As of the start for April 2021, Sony Interactive Entertainment developer Japan Studio ceases to be. In that, Demon’s Souls remake director Gavin Moore announced his departure on the final day of the team operating. However, the downfall of the recognized game studio for internal PlayStation began deteriorating much sooner it was discovered.
Back in February 2020, the first significant sign of the end for Japan Studio came with the departure of Nicolas Doucet, game director for Astro Bot: Rescue Mission. But, there are always employees leaving game studios across the globe, it is not so black & white to determine the developer’s demise at the time. However, it was more certain as more employees left like Masaaki Yamagiwa and Keiichiro Toyama that went to form Bokeh Game Studio more recently.
Only leaving Team Asobi the lasting remnant of Japan Studio, many questioned the decision as to where this will lead the Japanese developer leading forward. In a new statement on Wednesday, Team Asobi is the latest PlayStation studio welcomed to the internal network of developers.
Today, we have colorful news coming to you from Team Asobi, the Tokyo-based PlayStation studio responsible for the Astro Bot series. Following the release of Astro’s Playroom for PlayStation 5, Team Asobi is now spreading its wings and growing bigger! This is a very exciting time for the team, and we are very much looking forward to this next chapter.
We wanted to take this chance to thank all of you, the PlayStation fans, for your kind words of support over the years, especially since Astro made its big debut on PlayStation 5 alongside the DualSense wireless controller. While we are growing and challenging bigger things, our mission at heart remains the same as ever: bring you PlayStation magic, innovation and put smiles on your faces with fun, colorful games for all ages.
Nicolas Doucet, Team Asobi Studio Director & Creative Driector
“In Japanese language, the word ‘Asobu’ literally means “To Play” and so we settled on ‘Asobi ‘. Those simple five letters were a surprisingly fitting name with a good sound to it and it stuck,” Doucet continues by sharing. “Technology has also been a defining factor for Team Asobi. Many Asobis have a real love affair with tech but we also realize that technology in itself is only the starting point. It then needs to be turned into something magical and awe-inspiring to be really meaningful.
“In that respect, working with the DualSense controller as of late has been great fun and we are continuing to enjoy experimenting with it at this very moment. But shhh it’s a secret! We inspire from crafted video games and all of Team Asobi members are keen gamers. We love all types of games including, of course, platformers that deliver that second-to-second joy where every single successful jump you make is a mini story in itself.”
Are you excited for the new projects to come from Team Asobi?
Source: PlayStation Blog
