Sony Has Established a New AAA PlayStation Studio

Summary

• Sony has quietly opened a new PlayStation studio in Los Angeles, California, as revealed by a recent job posting.
• This unannounced internal studio is dedicated to developing a major, original AAA title for the PS5.
• Speculation points to two possibilities: a team spun off from Bungie, or a new group led by former Deviation Games co-founder, Jason Blundell.

A recent PlayStation job listing confirms Sony's establishment of a new AAA game studio in Los Angeles, California. This brings the total number of PlayStation first-party studios to twenty. The studio is currently working on a high-profile, original AAA IP for the PS5.

PlayStation's first-party studios are industry giants, making any news about their projects highly anticipated. Fans eagerly await updates from established studios like Santa Monica Studio, Naughty Dog, and Insomniac Games. Sony has strategically expanded its first-party lineup in recent years through acquisitions, including Housemarque, Bluepoint Games, and Firesprite. Now, a mysterious new studio adds to the excitement.

Located in Los Angeles, this unnamed studio is developing a groundbreaking original AAA IP. This was revealed through a job posting for a Project Senior Producer, explicitly mentioning a "newly-established AAA studio" in the city. Several theories exist regarding the studio's origins. One possibility is a team stemming from Bungie's Gummybears incubation project. This project emerged following Bungie layoffs in July 2024, where 155 employees transitioned to Sony Interactive Entertainment.

PlayStation's Newest Internal Studio: A Resurrection?

Another strong contender for the new studio's identity is the team led by Jason Blundell, a prominent Call of Duty: Black Ops developer. Blundell co-founded Deviation Games, a studio working on a AAA PS5 title, before leaving in 2022. Deviation Games ultimately closed in March 2024. However, it was revealed in May 2024 that many former Deviation Games employees joined PlayStation under Blundell's leadership.

Considering Blundell's team's longer history compared to the potential Bungie spin-off, it's plausible that PlayStation's new studio houses Blundell's group. The nature of their project remains unknown, but speculation suggests it might be a continuation or reboot of Deviation Games' cancelled AAA title. While any official announcements from Sony may be years away, the news of another first-party PlayStation game in development is welcome for fans.