The video game industry has been hit with more difficult news this week. Sony Group Corp. is officially shutting down Bluepoint Games, the acclaimed PlayStation subsidiary widely respected as the industry’s “masters of the remaster.”
The closure, originally reported by Jason Schreier at Bloomberg, marks the end of an era for a development studio that consistently set the gold standard for video game preservation and high-fidelity remakes.
The Details of the Closure
According to a statement from a PlayStation spokesperson, the decision to shutter the Austin, Texas-based studio was made “following a recent business review.”
Here is what we know about the shutdown:
- Job Losses: Approximately 70 employees will lose their jobs as a result of the studio closing.
- Timeline: Bluepoint Games will officially close its doors in March 2026.
- Leadership Response: PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst cited an “increasingly challenging industry environment” as a factor in the broader strategic shift.
A Legacy as the “Masters of Remastering”
Founded in 2006 by Andy O’Neil and Marco Thrush—both former engineers on the acclaimed Metroid Prime series—Bluepoint Games built its reputation by treating classic video games with profound respect.
Over the years, the studio became the go-to team for breathing new life into older hardware generations. Their impressive portfolio includes:
- Classic Collections: God of War Collection (2009), The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection (2011), and the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (2011).
- The PS4 Era: The critically acclaimed Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection (2015) and Gravity Rush Remastered (2015).
- Ground-Up Remakes: A stunning visual rebuild of Shadow of the Colossus (2018), followed by their flagship masterpiece, the Demon’s Souls remake, which served as a massive launch title for the PlayStation 5 in 2020.
From Acquisition to Cancellation
Following the immense success of Demon’s Souls, Sony officially acquired Bluepoint Games in September 2021. At the time, the studio expressed excitement about moving beyond remakes to develop original content.
However, the pivot proved difficult. After providing support development for God of War Ragnarök in 2022, Bluepoint was reportedly tasked with creating a live-service multiplayer game set in the God of War universe. As Sony began retreating from its aggressive live-service gaming strategy, that project was quietly canceled in January 2025. Despite pitching multiple new ideas over the last year, none were greenlit, ultimately leading to this week’s closure.
While the loss of 70 jobs is a devastating blow to the individuals involved and the community that loved their games, it reflects a harsh reality in today’s gaming industry, where massive development costs and shifting corporate strategies frequently leave talented studios in the crossfire.
Our thoughts are with the developers and staff at Bluepoint Games as they navigate this difficult transition.
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