be closer to the game’s release. So there’s that.

It’s understandable for some to be worried that this is all Sony has in the pipeline from its first-party studios. However, Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson reported that “a lot of the games we’re waiting on seeing are pretty much ready” and he was unsure why Sony chose to not reveal them. The Snitch further chimed in, stating that there some announcements weren’t revealed at the Showcase, and it’s unknown why.

One of those is a PC port for a triple-A title reportedly out in July. That would probably answer what Nixxes is up to, though your guess is as good as ours as what said title could be (update: It’s Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, out on July 26th for Steam and the Epic Games Store).

Some of the projects we know about that aren’t formally announced include Bend Studio’s next game. The Days Gone developer is working on a new IP with a “whole new world,” which builds on the open-world systems seen in its zombie survival title and incorporates multiplayer. It’s planning to reveal the title when the time is “right” – sadly, that time wouldn’t be at the recent PlayStation Showcase.

Firesprite, fresh off of releasing Horizon Call of the Mountain with Guerrilla Games, had job listings last year for a “triple-A narrative-driven horror adventure game.” However, later rumors indicated that it’s also working on a reboot of Twisted Metal, with a former Destruction AllStars director onboard. While Firesprite never officially announced it, several job listings emerged last February for a new triple-A multiplayer title that “aims to break new ground in multiplayer, blending gameplay mechanics in new ways and deeply embedding storytelling elements into a unique universe.”

The Principal Designer listing also mentioned “mechanics around vehicular and on-foot combat.” Even if Twisted Metal is in the works, perhaps to coincide with the upcoming show, it seems to be a ways off from release.

Guerrilla Games released Horizon Forbidden West last year to critical and commercial success and followed it up with the Burning Shores expansion this past April. It also worked on the PlayStation VR2 title Horizon Call of the Mountain. Given how Forbidden West and Burning Shores ended, we can safely assume Horizon 3 is on the way.

For its part, the developer confirmed that it would continue “to create epic solo adventures for Aloy.” However, it’s also working on an online Horizon game, developed by a “new internal team” and featuring a “new cast of characters” and a “unique stylized look.” Subsequent job listings have suggested that it will be open-world and feature new Machines, though, again, it may be a while before any gameplay is showcased.

There’s been a lot of talk about online titles and live service, so here’s some potentially good news for single-player fans – Ghost of Tsushima developer Sucker Punch Productions put up job listings last year for a new project. The Encounter Designer listing indicated this was “an open-world game, with a particular focus on melee combat and stealth.”

That sounds like a sequel to Ghost of Tsushima is in development. Whether it’s coming sooner than expected, especially since the first game was released in 2020, remains to be seen, but it would be incredibly hype. Will Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, the amazing four-player co-op experience, also return? It probably isn’t beyond Sony to already have a live-service spin-off based on the same in development, so we’ll see.

Amid all of Sony’s first-party studios, Bluepoint Games appears to be the most low-key. The Demon’s Souls remake developer revealed earlier this year that it was “hard at work on our next project” but also that it would showcase it “When the time is right. All good things take time.” What’s particularly interesting is that this project isn’t a remake but “original content,” according to Sony. A sequel to Bloodborne, as rumored by XboxEra in October 2021? One could hope, but the mill has run dry on reliable Bloodborne rumors over the years.

LittleBigPlanet developer Media Molecule confirmed that live support for Dreams would end on September 1st, 2023, as it focuses on its “exciting new project.” The developer has confirmed it’s not Dreams 2 or based on the IP. Studio co-founder Mark Healey, who served as the creative director of Dreams, left the studio shortly after the announcement.

Another co-founder, Kareem Ettouney, who also served as art director, also departed the studio earlier this year. While this doesn’t mean Media Molecule are in trouble, you have to wonder what it means for the future, especially since ending support for Dreams wasn’t an “easy decision.”

Another low-key first-party studio lately has been London Studio, which released VR shooter Blood and Truth in 2019. It confirmed last October that it’s working on a non-VR, online co-op title set in London but with a fantasy twist. Developed on the in-house Soho Engine, co-studio head Tara Saunders said it’s the studio’s “most ambitious game to date.” While it doesn’t use “all different bits of peripherals, it is still about taking that DNA of innovation and putting it into any game concept,” per Saunders.

Regarding the theme, co-studio head Stuart Whyte revealed, “Our overarching theme is about bringing fantastical and magical elements and intersecting that with familiar worlds, and you don’t get much more familiar to us than London.” Again, sounds interesting, but it may be a ways off from release.

Astro’s Playroom developer Team Asobi was one of the only teams to survive the end of Japan Studio and now exists as a standalone developer. Last we heard, it’s working on “a franchise for all ages with global appeal,” per PlayStation Studios head Herman Hulst. A job listing in July 2021 indicated the studio was hiring for a 3D action title and that creativity and humor would be a part of it. Again, no formal announcement made, so it’s a toss-up when we’ll hear about it.

Finally, there’s Naughty Dog, working on a standalone multiplayer title for The Last of Us. Unfortunately, it seems that development has run into some issues. The developer revealed it’s giving the project “more time,” while Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier said it’s being reassessed for “quality and long-term viability.”

The development team has reportedly been scaled back, with some going to work on other projects, but it’s not cancelled. Interestingly, Naughty Dog said it has “other games” in the works, including a “brand new single-player experience.” The Last of Us director Neil Druckmann confirmed he was working on a new project last year, while also saying it was “too early” to discuss. He’s open to developing The Last of Us Part 3, but that’s not exactly set in stone (yet).

There were rumors of an Uncharted reboot, developed by a different studio. A new recruiter was brought on last year to build teams for “new games” and the “legacy of Uncharted.” Sony would subsequently announce a new internal studio in San Diego with PlayStation Studios Visual Arts to work with Naughty Dog on a “new project in a beloved franchise.” A tease for what could be the next Uncharted was spotted in a live-action trailer for PS5 in January, but again, nothing official has been announced.

There are other first-party studios like Housemarque and Santa Monica Studio, but the former has not indicated its next project. The latter released God of War Ragnarok last November, and it may be a long while before its next project is unveiled. Polyphony Digital indicated in February that work has started on the next Gran Turismo, but it can’t talk about the same just yet. In the meantime, it continues to pump out content updates for Gran Turismo 7.

Given all the projects in development, it remains to be seen if Sony will have more State of Plays this year to showcase its other projects. It’s not odd to see a publisher hold back announcements to avoid bloating its shows (see Xbox). Sony may also be taking a page out of Nintendo’s book and keeping its completed projects under wraps before announcing and releasing them within the same time frame.

If nothing else, it could also be a lean year for triple-A exclusives on the PS5. Given Sony’s recently revealed strategy to have two or more major games yearly, it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise. As horrifying as that no doubt sounds for the PlayStation diehard, the company has released several high-profile exclusives since the PS5’s launch in November 2020. There’s bound to be some downtime in between.

Nevertheless, it should still be an interesting year for PS5 players. Final Fantasy 16 is out in June; Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is reportedly targeting a September release; Helldivers 2 is later this year; and we’re still awaiting news on Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the next chapter in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, still planned for Winter 2023. The near future is pretty bright, even if we still need more details on what’s coming in 2024 and beyond.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

The studio has confirmed to GamesIndustry that its PS5 game is not going to be a VR title and will instead be a core console experience. And what exactly is it going to be? Aligning with PlayStation’s push for live service games, SIE London Studio’s next game is going to be a co-op title that is set in a fantasy version of London, the development team’s home base. The game currently doesn’t have an officially announced name.

“We have taken different technologies and looked at how we shift the games industry and come up with concepts that haven’t been done before,” co-studio head Tara Saunders says about the team’s history, and what that means for its next title. “That heritage means the team is comfortable throwing themselves outside of their comfort zone.

“Even though we’re not working on something that uses all different bits of peripherals, it is still about taking that DNA of innovation and putting it into any game concept.”

“It is our most ambitious game to-date,” she adds. “We’re going to take all of that innovation DNA and apply that into this online co-op combat game.

Speaking about the game’s “modern fantasy London setting”, co-studio head Stuart Whyte says, “Our overarching theme is about bringing fantastical and magical elements and intersecting that with familiar worlds, and you don’t get much more familiar to us than London.”

Interestingly, the game is being built on London Studio’s in-house Soho Engine. “Our Soho Engine, our in-house game engine, is at the heart of what we’re doing here,” Whyte explains. “This is an engine that was built from the ground-up for this generation of hardware and the needs of the game that we’re making. It’s designed to take full advantage of the PS5. But it’s fair to say that some of the toolset that we’re using dates back to the VR Worlds and Blood & Truth tech that we had on PS4. Because at the end of the day, VR games need to have super-efficient pipelines and engines.”

When exactly the game will be released remains to be seen, but seeing as it doesn’t even have an official name yet, it seems safe to assume that it’s going to be a while before that happens. Until then, SIE London Studio has shared a piece of concept art that offers a glimpse at the game’s modern fantasy setting. Check it out below.

One of the more interesting tidbits coming from a recent listing for the position of Narrative Design Lead reveals that the game will be set in a fantasy world and feature magic-based gameplay, with the required experience section of the listing mentioning “a passion for both making and playing magic-based games where great gameplay is supported with fascinating fantasy world building.” That specific point has since been removed from the listing, but you can still find it in a cached version of the page through here.

Interestingly, that’s not the only part of the job ad that talks about world-building, and it seems like storytelling and a rich well of lore are going to be crucial aspects of the experience for this project. The listing mentions that the person getting the job will be tasked with building “a world lore and story bible which allows the team to build fabulous characters and incredible environments for the game to play out in”, while there’s also mention of “rich, narratively exciting characters.”

Another key point made abundantly clear in the job ad is the fact that this is going to be a live service game- likely one of the 10 that Sony plans on releasing by early 2026. The listing mentions that the studio is looking for someone who can aid in the “development of an intriguing backstory and world lore which sets up years of ongoing story”.

It seems like the game will launch with a campaign that introduces the game’s world, characters, and story, which will then be expanded upon with updates, with the applicant being responsible for the “creation of an initial campaign to introduce the world and characters, then ongoing campaign to develop the narrative and introduce new content”, as well as the “development of an intriguing backstory and world lore which sets up years of ongoing story.”

There’s also mention of side quests and missions, while the applicant is also required to have “an excellent understanding of non-linear narrative systems and how to deliver story in an ongoing or GaaS game.”

Finally, another area where London Studio is placing some emphasis is transmedia expansion, which is something that PlayStation as a whole has been looking to expand upon of late. “Most of all we want a Narrative Designer who is a wonderful storyteller,” the job ad reads. “Someone who can ensure that the narrative permeates through every aspect of the game and extends out onto other supporting media.”

While very little is known about the game so far, it’s clear that the studio is excited about the project and what it could end up becoming. London Studio’s co-studio head Tara Saunders said last year that the project had “huge potential”, and the job ad hammers that point home as well.

“Our upcoming PlayStation 5 online multiplayer game will be focused on a brand-new IP we are extraordinarily excited about,” the listing reads. “Our new game is close to our hearts, as the whole team collaborated on coming up with the concept from the very beginning. We’ve seen this idea grow from a seed, and now we’re looking for new starters to continue our journey on shaping our plans for this AAA project.”

When will this be unveiled? That remains to be seen. It looks like production is only now getting into the thick of things (at leased based on this job ad) so we might have to wait a while for concrete details. It’s also unknown if this will be a PSVR2 title, but again, based on this listing and past job ads, it seems like this new title is being built as a full-blown console experience.

Recently, for instance, Toby Haynes – who was until recently the lead character artist at Rare – took to Twitter and announced that he’s joined Playground Games, and will serve as Character Lead on the upcoming Fable. At Rare, Hynes worked on Sea of Thieves, as well as the in-development Everwild. Before joining Rare in 2020, Hynes was at SIE London Studio for several years, where he worked on PSVR title Blood and Truth.

Fable has apparently been in the works for quite some time, but it’s going to be a while longer before it finally launches. Leaks have claimed that the game won’t release until 2023– whether that means we won’t be hearing much about it this year remains to be seen.

As of tomorrow I will be starting a new chapter @WeArePlayground as Character Lead on a little game they are working on. #Fable #PlaygroundGames #XboxGameStudios #Xbox pic.twitter.com/5Uw3zbmPBy

— Toby Hynes (@TheRedbranch) January 23, 2022

Though there are no hints of the title’s genre (or whether it’s exclusive to PlayStation VR), experience in triple-A development is a must. The Senior Level/Mission Designer also indicates balancing and fine-tuning “the progression, challenges, and rewards within your levels” as part of one’s work. While this could apply to any number of genres, it’s possible that the studio provides more of a co-op experience as opposed to PvP.

Nevertheless, it’s committed to quality and “putting the right team together to help take us forward.” We’ll need to wait for more details in the meantime but this isn’t the only big title Sony has in development. Artist AVA recently revealed that she’s written a song for a big PlayStation remake that will be announced in December (which is when The Game Awards takes place). Stay tuned in the meantime.

https://twitter.com/LondonStudioHQ/status/1445333832199249922

Blood and Truth was one of the PSVR’s first big titles, and its developer, SIE London Studio, proved they were once again front and center of Sony’s latest tech. The studio has always been one of the first developers to create something for whatever new hardware project their parent company is cooking up, from the PSVR to the Eyetoy. Now it seems they are working on something else all new.

At the end of last year, some job listings from the studio let the cat out of the bag that the studio was working on a PS5 title. as well as even more pointing to that this month. We still don’t know what that actually is, but some new listings have popped up for Lead Technical Artist and Lead VFX Artist (which you can see for yourself through here) that reiterate the title as being for the PS5 as well as a new property, stating the studio is working on “a brand new, next-gen IP.”

With Sony officially announcing the that they will make a follow up to the PSVR, it’s looking likely that the studio is probably working on a new title for it, though with it being a brand new IP apparently, that means it probably isn’t Blood and Truth 2, unless both are being worked on at the same time. Only time will tell.

It’s been a couple of years since SIE London Studio’s PSVR first person shooter Blood and Truth came out, but there’s been next to no updates on what their next game is going to be. Even in the absence of official announcements though, there have been a few details here and there. The developer itself is quite excited about the project’s potential, while it’s also looking like the game is going to have a multiplayer component.

Now, a couple of new job ads on the developer’s website (spotted by Push Square) have dropped a few more hints about what we can look forward to. For starters, a listing for the position of Principal Online Gameplay Designer once again hints at an emphasis on online multiplayer. The ad states that the person in the position will need to be “up for experimenting and working in uncharted design territory”, and that the game itself is going to “show the exciting potential of the latest PlayStation hardware.”

Meanwhile, another ad for the position of Lead VFX Artist mentions delivering “diverse and rich content”, and suggests that the studio is aiming to craft “the next generation of rewarding gameplay and cinematics.”

SIE London Studio has been heavily invested in virtual reality development, and it’s unlikely that they’ll be stopping any time soon. Even in the absence of an official announcement, it’s likely that their next game will be another VR title, especially with PSVR 2 coming up.

SIE London Studio delivered one of PSVR’s best games to date in 2019 with their cinematic first person shooter Blood and Truth, and given how good that game was, it’s no surprise that there are many who are keenly waiting to hear something about what their next project is going to be. According to co-studio head Tara Saunders, it’s apparently going to be a big one.

Speaking in an interview that was recently published on the developer’s official website, the newly minted co-studio head talked about the value that SIE London Studio places on healthy work practices, and how that’s balanced with game development, before adding that the game they are working on right now has “huge potential.”

“I want us to dream big and realise our full potential… but at the same time ensure that there is a real emphasis on ethical and sustainable game development practices,” Saunders said. “We have super strong values in place that mean we should be keeping in mind the importance of inclusivity, balance and team spirit on a day to day basis. Our next project has HUGE potential and we want to leverage that to the max by empowering the team to thrive and deliver a top quality game!”

One would assume that whatever their next game is, it’s going to be VR-related. The developer has said in the past that it wants to keep investing in virtual reality, while Sony also recently announced that they’re working on a next-gen VR headset for the PS5. A killer app releasing alongside the headset right off the bat from the people who made Blood and Truth would be hard to turn down for anyone.

It’s probably going to be a while before we hear anything about the game though, so all we can do at this point is wait. Recent job ads posted by the studio have suggested that their next game will have an online component. Stay tuned, and we’ll keep you updated on any new info that comes our way.