Sony buys a studio specializing in porting games -apkrig
The news that Sony bought the Finnish studio Housemarque has not even cooled down yet, and we already have other similar information. No, it has not yet been confirmed that the Japanese giant has acquired both PlayStation Studios and Bluepoint Games under the banner, the current report speaks of another studio that in the past specialized in porting games to various platforms, most often computers. It is a Dutch studio Nixxes Software, which has been operating since 1999 and has in its portfolio ports of games from series such as Deus Ex, Tomb Raider, Thief or Legacy of Kain. Last time, they also helped people from Crystal Dynamics with Marvel’s Avengers, although the details of involvement in this project are not known.
“I really appreciate Nixxes and I am excited to have this experienced team as part of the Sony development community,” said PlayStation Studios President Hermen Hulst. He believes that Nixxes will benefit all studios and, through its know-how, will help them focus on important development points in order to bring the best possible games. The effort to incorporate a port specialist into the structure can most likely be perceived as a confirmation of Sony’s previous statements regarding PC versions of its own titles, with the possibility of transferring development to Nixxes. The founder of the studio, Jurjen Katsman, also praises the entry into the PS Studios family, and according to his words, he can’t wait for his people to start working. “We look forward to working with some of the most talented studios in the industry to provide PlayStation fans with the best gaming experience,” says Katsman.
According to the responses on Twitter, other Sony studios, which, like Hermen Hulst, welcome Nixxes to the family and give the acquisition due weight, have no concerns.
Sony is not announcing anything specific at the moment, but we can imagine a scenario in which Nixxes will work closely with the developers of specific PC version adapters and then take all responsibility from the original team and apply their craftsmanship. After all, the games they took care of in the past turned out very well on the ports, and there is no indication that working with Sony should be fraught with any problems. According to the responses on Twitter, other Sony studios, which, like Hermen Hulst, welcome Nixxes to the family and give the acquisition due weight, have no concerns. It did not do without critical remarks from fans who do not know Nixxes and do not understand why Sony does not focus on more well-known studios. However, the indirect answer came from Hermen Hulst in an interview with GQ magazine, where he commented on the acquisition of Housemarque. Hulst said that Sony chooses very carefully which entities to buy and has a set goal that it wants to achieve with new partners.
