Sony Possibly Building New Studio of Ex-deviation Games Talent

There's a buzz in the gaming community that Sony might be assembling a fresh internal studio, tapping into the expertise of individuals formerly affiliated with Deviation Games. This conjecture sprouted after a Twitter user with the handle @Zuby_Tech shared observations of several Deviation Games alumni updating their job roles online.

According to these updates, it appears that Fred Thompson is at the helm of design for a project that's yet to be unveiled. Although the tweeted images by @Zuby_Tech showed key personnel profiles, they held back any information about the secretive project.

Adding to the intrigue, game designer JCBackfire let slip on Twitter that they're now under the employ of Jason Blundell. Blundell, known for his pivotal co-founding role at Deviation Games, parted ways with the company in 2022. The departure was acknowledged by Deviation Games via a tweet in September 2022, though the reasons behind the exit were left undisclosed. The company expressed gratitude for Jason's input during his time there and wished him success in the future.

Fans of the Call of Duty franchise hold Jason Blundell in high esteem, particularly for his contributions to both Campaign and Zombie modes, with the latter being hailed as one of the series' most compelling features. Johanna Faries, General Manager, has recently remarked that the Zombie mode's innovative spin in Modern Warfare 3 has received the highest ratings for a supplementary mode in over ten years.

If Blundell were to join forces with Sony, and with the added possibility of reuniting with former Deviation Games colleagues, Sony could craft a powerhouse team.

This news comes on the heels of significant layoffs at Deviation Games earlier in the year, which saw around 90 staff members being let go without a formal statement on the issue.

Simultaneously, there are whispers that Sony is mapping out further cuts at PlayStation studios, such as Insomniac Games, even as they grapple with the repercussions of a serious hacking incident.

Amid this climate of downsizing, the creation of a new studio might seem unexpected. Yet, with this pool of talent presumably accessible and on the lookout for new opportunities, such a move by Sony is not out of the realm of possibility, although at this stage, it remains speculative.