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[I'm nobody]

We sat down with Studio Heads Stuart Whyte and Tara Saunders to talk about their creative process, inspirations, and what it's like making games in the heart of London, including a first glimpse at their next one.
Full post

Tease

- most ambitious game by the studio to date
- built for PS5
- using the in-house Soho Engine

 

[Punished Miku]

Cool artwork.

 

[Gudji]

Oh great another hero game.

 

[FalsettoVibe]

This sounds awesome. Glad London Studio is able to work on an AAA game with their Soho Engine.

 

[AlteredForms]

They're one of PlayStation's first-party studios right? One would think that financial backing and clout would allow them to make some good games. What have they actually put out that's worthwhile?

 

[midnightAI]

They're one of PlayStation's first-party studios right? One would think that financial backing and clout would allow them to make some good games. What have they actually put out that's worthwhile?

Blood and Truth is one of the best PSVR games
VR Worlds was launched with PSVR and was used to showcase the headset (Ocean Descent being the most 'wow' thing on there when it first came out in my opinion)
Singstar (may not be to everyones taste but song massively)
Eye Pet (again, not for everyone but was an impressive use of the PS Eye)
Gangs of London on PSP (it was ok, not that great, but inspired a TV series of the same name)
and of course.. The Getaway

 

[I'm nobody]

Blood and Truth is one of the best PSVR games
VR Worlds was launched with PSVR and was used to showcase the headset (Ocean Descent being the most 'wow' thing on there when it first came out in my opinion)
Singstar (may not be to everyones taste but song massively)
Eye Pet (again, not for everyone but was an impressive use of the PS Eye)
Gangs of London on PSP (it was ok, not that great, but inspired a TV series of the same name)
and of course.. The Getaway

Man I wish the getaway would come back to ps5 only
Get Guy Ritchie to write it too

 

[StealthGoblin]

London Studio aren't the largest studio so I imagine they'll need a few smaller support studios to drive content for this game.

 

[midnightAI]

Man I wish the getaway would come back to ps5 only
Get Guy Ritchie to write it too

Completely agree. I'm not really into co-op games unless there is a major single player component (such as Destiny), so I dont know how much this game will hold my interest. I would personally have preferred them to work on either a sequel to Blood and Truth for PSVR 2 or make another Gateway game.
However, saying that, I am still looking forward to them showing what their engine can do if its specifically tailored for the PS5 and there is nothing to say they arent working on something else so I still hold out hope for a PSVR 2 game from them.

 

[AlteredForms]

Blood and Truth is one of the best PSVR games
VR Worlds was launched with PSVR and was used to showcase the headset (Ocean Descent being the most 'wow' thing on there when it first came out in my opinion)
Singstar (may not be to everyones taste but song massively)
Eye Pet (again, not for everyone but was an impressive use of the PS Eye)
Gangs of London on PSP (it was ok, not that great, but inspired a TV series of the same name)
and of course.. The Getaway

You have to be absolutely shitting me, Gangs of London and Singstar lmao? You're clutching at straws when you bring up a PSP game 06 to make a case. The Getaway games are average at best, they couldn't compete with the best of GTA clones back in the day.

Face it, the only good thing London Studio have put out is Blood and Truth and even that had a limited audience due to being a VR game. Compared to other PlayStation studios LS have a pretty fucking embarassing resume. Sony should divert all their funding and attention to Media Molecule, at least they put out good games:

 

[SmokedMeat]

Had me interested until I saw online co-op. Not my thing, but a cool studio nonetheless.

 

[StealthGoblin]

You have to be absolutely shitting me, Gangs of London and Singstar lmao? You're clutching at straws when you bring up a PSP game 06 to make a case. The Getaway games are average at best, they couldn't compete with the best of GTA clones back in the day.

Face it, the only good thing London Studio have put out is Blood and Truth and even that had a limited audience due to being a VR game. Compared to other PlayStation studios LS have a pretty fucking embarassing resume. Sony should divert all their funding and attention to Media Molecule, at least they put out good games:

Mate, Singstar was absolutely massive. So massive that it rattled Microsoft into trying to do a copycat (lips).

 

[remember_spinal]

You have to be absolutely shitting me, Gangs of London and Singstar lmao? You're clutching at straws when you bring up a PSP game 06 to make a case. The Getaway games are average at best, they couldn't compete with the best of GTA clones back in the day.

Face it, the only good thing London Studio have put out is Blood and Truth and even that had a limited audience due to being a VR game. Compared to other PlayStation studios LS have a pretty fucking embarassing resume. Sony should divert all their funding and attention to Media Molecule, at least they put out good games:

What kind of post is this? They've put out good games over the years, they haven't had their big 'hardcore gamer' game breakthrough though I agree.

Divert funds? Are you in charge of SIE's finances? Wtf lol

This game conceptually sounds awesome btw, i hope its 3rd person. Also cool to see they are going with a more stylized look to it.

 

[AlteredForms]

Mate, Singstar was absolutely massive. So massive that it rattled Microsoft into trying to do a copycat (lips).

Man please, weren't Harmonix doing something similar and more popular before Singstar? If karaoke games is what a studio wants to do then more power to them, but they're latest games don't even have Wikipedia pages:

What kind of post is this? They've put out good games over the years, they haven't had their big 'hardcore gamer' game breakthrough though I agree.

Divert funds? Are you in charge of SIE's finances? Wtf lol

This game conceptually sounds awesome btw, i hope its 3rd person. Also cool to see they are going with a more stylized look to it.

A post that hits the nail on the head, that's what kind of post it is. Most of their games aren't huge sellers and is Singstar really that hot a property? Of course I'm not in charge of SIE finances fool, but Sony is wasting their time with a studio that isn't a market leader in the music game genre. When you bear the name "London" it's supposed to be synonymous with greatness, prestige and recognition. All things London Studio aren't and yet Sony is paying to keep this shitheap afloat. Let them sink and give the love to Media Molecule.

 

[clarky]

Gangs of London on PSP (it was ok, not that great, but inspired a TV series of the same name)

Your saying a bang average psp game from what nearly 20 years ago inspired the mediocre TV series now showing on Sky tv? Gonna need to see receipts on this one.

 

[AlteredForms]

Your saying a bang average psp game from what nearly 20 years ago inspired the mediocre TV series now showing on Sky tv? Gonna need to see receipts on this one.

Somebody else who can see through the BS. That Gangs of London PSP game got absolutely slayed by the gaming press and it inspired a TV show 15 years later?

 

[StealthGoblin]

Man please, weren't Harmonix doing something similar and more popular before Singstar? If karaoke games is what a studio wants to do then more power to them, but they're latest games don't even have Wikipedia pages:


A post that hits the nail on the head, that's what kind of post it is. Most of their games aren't huge sellers and is Singstar really that hot a property? Of course I'm not in charge of SIE finances fool, but Sony is wasting their time with a studio that isn't a market leader in the music game genre. When you bear the name "London" it's supposed to be synonymous with greatness, prestige and recognition. All things London Studio aren't and yet Sony is paying to keep this shitheap afloat. Let them sink and give the love to Media Molecule.

Media Molecule get all the money they want.

London Studio, as well as developing their own IP, some of which were gargantuan successes in the past, also are key developers for VR and supporting other studios. Killzone 2 and LBP wouldn't have got off the ground without London Studio.

They also incubate a lot of tech projects and are literally two offices down the same road as PlayStation Europe's central office.

 

[midnightAI]

Your saying a bang average psp game from what nearly 20 years ago inspired the mediocre TV series now showing on Sky tv? Gonna need to see receipts on this one.

Sure....
Wiki
Metro
Meaww

Now other that the title probably not so much has come across from the video game, but still, its something.

 

[midnightAI]

Man please, weren't Harmonix doing something similar and more popular before Singstar? If karaoke games is what a studio wants to do then more power to them, but they're latest games don't even have Wikipedia pages:


A post that hits the nail on the head, that's what kind of post it is. Most of their games aren't huge sellers and is Singstar really that hot a property? Of course I'm not in charge of SIE finances fool, but Sony is wasting their time with a studio that isn't a market leader in the music game genre. When you bear the name "London" it's supposed to be synonymous with greatness, prestige and recognition. All things London Studio aren't and yet Sony is paying to keep this shitheap afloat. Let them sink and give the love to Media Molecule.

Singstar was huge, I'm guessing you aren't from Europe which is mainly what it was aimed at? It sold over 20 million copies , mostly in Europe and Australia and you had to purchase many of the tracks (you did get a lot free though, and I never purchase DLC normally but I bought several Singstar tracks for the missus and kids, peer pressure eh). So yeh, Singstar was a hot property.

 

[remember_spinal]

Media Molecule get all the money they want.

London Studio, as well as developing their own IP, some of which were gargantuan successes in the past, also are key developers for VR and supporting other studios. Killzone 2 and LBP wouldn't have got off the ground without London Studio.

They also incubate a lot of tech projects and are literally two offices down the same road as PlayStation Europe's central office.

But i don't get it, why won't sony close down a studio that makes games I don't care for??

 

[clarky]

Sure....
Wiki
Metro
Meaww

Now other that the title probably not so much has come across from the video game, but still, its something.

Fair enough. No wonder the tv show sucks lol. How random can you get.

 

[midnightAI]

Fair enough. How random.

Agreed, to be fair though there are probably loads of TV shows/films that are inspired by certain games but you never hear about it, this one is unusual because they did actually use the same title.

 

[AlteredForms]

London Studio, as well as developing their own IP, some of which were gargantuan successes in the past, also are key developers for VR and supporting other studios. Killzone 2 and LBP wouldn't have got off the ground without London Studio.

Alright, we have a confirmed London Studio employee on NeoGAF. They may have assisted with development, but don't get ahead. Media Molecule were made up of people from Lionhead Studios who had the clout and experience to make a good game and they did.

Singstar was huge, I'm guessing you aren't from Europe which is mainly what it was aimed at? It sold over 20 million copies , mostly in Europe and Australia and you had to purchase many of the tracks (you did get a lot free though, and I never purchase DLC normally but I bought several Singstar tracks for the missus and kids, peer pressure eh). So yeh, Singstar was a hot property.

So they're best IP to date involve microtransactions for buying additional songs?

But i don't get it, why won't sony close down a studio that makes games I don't care for??

Don't get butthurt because I called it straight. They most likely keep the studio alive because they barely cost much to run due to lack of activity. Other studios in the PS family like Insomniac actually get out there and do great stuff instead of sitting on their asses.

 

[remember_spinal]

Alright, we have a confirmed London Studio employee on NeoGAF. They may have assisted with development, but don't get ahead. Media Molecule were made up of people from Lionhead Studios who had the clout and experience to make a good game and they did.


So they're best IP to date involve microtransactions for buying additional songs?

Don't get butthurt because I called it straight. They most likely keep the studio alive because they barely cost much to run due to lack of activity. Other studios in the PS family like Insomniac actually get out there and do great stuff instead of sitting on their asses.

Sony is a company that will do whatever's in its best interest. If they are keeping them open its for a numbers of factors that contributes to them being more profitable in the future.

They aren't doing them a favor because one of jim ryans drinking buddies runs the marketing department or something. It's bizarre to think, running a company out of london is cheaper than any other.

 

[Calverz]

Bruh where is the getaway 3?

 

[Flabagast]

Their Gaas turd of a game looks hideous.

 

[midnightAI]

So they're best IP to date involve microtransactions for buying additional songs?

And? you said it wasnt a hot property and it was, what does microtransactions have to do with it?

Also best IP to date? in as far as sales, yeh, it is, but in my opinion it isn't their best IP, that goes to Blood and Truth for me, but maybe that's because I am English and so I like the setting, atmosphere and acting, looks phenomenal too for a PSVR game (and on PSVR 2 could look seriously impressive if they made a sequel or even just updated the original). Technically Studio London are very good.

 

[remember_spinal]

Thought this was interesting

There was so much variation in the many concepts we discussed, but for us it was about creating something that the team as a whole was really passionate about. We did a lot of surveys with the team about what ideas they were drawn to the most, and also which ideas the wider PlayStation Studios leadership team felt most passionate about.

We reached out to some sister studios for their input, and finally, we actually did some proper market research. We polled hundreds of gamers in the UK and the US for their feedback as well—and all of these different inputs and perspectives all culminated in the project we're working on now.

Seems like they did a good bit of fielding public and internal interests for what people wanted out of all the concepts they had. They mention Guerrilla several times and their jump from Killzone to Horizon, and mentioned discussing this game with them as well. Seems like they were a big inspiration for them wanting to jump into a new genre and make a big name for themselves.

Love the fact that they are using the Blood & Truth engine for this also, keep the proprietary engines going for first party titles.

 

[midnightAI]

Their Gaas turd of a game looks hideous.

1, Where does it say it's GAAS?
2, That's concept art, we havent seen what the game looks like yet

 

[remember_spinal]

I'm pretty excited by the look of this im not gonna lie. I've been desperately craving something aesthetically different from sonys 1st party studios. I hope Pixelopus' next game also has a unique animated look to it. I really hope it sticks pretty closely to this concept art

 

[[Sigma]]

Much of the info we've known through leaks. Hoping for the best but we'll see.

 

[StealthGoblin]

Alright, we have a confirmed London Studio employee on NeoGAF. They may have assisted with development, but don't get ahead. Media Molecule were made up of people from Lionhead Studios who had the clout and experience to make a good game and they did.


So they're best IP to date involve microtransactions for buying additional songs?

Singstar sold at least 16 million copies in PAL territories alone by 2009. At the time, there were very few Sony exclusives doing those sorts of numbers.

 

[AlteredForms]

Sony is a company that will do whatever's in its best interest. If they are keeping them open its for a numbers of factors that contributes to them being more profitable in the future.

They aren't doing them a favor because one of jim ryans drinking buddies runs the marketing department or something. It's bizarre to think, running a company out of london is cheaper than any other.

They're keeping them open because Sony needs a presence in London. All large publishers have an office or studio in the capital which usually serves the UK and wider Europe.

And? you said it wasnt a hot property and it was, what does microtransactions have to do with it?

Also best IP to date? in as far as sales, yeh, it is, but in my opinion it isn't their best IP, that goes to Blood and Truth for me, but maybe that's because I am English and so I like the setting, atmosphere and acting, looks phenomenal too for a PSVR game (and on PSVR 2 could look seriously impressive if they made a sequel or even just updated the original). Technically Studio London are very good.

Alright, maybe they sold some karaoke games, but that stuff was damn well years ago. What have they done recently worthwhile to be branded a first-party studio? A VR crime game set in London that probably didn't sell well.

Singstar sold at least 16 million copies in PAL territories alone by 2009. At the time, there were very few Sony exclusives doing those sorts of numbers.

I was talking about the statement you made saying London studio was responsible for Killzone 2 and LittleBigPlanet.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

How many coop games are in development for PlayStation?

It's starting to seem gratuitous.

 

[MidGenRefresh]

This artwork gives me Redfall vibes.

I wish they would develop The Getaway 3. Amsterdam as a setting.

 

[bitbydeath]

You have to be absolutely shitting me, Gangs of London and Singstar lmao?

Parappa the rapper was the first rhythm game but SingStar made the genre HUGE!

Guitar Hero and Rock Band came later.

 

[Phil_the_goat]

Destruction all stars will have an opponent

 

[StealthGoblin]

They're keeping them open because Sony needs a presence in London. All large publishers have an office or studio in the capital which usually serves the UK and wider Europe.

Alright, maybe they sold some karaoke games, but that stuff was damn well years ago. What have they done recently worthwhile to be branded a first-party studio? A VR crime game set in London that probably didn't sell well.

I was talking about the statement you made saying London studio was responsible for Killzone 2 and LittleBigPlanet.

I didn't say they were responsible, but their support was critical to the games quality.

 

[CamHostage]

They're keeping them open because Sony needs a presence in London. All large publishers have an office or studio in the capital which usually serves the UK and wider Europe.

Eh, they're keeping them open because it's been a profitable studio for a long time, despite not generally releasing games you would like. (They are, however, overdue for a new hit.)

They're also keeping them open because the studio does a lot of support work and hardware incubation, stuff people don't know much about. For instance, a lot of original PS accessories and services were invented in or produced for release out of that office; you can track London Studio's work in physical add-ons for PlayStation from PS Eye to now PlayStation VR.

(Side-note, but I believe Sony's presence in the UK is mostly now run out of the Liverpool office, not London, though they do list their 10 Great Marlborough St. office as one of their corporate HQ addresses so maybe it's both? I wouldn't say you don't need a prestige office in a capitol to run a business in a country. San Mateo is of course pretty far from being the capitol of the United States.)

...I get that you look at London Studios' resume and see nothing you're into. And true, there's not been a lot in a long time that says they're capable of a massive mainstream game. (Their last two attempts at mainline gamers, The Getaway PS3 and Eight Days, were both so long ago and both canceled in development; since then, the closest to "hardcore gamer" products have been VR titles.) Don't buy this fantasy co-op game if it doesn't look cool to you. It could possibly suck.

But just FYI, London Studio has been an important part of the PlayStation operation for a long, long time, sometimes in ways most gamers never become aware of. And they have people there who, for ages, have wanted to put London Studio back in the PlayStation spotlight.

(EDIT 2024 - The concept art attached up in the OP broke, so I'm rehosting it on GAF: )

 

[remember_spinal]

I don't see how anyone can look at the success of something like splatoon or genshin impact and not expect one of the biggest publishers in gaming not to try to take their own shot at multiplayer. All i heard for years was sony only makes 'sad dad' 'walking simulators' 'over the shoulder serious' games. The number one criticism for SIE Studios have been that they lack diversity (which is untrue but whatever) now that they are building multiplayer games in different genres people are still whining. It's damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Also, its like people automatically assume these games will be funneled into the larger mix of stuff like Arcaddeggon, Roller Champions, or Knock Out City, when we know sony is investing huge budgets into these games. Sony has a clear advantage over most GAAS titles being a platform holder with far better marketing and bigger budgets.

Sony can apply what makes their single player games good to their multiplayer games

 

[midnightAI]

Alright, maybe they sold some karaoke games, but that stuff was damn well years ago. What have they done recently worthwhile to be branded a first-party studio? A VR crime game set in London that probably didn't sell well.

Well it was the first VR game in the UK to get to no.1 in the sales charts, so guess it did kinda ok.

As has been mentioned several times, they have been making games for hardware accessories such as PS Eye and PS VR. When PS VR was being marketed before launch what you kept seeing was VR Worlds (London Heist in VR Worlds was then turned into the full game Blood and Truth). It wont have sold absolutely massively due to number of PSVR unit sales, but still, perhaps my favourite game of all PS VR games and the only thing that let it down was the tracking but thats hardly the games fault.

(they are also used as a support studio, look in most PS first party games credits and they'll probably be there, but in truth most PS first party studios share knowledge/tech)

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Man I wish the getaway would come back to ps5 only
Get Guy Ritchie to write it too

Sony was too cheap back in the day and Guy Ritchie was too expensive.

I think there is probably a middle ground now where this would work. Sony's also a much better developer now.

I just don't know what studio would be able to do it.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

I don't see how anyone can look at the success of something like splatoon or genshin impact and not expect one of the biggest publishers in gaming not to try to take their own shot at multiplayer. All i heard for years was sony only makes 'sad dad' 'walking simulators' 'over the shoulder serious' games. The number one criticism for SIE Studios have been that they lack diversity (which is untrue but whatever) now that they are building multiplayer games in different genres people are still whining. It's damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Also, its like people automatically assume these games will be funneled into the larger mix of stuff like Arcaddeggon, Roller Champions, or Knock Out City, when we know sony is investing huge budgets into these games. Sony has a clear advantage over most GAAS titles being a platform holder with far better marketing and bigger budgets.

Sony can apply what makes their single player games good to their multiplayer games

I think we just need to see what Sony actually makes.

Sony is known for quality, but I'd argue their quality to start this generation has been pretty mixed with only Demon's Souls really standing out. I feel like Ratchet had a ton of bugs and Returnal had bugs AND wasn't at 4K.

Anyways, we'll see if Sony can move away from some of their games ending up like destruction Allstars which had the look and feel of some of their PS2 failures rather than their GOTY contenders on the PS4.

If they can translate AAA quality to multiplayer games, they'll do well for themselves.

 

[EDMIX]

Bruh where is the getaway 3?

imagine these guys are out here greenlighting all those open world games, yet forgot about The Getaway 3 lol

BRUV!

I want a fucking reboot to that series and I need them watching all seasons of Top Boy lol

 

[remember_spinal]

imagine these guys are out here greenlighting all those open world games, yet forgot about The Getaway 3 lol

BRUV!

I want a fucking reboot to that series and I need them watching all seasons of Top Boy lol

Maybe the characters will still have funny accents, and say stuff like "nuff food"

 

[I'm nobody]

Sony was too cheap back in the day and Guy Ritchie was too expensive.

I think there is probably a middle ground now where this would work. Sony's also a much better developer now.

I just don't know what studio would be able to do it.

Ya no snatch is owned by Sony right

 

[BbMajor7th]

They also incubate a lot of tech projects and are literally two offices down the same road as PlayStation Europe's central office.

True, SIE offices are 10 Great Marlborough Street, London Studio is in 15. Everyone heads down to 10 for drink on a Thursday night though.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Ya no snatch is owned by Sony right

?