recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Jetpack Interactive

**Jetpack Interactive** is a Canadian game development studio based in Vancouver. It was founded in 2011 from former developers who worked at Black Box Games, Deep Fried Entertainment and United Front Games. The studio primarily specializes in supporting development for other game studios and providing port works.

Among its responsible projects, Jetpack Interactive worked with Santa Monica Studio to port 2018's *God of War* to PC in 2022.

## History

Jetpack Interactive was founded in 2011 by employees that previously worked at studios such as Black Box Games, Deep Fried Entertainment and United Front Games, the last one which previously worked with Sony on *ModNation Racers* and *LittleBigPlanet Karting*.

In October 2021, Jetpack Interactive was announced by Sony and Santa Monica Studio as the studio responsible for porting Santa Monica's critically acclaimed title *God of War* to personal computers. It was released in January 2022 to critical acclaim.

In September 2022, Jetpack Interactive revealed that it provides support on a "flagship" live-service video game for Sony. In October 2022, Jetpack was announced as one of the support studios that worked on Santa Monica Studio's *God of War Ragnarök*.

## Games

 Untitled live-service game based on an existing IP | TBA | PlayStation | Development support

## References

1. ↑ https://comicbook.com/gaming/amp/news/god-of-war-pc-version-developer/
2. ↑ https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/god-of-war
3. ↑ https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/god-of-wars-pc-port-studio-says-its-working-with-sony-on-a-flagship-live-service-game/
Ghost of Tsushima (film)

***Ghost of Tsushima*** is an upcoming action film directed by Chad Stahelski, based on the 2020 video game same name developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.

## References

1. ↑ https://deadline.com/2021/03/sony-playstation-productions-ghost-of-tsushima-movie-john-wicks-chad-stahelski-directing-1234721342/
Firewall Zero Hour

International boxart

***Firewall Zero Hour*** (also written as ***Firewall: Zero Hour***) is a 2018 virtual reality multiplayer-only first-person shooter developed by First Contact Entertainment and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4's PlayStation VR headset.

*Firewall Zero Hour* can be played with either a DualShock 4 controller or a PS Aim. The game's online mode, "Contracts", primarily involves tactical shootouts between two 4-player teams that are respectively assigned as Attackers and Defenders. A Co-op Training mode exists for players to hone their cooperative work. While the game lacks a narrative single-player mode, a Solo Training mode also exists for players to train on their own.

*Firewall Zero Hour* was announced at PlayStation Experience 2017. Upon release, it received a generally favorable reviews. *Zero Hour* was praised for its Contracts mode, map variety, virtual reality utilization and controls, while criticized for its presentation, matchmaking, progression pacing and low amount of content at launch. *Firewall Zero Hour* was nominated for numerous virtual reality-related accolades. First Contact Entertainment continued to support the game with seasonal content and updates through summer 2022. A sequel, *Firewall Ultra*, was announced in 2022.

## Reception

* Metacritic: 79/100
* EGM: 6.5/10
* Eurogamer: Recommended
* PlayStation LifeStyle: 8.5/10
* PlayStation Universe: 8.5/10
* Push Square: 6/10
* Road to VR: 7.9/10
* UploadVR: 9/10

On review aggregator Metacritic, *Firewall Zero Hour* holds a score of 79/100 based on 38 scored reviews, classified as "generally favorable reviews" by the site. Praise was directed at its fast-paced and addictive gameplay, the Contracts game mode, map design and usage of virtual reality. Conversely, criticism highlighted the lackluster presentation, the progression system, and insubstantial amount of content at launch.

*Hitman* developer IO Interactive cited *Firewall* as the main reason for the studio's interest in virtual reality and the creation of *Hitman VR*.

## Sequel

In September 2022, First Contact Entertainment and Sony Interactive Entertainment announced a sequel, *Firewall Ultra*, for the PlayStation 5's PlayStation VR2 headset.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.gameinformer.com/2020/12/29/bringing-hitman-to-vr
Knack

***Knack*** is a 2013 platform-brawler video game developed by Japan Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 4 console.

Taking place in a futuristic fantasy setting, *Knack* follows the titular character; a living being made of multiple objects known as "Relics". Knack aids his creator Vargas in defending mankind from a rival species called Goblins, who formed an alliance with one of Vargas' associates, Viktor. Notable supporting characters include Lucas, Vargas' assistant; and Ryder, an explorer and Lucas' uncle.

*Knack* is viewed in a fixed-camera, third-person perspective. Players control the titular character as he needs to navigate through levels that include segments of platforming and combat scenarios. A core feature of the game is Knack's ability to grow in size as he collects more Relics, which decreases his speed, but increases his strength and jumping.

Developed specifically for the then-upcoming PlayStation 4, *Knack* was envisioned by Sony to be the platform's equivalent of its classic PlayStation 1 mascot *Crash Bandicoot*. Sony also aimed to include games other than big-budgeted action titles for the launch lineup, to diverse the PS4's library and appeal to larger demographics. Mark Cerny, the lead architect of the PS4, was heavily involved in the game's production and served as its lead writer. Officially announced alongside the PS4 in February 2013, *Knack* was the first PS4-exclusive game ever shown, and was one of the first three Sony-published launch titles for the system, alongside *Killzone Shadow Fall* and *Resogun*.

Pre-release reaction to *Knack* was mixed, with several sites questioning Sony's decision to include it for the PS4 launch. It was eventually released to generally mixed and average-rated reviews; while critics generally praised *Knack* for its visuals and the concept of Knack, they highlighted the game's combat, level design, platforming and story as mediocre or poor.
Jade Raymond

**Jade Raymond** (born August 28, 1975) is a Canadian video game producer, managing director and corporate executive, founder and chief-executive-officer (CEO) of Haven Studios, a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment under PlayStation Studios. Raymond is best known for her work prior to joining Sony, including a producer at Ubisoft and Electronic Arts.

Raymond's career began at Sony's Online Entertainment division, before moving to EA and eventually Ubisoft, where she stayed until 2015. She returned to EA the same year to lead the founding of Motive Studios, and left for Google's Stadia Studios in 2018. She left Google in early 2021 following the closure of Stadia Studios, before partnering with Sony to found Haven Studios, which was acquired in July 2022.
Gaikai

**Gaikai** (外海, lit. "open sea", i.e. an expansive outdoor space) is an American cloud gaming and game streaming company based in Aliso vViejo, California. It was founded in November 2008 by David Perry, Rui Pereira and Andrew Gault, and in 2012 was acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment (at the time Sony Computer Entertainment).

Gaikai provides technology for cloud gaming, including streaming of high-end video game titles for both local wired and wireless network. Its technology was used for the Remote Play feature of the PlayStation console since the PlayStation 3, and for the PlayStation Now service before and after it was merged into PlayStation Plus.
Resistance: Fall of Man

International boxart, depicting the skull of a Chimera trooper

***Resistance: Fall of Man*** is a 2006 first-person shooter developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3 console. It is the first installment in the *Resistance* series of science-fiction shooter games.

*Fall of Man* takes place in an alternate history in which Russia and Europe fell to an alien invasion by a hostile species called the Chimera. The single-player campaign is presented as a journal narrated by non-player character Captain Rachel Parker of the British army, who chronicles the story of protagonist Nathan Hale, the sole survivor of a failed American attack on the Chimera threat in Britain circa 1951.

Played from a first-person perspective, *Resistance: Fall of Man* is set in a war-torn England. Players control Sergeant Nathan Hale in his mission to decimate the Chimeran threat in Britain. Hale has access to a variety of weapons, including technologically advanced firearms used by the Chimera. The player fights against different "strains" of the Chimera, ranging from infantry troops to animalistic creatures. The game also features an online multiplayer mode, as well as co-op options.

*Resistance* began development under the title *I-8*, as it was Insomniac Games' eighth project at the time. Insomniac was interested in creating a first-person shooter game designed specifically and taking advantage of the then-unreleased PlayStation 3. The team decided to set the game in an alternate history, science-fiction setting to separate it from other historical first-person shooters like *Call of Duty*. The game was officially announced at E3 2005, and was later confirmed as a launch title for the PS3.

*Resistance: Fall of Man* received positive reviews upon release, with particular praise going towards its quality as a launch title. Critics praised the game's visuals, gameplay, enemy design and multiplayer, while the story and campaign received more divided responses and the game as a whole was criticized for lack of innovation as one of the first seventh generation games. The game's inclusion of the Manchester Cathedral caused some controversy from the Church of England. Nonetheless, *Resistance: Fall of Man* was a commercial success, becoming the first PS3 title to pass 1 million copies. A sequel, *Resistance 2*, was released in 2008.
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Reccoonus

North American cover art

***Sly Cooper and the Thievius Reccoonus*** (released as ***Sly Raccoon*** in PAL territories) is a 2002 platform-stealth video game developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. A remaster for the PlayStation 3, developed by Sanzaru Games, was released in 2010 as part of *The Sly Collection*. It is the first installment in the *Sly Cooper* series.

The game introduces the title character Sly Cooper, his backstory and his recurring allies, the Cooper Gang. The plot focus on the Cooper Gang's quest to retrieve the eponymous "Thievius Raccoonus", a family heirloom of Sly that accumulates all of the thieving moves and techniques gathered by his ancestors. Played from a third-person perspective, *Sly Cooper* features both platform and stealth mechanics. As Sly, players are equipped with a cane for melee and platforming. The game encourages stealthier approaches to evade confrontation, as enemies can knock Sly out with one hit. The game is broken into replayable levels themed after the Fiendish Five, the story's main villains, and also includes mini-games and boss battles.

*Sly Cooper* was the second game developed by Sucker Punch, and the first in their partnership with Sony. Sony was previously approached by Sucker Punch for their debut game, *Rocket: Robot on Wheels*, but declined due to the game's release on the competing Nintendo 64. The concept of Sly's character came from the studio finding it amusing, and total development lasted three years. Sucker Punch wanted the game's world to feel "illustrated", influencing the title's eventual art direction and soundtrack.

Reception to *Sly Cooper* was positive. Reviews praised the comic book aesthetics and animations, the character designs, level design, controls and the combination of the platform genre with stealth-oriented gameplay. While several reviewers acknowledged the replayability aspect, most cited the easy difficulty level and short length among the game's major faults. While sales were initially slow, *Sly Cooper* eventually sold over 1 million copies. A sequel, *Sly 2: Band of Thieves*, was released in 2004.
Sanzaru Games

**Sanzaru Games, Inc.** is an American video game developer based in Foster City, California. Founded in 2006, the company also owns a satellite studio in Canada called **Kitazaru**, and a second California studio in Dublin. It is a subsidiary of Meta's Oculus Studios, since 2020.

From 2009 to 2014, Sanzaru worked extensively with Sony Interactive Entertainment (then Sony Computer Entertainment), producing several game collections and ports of Sony's franchises. It is best known for developing 2013's *Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time*, a sequel to the *Sly Cooper* trilogy developed by Sucker Punch Productions.

After a short-lived partnership with Sega, Sanzaru Games shifted to virtual reality game development and partnered with Oculus Studios, culminating with the studio's acquisition by parent company Meta in 2020.
Evolution Studios

Studio logo from 2012 to closure

**Evolution Studios Limited** was a British studio based Runcorn, Cheshire. Founded in 1999, Evolution Studios was best known for developing the *World Rally Championship* games during Sony's licensing of the series between 2001 and 2005. Following the relinquishment of the *WRC* license, Evolution created the *MotorStorm* series and *Driveclub*.

By 2001, Evolution Studios was operating with a sister studio called Bigbig Studios, which would see closing its doors in 2012. By that period of time, Evolution began working with publisher Sony Computer Entertainment. In 2007, both Evolution and Bigbig were acquired by Sony and joined SIE Worldwide Studios. Under Sony, Evolution primarily worked on the *MotorStorm* series, which saw three major installments and a spin-off from the studio.

In the early 2010s, Evolution moved from the *MotorStorm* series to work on a new intellectual property, *Driveclub*. The game suffered several delays and was released in 2014 to a mixed reception. By 2016, Evolution suffered lay-offs and was eventually shattered by Sony. Several of its employees joined publisher Codemasters as a result, forming the short-lived **Codemasters EVO**.

Reception towards Evolution Studios titles was generally positive, with significant praise offered to the studio's racing-focused games, their controls and production values, though they were also criticized for shallow gameplay elements in comparison to other racing games. Retrospectives offered on the studio's catalogue, especially their final game *Driveclub*, have been generally positive.
Gran Turismo (1997 video game)

***Gran Turismo*** is a 1997 racing video game developed by Polys Entertainment in support with Cyberhead and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. It is the first installment of the *Gran Turismo* series.

*Gran Turismo* is a racing simulation game in which players race against artificial intelligence drivers on various race tracks. The game includes an arcade mode in which they can freely choose tracks and vehicles, and a simulation mode in which players go through events and championship to unlock currency and cars. It features 140 cars and 11 race tracks.

Development on *Gran Turismo* was spearheaded by Kazunori Yamauchi of Polys Entertainment, then an internal development team in Sony. Yamauchi began working on the game in 1992, prior to Polys' formation in 1994, and the production lasted for five years. The production team during the game's development cycle was not set, with Yamauchi sometimes working with only seven to fifteen additional developers. Yamauchi estimated that Gran Turismo utilised around 75% of the PlayStation's maximum performance.

*Gran Turismo* was released to universal acclaim, and is considered to be one of the greatest video games ever made. Critics lauded the graphics, scale, attention to detail and realism of the gameplay, with minor criticism regarding the game's difficulty curve. It was a massive commercial success, selling over 10 million copies. The game's critical and commercial performance helped establishing Polys Entertainment as its own studio, Polyphony Digital. A sequel, *Gran Turismo 2*, was released in 1999.
Shadow of the Colossus (2018 video game)

***Shadow of the Colossus*** is a 2018 action-adventure video games developed by Bluepoint Games with assistance from SIE Japan Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. It is part the *Ico* series and a remake of 2005's *Shadow of the Colossus*.

As a remake to Fumito Ueda's 2005 title, *Shadow of the Colossus* is identical to its predecessor from narrative and gameplay-standpoint. Set in a decaying land, players control a young man called Wander, who strikes a deal with a malevolent entity to resurrect a young woman called Mono; as part of the deal, Wander has to kill sixteen beings known as colossi. Played from third-perspective, gameplay consists of hunting down the colossi, with each of them having their own weakpoints which the player has to find.

Development of the remake was handled by Bluepoint Games, who at the time were best known for remastering multiple titles including the original *Shadow of the Colossus* and 2001's *Ico* in 2011. *Shadow of the Colossus* was the studio's first remake and was chosen due to the original title being a fan-favorite among many of Bluepoint's employees. While gameplay retains the same structure as the original, Bluepoint remade all of the game's assets from the ground-up, and introduced a new control scheme. Development was assisted by SIE Japan Studio, whose former division Team Ico developed the original title.

*Shadow of the Colossus* was announced at E3 2017, and received universal acclaim upon release. Critics generally agreed that the remake faithfully adapted the original game, and praised the overhauled graphics, soundtrack and revival of a classic title. Criticism focused on lack of significant changes or fixes to camera and control issues dating to the original title. *Shadow of the Colossus* was nominated for several end-year accolades after its release.
Jin Sakai

**Jin Sakai** (境井 仁, *Sakai Jin*), also known as the **Ghost** is a fictional character and the titular main protagonist of the video game *Ghost of Tsushima*, developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The character is portrayed by Daisuke Tsuji, while Kazuya Nakai served as voice actor for the Japanese version of the game.

Within the narrative of *Ghost of Tsushima*, Jin is portrayed as the young leader and sole remaining member of Tsushima Island's Clan Sakai during the 13th century. He is also the nephew and ward of Tsushima's *jitō* Lord Shimura. After a disastrous attempt to repel a Mongol fleet in 1274, Jin gradually forsakes his samurai training and teachings in his quest to liberate Tsushima, adopting stealth and fear tactics and getting branded as "the Ghost" by both allies and enemies.

Jin Sakai received favorable reactions, with praise for Tsuji's performance and the character's position as a leading non-white protagonist in a major AAA video game. Tsuji was nominated for several awards for his portrayal of Jin, including at The Game Awards 2020 and 17th British Academy Games Awards.
Gran Turismo (series)

***Gran Turismo***, also known as ***GT***, is a series of racing simulation video games created and developed by Polyphony Digital, and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation brand of consoles. Originally released for the very first PlayStation, *Gran Turismo* is among Sony's oldest franchises and its longest-running franchise, having launched in 1997.

Gameplay of the *Gran Turismo* franchise intends to simulate and replicate accurate driving physics and performance. Games include both a simulation mode and an arcade mode, and offer a wide variety of vehicles based and modeled after real-life brands and designs. Beginning with 2004's *Gran Turismo 4*, the series began to incorporate the tagline "The Real Driving Simulator" as the games' subtitle.

*Gran Turismo* was created by Polyphony Digital head and founder, Kazunori Yamauchi, who has produced all games in the series. To date the main series of *Gran Turismo* includes eight mainline titles, of which seven are numbered. Spin-offs include a variety of *Concept* and *Prologue* titles that serve as early introductions to full-fledged main games, as well as a title for PlayStation Portable. The series also includes an upcoming feature-length film.

The *Gran Turismo* series received significant praise since its inception, and has been credited with establishing Polyphony Digital as its own entity, as well as being considered a pioneer in the racing genre; games in the series are generally acclaimed for their visuals, attention to detail, controls and content. The first four titles in the series received critical acclaim, while later mainline installment received more divisive reception due to changes and alterations from earlier titles. *Gran Turismo* has been commercially successful; with over 90 million copies sold by December 2022, it is Sony's best-selling game franchise.

## Games

### Main games

* *Gran Turismo* (1997)
* *Gran Turismo 2* (1999)
* *Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec* (2001)
* *Gran Turismo 4* (2004)
* *Gran Turismo 5* (2010)
* *Gran Turismo 6* (2013)
* *Gran Turismo Sport* (2017)
* *Gran Turismo 7* (2022)

### Concept / Prologue games

* *Gran Turismo Concept* (2002)
* *Gran Turismo 4 Prologue* (2003)
* *Gran Turismo HD* (2006)
* *Gran Turismo 5 Prologue* (2007)
London Studio

**Games**:
*SingStar*
*EyeToy*
*Blood & Truth*

**SIE London Studio**, formerly known as **SCE London Studio** between 2002 and 2016, is a British game developer based in London, England. Founded in 2002 as the result of a merger between Team Soho and SCE Studio Liverpool's Camden offshoot studio, London Studio is a division of Sony Interactive Entertainment and operates under PlayStation Studios since 2005.

London Studio resides in a 7-story building in London's Soho district, and houses various development teams dedicated to create tools, software and technology for the PlayStation brand of consoles, including EyeToy and PlayStation Home as well as the LSSDK Engine and the PlayStation VR headset for PlayStation 4. As of 2022, it is one of three major game development studios owned by Sony that are based in the United Kingdom, alongside Media Molecule and Firesprite.

As a game development studio, London Studio is best known for the *SingStar* franchise of music video games, *The Getaway*'s sequel *The Getaway: Black Monday*, and the virtual reality first-person shooter *Blood & Truth*. The studio was also responsible for PlayStation Home, and *EyeToy*-themed titles.

## Technology

### LSSDK engine

**LSSDK** is a proprietary engine developed by London Studio for virtual reality titles on the PlayStation 4. It was used for 2016's *PlayStation VR Worlds* and 2019's *Blood & Truth*.

### Soho engine

**Soho** is an upcoming proprietary engine developed by London Studio for the PlayStation 5, named after one of London's entertainment districts where London Studio is located. Aspects of the engine's toolset and pipelines are based on those of the LSSDK engine. It will be used for London Studio's upcoming live-service co-op game.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.sie.com/en/blog/studio-spotlight-london-studio/

## External sources

* Company website.
* Twitter account.
Jak 3

North American box art, depicting protagonists Jak and Daxter against the backdrop of the Wasteland

### Director

Jason Rubin
Amy Hennig

### Programmer

Andy Gavin
Christophe Balestra
Christopher Christensen
Dan Liebgold
Neil Druckmann

### Designer

Evan Wells
Richard Lemarchand

### Artist

Bob Rafei
Bruce Straley
Erick Panglilinan

### Composer(s)

Josh Mancell
Larry Hopkins

### Release

NA: November 9, 2004
AU: November 2004
EU: November 26, 2004

### Genre(s)

Platform
Third-person shooter

### Mode(s)

Single-player

***Jak 3***, also referred to as ***Jak III***, is a 2004 action-adventure platform video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. The game was re-released for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in 2012 as part of the *Jak and Daxter Collection*, remastered by Mass Media Games. A port for the PlayStation 4, was released in 2017. It is the sequel to 2003's *Jak II* and the third installment in the *Jak and Daxter* series.

The events of *Jak 3* take place one year after *Jak II*, in an uninhabitable desert area referred to as the Wasteland, as well as returning setting Haven City. Jak and Daxter are banished into the Wasteland following the events of *Jak II* and are rescued by Damas, ruler of a Wasteland settlement, before returning to Haven City to end the three-way war that spurred from the last game's events. *Jak 3* is played from a third-person perspective in which players primarily control Jak. Jak can explore and navigate through Wasteland, whose settlement of Spargus City functions as a hub world. As with its predecessor, *Jak 3* is a platform third-person shooter that places greater emphasis on combat in comparison to 2001's *Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy*.

Naughty Dog began working on *Jak 3* immediately after the release of *Jak II*, with development lasting 13 months and costing $10 million. Naughty Dog was partly inspired by Rockstar Games' *Smuggler's Run* during development. The game's existence was leaked in January 2004, and was officially confirmed by Sony the following month. *Jak 3* was the final game involving studio founders Jason Rubin and Andy Gavin, as well as the first involving future *Uncharted* creator Amy Hennig and future *The Last of Us* creator Neil Druckmann.

*Jak 3* received positive reviews from publications, though critics were polarized if the game was a fitting conclusion to the *Jak and Daxter* trilogy or not. Reviews generally praised the visuals, story, world design, gameplay additions, technical polish and more balanced difficulty compared to *Jak II*, but found the game to be lacking in terms of meaningful innovation over its predecessors. The game was a commercial success, selling almost 2 million copies by 2016. In years following its release, *Jak 3* has been called one of the greatest PlayStation 2 games made. The game was followed by 2005's *Jak X: Combat Racing* and 2009's *Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier*.
Infamous: Festival of Blood

Promotional poster depicting protagonist Cole MacGrath

***Infamous: Festival of Blood*** is a 2011 standalone expansion pack for the action-adventure title *Infamous 2*, developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It is part of the *Infamous* series.

The narrative of *Festival of Blood* is non-canon to the main series; rather, it is a fictitious story told by protagonist Cole MacGrath's best friend Zeke Dunbar in which Cole battles vampires in New Marais. While using the same engine and map design as *Infamous 2*, *Festival of Blood* includes several alterations to the overall gameplay, including the removal of the Karma system in favor of a vampiric state that allows Cole to fly over the map as a pack of bats.

*Infamous: Festival of Blood* received generally favorable reviews. It was praised for its vampire theme and traversal additions, but was criticized for the short length, though most reviewers approved the price tag.
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back

North American box art

***Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back*** is a 1997 platform video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. It is the sequel to 1996's *Crash Bandicoot* and the second installment in the *Crash Bandicoot* series.

*Crash Bandicoot* follows the adventures of the title character, an anthropomorphic genetically-enhanced eastern barred bandicoot created by the evil Doctor Neo Cortex. In *Cortex Strikes Back*, Crash is abducted by Dr. Cortex who tricks Crash into helping him by traversing through the N. Sanity Islands and collecting Crystals for Cortex. The game also introduces Coco Bandicoot, Crash's younger sister.

As a platform game, *Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back* is comprised of several levels the player must to traverse to obtain 25 Crystals. Crash can defeat enemies either by jumping on them or using his spinning attack, which can be also used to destroy crates. Crates may either contain items for Crash's benefit or offer other rewards such as saving checkpoints.

Development on *Cortex Strikes Back* began in 1996 shortly after the critical and commercial success of its predecessor, and lasted 13 months. Naughty Dog created a new engine to work with on the game, while the character of Coco Bandicoot by Naughty Dog was created to appease Sony, whose executives were uncomfortable with the design of the first game's Tawna. The game was made on a budget of $2 million.

*Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back* received critical acclaim upon its release, with critics deeming it as superior to its predecessor. It received considerable praise for its controls as well as graphical updates and gameplay improvements over *Crash Bandicoot*, though criticism was directed at its trial-and-error formula and boss encounters. The game was commercially successful and sold over 4 million copies. A sequel, *Crash Bandicoot: Warped*, was released in 1998.

In 2017, the game, its prequel and its sequel were remade by Vicarious Games and Activision as *Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy*.
Infamous (series)

***Infamous***, stylized as ***inFamous***, is a series of superhero-themed action-adventure video games developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation line of consoles.

The series debuted with 2009's *Infamous*, which saw two sequels, *Infamous 2* (2011) and *Infamous Second Son* (2014). The games are presented from a third-person perspective and are set in fictional or fictionalized urban American settlements. Set in a world where individuals developed supernatural abilities such matter manipulation or enhanced capabilities, *Infamous* and its first sequel follow the story of Cole MacGrath, a courier who awakened electricity-based superpowers. *Second Son* follows the story of Delsin Rowe, a delinquent that has the capacity to absorb other powers. The franchise also saw the releases of standalone expansion packs, and comic books.

*Infamous* was a critical and commercial success, with the games receiving generally positive responses from critics and individual titles selling over a million copies. Critics generally praised the series for its map design, concept and traversal mechanics, while opinions were more divided on the writing, combat, visuals and difficulty.

## Games

### Mainline titles

* *Infamous* (2009)
* *Infamous 2* (2011)
* *Infamous Second Son* (2014)

### Other titles

* *Infamous: Festival of Blood* (2011)
* *Infamous First Light* (2014)

## Reception

* *Infamous* - 85/100
* *Infamous 2* - 83/100
* *Infamous Second Son* - 80/100

The *Infamous* series has received a generally positive reception with all three entries releasing to favorable reviews and commercial success. 2009's *Infamous* remains the series' highest-rated game as of 2014 according to MetaCritic, with 85/100, followed by 2011's *Infamous 2* and 2014's *Infamous Second Son*. Reception to side titles has also been favorable, with general praise going to Sucker Punch's ability to use previously-introduced maps and mechanics.

## Future

In July 2022, Sucker Punch Productions clarified that the studio has no intention to revisit *Infamous* or its earlier franchise *Sly Cooper*, citing increasing development time and resources as a reason. The studio also revealed that no other teams have taken over either franchise.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.suckerpunch.com/upcoming-infamous-2-ugc-maintenance-and-legacy-franchises/
Bloodborne: The Old Hunters

Key art, featuring supporting character and boss encounter adversary, Lady Maria

### Mode(s)

Single-player, multiplayer

***Bloodborne: The Old Hunters*** is a 2015 expansion pack to the action role-playing video game *Bloodborne*, developed by FromSoftware and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 4 that same year.

As in the base game, *The Old Hunters* takes place in the remains of Yharnam, a Gothic-themed city whose civilization was destroyed by disease and insanity. The player character, known as the "Hunter", enters a new nightmarish world where the spirits of the Old Hunters are trapped, and must uncover the secrets of the ancient research facility Byrgenwerth. *The Old Hunters* includes a new locations, weapons and boss encounters for the player to interact with, as well as additional info on Yharnam's history.

Development on *The Old Hunters* began shortly after the release of the base game in March 2015, and it was originally conceived as two expansion packs before game director Hidetaka Miyazaki decided one large expansion benefited the team's ideas more. It was announced at Sony's Tokyo Game Show conference in September 2015.

*The Old Hunters* received highly positive reviews, with praise towards its new weapons, boss encounters, additions to the lore and worldbuilding and challenging difficulty, though it also received some criticism for reusing ideas of the base game and being short in length.
MLB The Show 21

Cover art featuring San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatís Jr.

***MLB The Show 21*** is a 2021 sports video game developed by San Diego Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, as well as for the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, which are co-published by MLB. It is the sixteenth entry in the *MLB: The Show* series based on the Major League Baseball, and the successor to 2020's *MLB The Show 20*.

It was announced on February 1, 2021, and is the first game in the series to be released on consoles outside of the PlayStation brand; this is following a new contract between Sony and MLB to make *MLB The Show* multiplatform. It features San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatís Jr. on its cover; at age 22, Tatís is the youngest baseball player to be featured on *MLB* game cover.

Reception to *MLB: The Show 21* was generally favorable, albeit lower than its immediate predecessors, with praise directed towards its fundamental gameplay, audio design and accessibility for newcomers. Criticism was focused towards the graphics, lack of notable improvements and the Road to the Show mode. It was followed up by *MLB The Show 22*.
Crash Bandicoot (series)

**Crash Bandicoot** is a game franchise created and originally developed by Naughty Dog, with the first three main installments and two spin-offs being published as PlayStation exclusives by Sony Computer Entertainment, while rights to the franchise were owned by Universal Interactive. The series went multiplatform in the early 2000s and is now owned by Activision.

The series was created as part of a three-game contract between Naughty and Universal; the studio began conceptualizing the first game in 1994, taking inspiration from popular and acclaimed platformer games at the time. The *Crash Bandicoot* series was the first intellectual property developed in a partnership between Naughty Dog and Sony, which culminated in Sony's acquisition of the studio in 2001.

Naughty Dog's tenure on the *Crash Bandicoot* series received critical acclaim, particularly for its animation and graphical qualities; Crash became one of the most recognizable mascots for the original PlayStation, and the series sold over 25.5 million copies on the console. *Crash Bandicoot* is additionally credited for establishing Naughty Dog's reputation within the gaming industry.

## Games

* *Crash Bandicoot* (1996)
* *Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back* (1997)
* *Crash Bandicoot: Warped* (1998)
* *Crash Team Racing* (1999)
* *Crash Bash* (2000)
Camouflaj

**Camouflaj** is an American game development studio based in Bellevue, Washington. Founded in 2011, the studio specializes in production of virtual reality titles. It is best known for 2020's *Iron Man VR*, which was announced in 2019 and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment in partnership with Marvel Games.

Camouflaj's work on *Iron Man VR* received mixed reactions, but was generally praised for its ambition and design. In October 2022, Camouflaj was acquired by Oculus Studios.

## History

Camouflaj was founded in 2011 by game producer, director and writer Ryan Payton, who previously worked at Kojima Productions and 343 Industries. The studio's first project would be the five-part *République* action-adventure title, which was released between December 2013 and March 2016. Camouflaj would release a virtual-reality version of the game, *République VR*, in May 2018.

In 2017, Camouflaj began working on *Iron Man VR* exclusively for the PlayStation VR virtual reality headset. The title, published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, was formally announced in March 2019 as part of Sony's very first State of Play presentation. Originally planned for a 2019 release, the game was delayed numerous times to June 2020. It received mixed reviews from gaming publications, with praise for its ambitious concept and immersive design, while criticism was directed at control scheme, technical and performance issues.

On October 11, 2022, it was announced that Camouflaj would be joining Meta's Oculus Studios. Alongside the acquisition, it was announced that Camouflaj would be bringing *Iron Man VR* to Meta's Quest 2 virtual reality headset, with permission from Sony.

## Trivia

* Camouflaj is the third video game studio to have originally worked with Sony Interactive Entertainment before getting acquired by Meta's Oculus Studios, following Sanzaru Games and Ready at Dawn. It is the only one of the three that didn't work with Sony on flat-screen titles beforehand.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanpayton/
2. ↑ https://blog.playstation.com/2019/03/25/marvels-iron-man-vr-arrives-2019-on-playstation-vr/
3. ↑ https://twitter.com/Camouflaj/status/1579924916409077761
God of War: Chains of Olympus

North American cover art

***God of War: Chains of Olympus*** is a 2008 action-adventure hack and slash video game developed by Ready at Dawn with support from Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation Portable. A remastered version was released as part of *God of War: Origins Collection* in 2011. It is part of the *God of War* series, serving as a prequel to 2005's *God of War*.

Loosely based on Greek mythology, *God of War: Chains of Olympus* is set during protagonist Kratos' decade-long period of service to the Olympian Gods prior to the events of the original game. Under the guidance of the goddess Athena, Kratos sets off to free the Sun god, Helios, who has been captured by the Queen of the Underworld, Persephone. *God of War: Chains of Olympus* is played from a fixed-angle, third-person camera perspective, and retains much of the gameplay and design established in previous installments.

Development began after developer Ready at Dawn successfully pitched concept for a portable *God of War* title. Ready at Dawn utilized the game engine that was used for its previous title, 2006's *Daxter*, while writing duties were shared between the studio and Santa Monica Studio's Cory Barlog and Marianne Krawczyk, who were involved in the previous games. Due to time constraints, Ready at Dawn chose to drop several features and elements it originally planned to include, such as characters, dialogue and a multiplayer mode.

*God of War: Chains of Olympus* received critical acclaim upon its release, and remained the highest-rated title released for the PlayStation Portable for the remainder of the console's lifespan. Critics widely praised the visuals, gameplay, controls and scope, with many highlighting the successful transition of the series to handheld platforms. Some minor criticism was directed at the game's short length, minimal boss encounters and lackluster puzzles. Following release, *Chains of Olympus* received several end-year nominations and accolades. It was followed by a successor, *God of War: Ghost of Sparta*, also developed by Ready at Dawn.
Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus

***Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus*** is a 2013 platform video game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It is the eighth main installment in the *Ratchet & Clank* series and the sequel to 2009's *Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time*, as well as the forth and final installment in the "Future" saga.

*Into the Nexus* is set in the "Polaris" galaxy, which was used as the setting for the previous installments in the "Future" saga. Taking place following the conclusion of *A Crack in Tie*, *Into the Nexus* serves as an epilogue to the "Future" trilogy; series protagonist Ratchet and Clank hunt down the dangerous Porgi twins. The game's plot also centers around Ratchet as he comes to terms with his past decisions.

The game is presented from a third-person perspective, in which players primarily control Ratchet as he and Clank as they explore planets in the galaxy of Polaris. The game combines elements and mechanics of third-person shooters, platform games and puzzle solving, and features a wide array of futuristic and exotic weapons. The game introduces anti-gravity gameplay segments, as well as weapons and tools revolved around the concept.

*Into the Nexus* was developed following the release of several critically and commercially disappointing spin-offs. Insomniac intended to use *Into the Nexus* as a return to form for the franchise, and the title retains staple gameplay mechanics and features from the "Future" trilogy and classic games. As with 2008's *Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty*, *Into the Nexus* was developed as a shorter game with a lower retail price.

Upon release, *Into the Nexus* received generally favorable reviews, with praise directed at the title's production values, gameplay, design, pacing and humor. The game's short length and general reliance on the series' aging formula were criticized, though several developers noted that the title was priced accordingly. A successor, *Ratchet & Clank*, which serves as a soft-reboot to the series, was released in 2016. A narrative successor, *Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart*, has been announced in 2020.
Repeat.gg

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**Repeat.gg** is an online esports platform. Among its ventures it hosts leaderboard tournaments and tracks player performance. In 2022, the platform was acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment, co-owner of Evolution Championship Series (EVO).
Journey

***Journey*** is a 2012 adventure video game developed by Thatgamecompany and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. A PlayStation 4 port developed by Tricky Pixels was released in 2015; a PC port developed by Inline Assembly and published by Annapurna Interactive was released in 2019, followed by an iOS port by the same companies later that year.

Players control a robed figure as they make their way outside a desert towards a distant mountain. The player can encounter other players throughout their journey, though the only way to communicate is through a musical chime; the other players' names are revealed only during the credits. The musical chime is used to manipulate pieces of cloth scattered around landmarks, which allow players to continue through the journey.

Development on *Journey* began in 2009, and it was the final in a three-game contract between Thatgamecompany and Sony. As with the studio's previous titles, *Journey* was directed by Jenova Chen, with Sony's Santa Monica Studio providing additional assistance. The game's development lasted for over three years, longer than Sony's expectation of it to launch in 2010; Thatgamecompany was nearly driven bankrupt due the scope and ambition of the project. Chen and his team wanted to make the player feel small in sight of the landscapes and environment to evoke a sense of awe.

*Journey* received critical acclaim upon release, becoming one of 2012's best-reviewed titles. It was highly praised for its art direction, dynamic musical score, online elements and emotional impact through cooperation with strangers, though it also received some minor criticisms regarding its short length and simplistic gameplay. *Journey* was nominated for multiple end-year accolades, winning numerous awards for its quality, art, online design and music.
PlayStation

**PlayStation** is a brand of videogame consoles produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The brand launched in 1994 and has since then included four home consoles and two handheld consoles. As a media center, PlayStation also produced a phone, related videogames and multiple magazines.

## List of products

### Home consoles

* *PlayStation* (released 1994; discontinued 2006)
* *PlayStation 2* (released 2000; discontinued 2013)
* *PlayStation 3* (released 2006; discontinued 2016-17)
* *PlayStation 4* (released 2013)
* *PlayStation 5* (released 2020)

### Handheld consoles

* *PlayStation Portable* (released 2004; discontinued 2014)
* *PlayStation Vita* (released 2011-12; discontinued 2019)
List of The Last of Us characters

*The Last of Us* is a series of action-adventure video games developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. As of 2022, the series includes two installments, 2013's *The Last of Us* and 2020's *The Last of Us Part II*. A central aspect of the series' narrative revolves around the relationships and strugglers of lead protagonists Ellie and Joel with a variety of allies and other survivors across a post-apocalyptic United States; *Part II* introduces the character of Abby, who serves as the main antagonist and secondary playable character of the game.