PlayStation-backed Deviation Games has closed

PlayStation-backed game studio, Deviation Games, has closed.

The studio, which was founded in 2020 by two experienced Call of Duty developers, didn’t get a chance to release its debut project, an original IP which was set to be exclusive to PlayStation platforms.

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of Deviation Games,” operations officer Kriste Stull announced on LinkedIn. “I want to express my deepest gratitude to our entire team. Thank you for all your hard work, dedication, and contributions to Deviation; I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have worked with each and every one of you.

“To the entire video game industry, we will be hosting a networking event, and we would love for any/all companies/studios hiring to participate. Please reach out to me directly if you are interested in attending.

“To all the Deviators out there, we will always cherish the memories we made together. Thank you for being a part of our journey. Go get ’em!”

In September 2022, one of Deviation Games’ co-founders, chief creative officer Jason Blundell, left the studio. 

Deviation was reportedly “over 100 strong” in 2021 when it signed the deal with Sony. At the time of its announcement, the studio told GamesIndustry.biz that its PlayStation deal ensured “complete financial security for years and years to come”.

Sony Interactive Entertainment announced last month that it planned to lay off 900 employees worldwide, or about 8% of its workforce.

The move will include staff cuts at Spider-Man studio Insomniac and Last of Us developer Naughty Dog in the US. PlayStation’s London Studio is being shut down, fellow UK developer Firesprite has been hit with layoffs, and Netherlands-based Horizon studio Guerrilla Games is reportedly cutting 10% of its workforce.

Commenting on Sony’s restructuring plans, PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst said the company was “reevaluating” how it operates and that the layoffs had resulted in the cancellation of unnamed game projects.