PlayStation has taken multiple steps to bolster its lineup of first-party games in 2021. Their biggest stride in this direction has come in the form of their recent acquisition of Housemarque. The producer of the PlayStation exclusive Returnal will now be joining PlayStation Studios in their pursuit to develop a strong first-party games collection.

Ilari Kuittinen and Harri Tikkanen founded the company in 1995. This was a result of the coming together of Finland’s first two game development studios, Bloodhouse and Terramarque. Housemarque will be PlayStation’s second major acquisition following the $229 million buyout of Insomniac Games in 2019. That in turn resulted in the success of the Ratchet and Clank franchise. Thus, PlayStation will surely have high expectations with their recent deal.

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Why did PlayStation acquire Finnish developer Housemarque?

The Finnish studio has previously shown promise on the PlayStation market with titles like Returnal, Super Stardust, and Dead Nation. Additionally, following Xbox’s recent acquisition of Bethesda, it was almost a necessary step for Sony. In the blog post revealing the acquisition, Ilari Kuittinen, Co-founder and Managing Director, Housemarque further explains the need for this deal.

He says, “We are so excited to finally join the PlayStation Studios family! This gives our studio a clear future and a stable opportunity to continue delivering on gameplay centric approaches, while still experimenting with new methods of narrative delivery and pushing the boundaries of this modern artform. Locally here in Helsinki, this also means that we will officially expand the PlayStation family to a growing industry hub and secure the legacy of the oldest game studio in Finland.”

If you were not already looking forward to PlayStation’s patented ‘State of Play’ presentation, the company will surely have some big reveals in store for the event.

So far, Sony has done a good job of releasing an adequate selection of games for the PS5, something that they did not do with its predecessor. The acquisition of Housemarque will only add to that and expand the company’s presence in Finland. Do you think the acquisition of Returnal’s developer was a good move for Sony? Let us know your opinion in the comments down below.

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