989 Studios was a division of Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) that developed games for PlayStation consoles and Windows personal computers. Their games include EverQuest, Twisted Metal III, Twisted Metal 4, Syphon Filter, Syphon Filter 2, Jet Moto 3, Bust a Groove, and others.
History The 989 Sports name developed from a long history of name changes and corporate shuffling within Sony centered around operations in Foster City, California.
As Sony Interactive Studios America On August 17, 1995, the video game business of Sony Imagesoft was merged with the product development branch of SCEA, renaming to Sony Interactive Studios America (SISA) and the PC division of Sony Imagesoft became Sony Interactive PC Software America, which was consolidated with the US PC arm of Psygnosis, led by Ray Sangler, with Sony Interactive Sports launching as the sports label. The unit was continued to be run by president Kelly Flock, who improves to run it, after being formerly operated under the Sony Imagesoft name. The parent company itself, Sony Electronic Publishing, was then renamed to Sony Interactive Entertainment.Sony Electronic Publishing Co. renamed; Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. is established. Business Wire, August 17, 1995.
In 1996, the name Sony Interactive PC Software America was dropped in favor of using the SISA and Psygnosis brand names for PC, also dropping the Sony Imagesoft logo, while the following year, Twisted Metal 2 and Jet Moto went into multiplayer for PC. In early 1997, all assets of SCEA, SCEE and SISA, the production arm was transferred from complete control from Sony Interactive Entertainment to Sony Computer Entertainment.
Development offices continued to be operated in San Diego, California. In mid 1995, SingleTrac decided to extend its contract with Sony to develop its 3D game technology. In December 1995, SingleTrac, a game developer affiliated when the studio was Sony Imagesoft, extended its deal with SISA for two additional games for the studio, which included the Jet Moto games. In 1996, members of the NHL FaceOff team at SISA left to form an independent game developer, Killer Game. Some members left Killer Game to form SolWorks in 1998.
In 1997, team members from SISA leave to form an independent game developer, RedZone Interactive. Also that year, team members leave SISA to form an independent game developer, Idol Minds. In late 1997, the company signed a deal with upstart Don Traeger Productions to develop games for PlayStation, and its first title will be an action sports title. Only one title, Jet Moto 3, came out of the deal as the studio, who by then, was Pacific Coast Power and Light, was sold to THQ. Also that year, development of the NBA ShootOut series was transferred from the London SCEE studio to the San Diego studio of SISA.
Spin-off and reorganization as 989 Studios In 1998, SISA was spun off from SCEA, with the intent to became an autonomous and independent video game publisher and brand label for SCEA in a similar manner Psygnosis operated from SCEE and the video game division of Sony Music Entertainment Japan operating from SCEI, and given its own marketing team with Sony handling distribution functions, after having its titles being published and marketed by SCEA and later on, it was renamed 989 Studios, and its sports label was renamed to 989 Sports.
The online division of 989 was spun off as RedEye Interactive, which was later renamed to Verant Interactive in 1999 due to domain issues, before it was sold to Sony Online Entertainment in 2000. Psygnosis' North American operations were eventually merged into 989 Studios as its European operations of the company was sold off to Eidos Interactive. In late 1998, the studio established a development office in Santa Monica, and took over production and design of its development of most non-sports titles from Foster City, while its sports titles and some general titles were remained to be in its own San Diego studio.
The company made its first hit as an independent game publisher with Bust a Groove, a localization of Enix's Bust a Move, which was renamed for obvious reasons due to Acclaim already using the title and it came with a major marketing campaign. In 1999, the company made its breakout title as an independent game publisher with Syphon Filter, to critical acclaim.
On April 1, 2000, 989 Studios was merged back into SCEA as a first party development group, in order to prepare for the then-upcoming PlayStation 2. Most of its employees had left its company, including president Kelly Flock. After 989 was dissolved, the Santa Monica development team became Santa Monica Studio and the San Diego sports and general development team became San Diego Studio.
SCEA continued to release sports games under the 989 Sports brand until the brand was retired in 2005 and all future sports games continued to be published under SCEA and it was renamed to SCEA Sports Studio. During the days when 989 Sports was a SCEA label, the company managed the European import Formula One 2001, after being previously published by Psygnosis as an independent publisher, then Midway for Formula One 2000, and the World Tour Soccer games, which were localizations of the previously European-exclusive This is Football series, in addition to titles created by the San Diego studios. In 2003, the label launched 989 Sports Online, which was later shuttered after 989 Sports was folded into SCEA itself.
Games published or produced TitlePlatformGenreRelease dateDeveloperReferences2XtremePlayStationRacingNovember 8, 1996Sony Interactive Studios America3XtremePlayStationApril 21, 1999989 StudiosBlastoPlayStationThird-person shooterApril 16, 1998Sony Interactive Studios AmericaBust a GroovePlayStationRhythmNovember 25, 1998MetroCardinal SynPlayStationFightingAugust 25, 1998Kronos Digital EntertainmentCART World SeriesPlayStationRacingOctober 1997Sony Interactive Studios AmericaCool Boarders 3PlayStationSnowboardingOctober 27, 1998Idol MindsCool Boarders 4PlayStationSnowboardingOctober 26, 1999CyberStrike 2Microsoft WindowsMech simulationNovember 17, 1998SimutronicsESPN Extreme GamesPlayStationRacingSeptember 9, 1995Sony Interactive Studios AmericaMS-DOSFebruary 27, 1996EverQuestMicrosoft WindowsMassively multiplayer online role-playing gameMarch 16, 1999989 StudiosFormula One 2001PlayStation 2RacingOctober 2, 2001Studio LiverpoolJet MotoPlayStationNovember 8, 1996SingleTracJet Moto 2PlayStationNovember 11, 1997Jet Moto 3PlayStationAugust 30, 1999Pacific Coast Power & LightMLB Pennant RacePlayStationSportsOctober 14, 1996Sony Interactive Studios AmericaMLB '98PlayStationAugust 1997MLB '99PlayStationApril 14, 1998MLB 2000PlayStationMarch 29, 1999989 SportsMLB 2001PlayStationMarch 28, 2000MLB 2002PlayStationMay 7, 2001San Diego StudioMLB 2003PlayStationJune 17, 2002MLB 2004PlayStationApril 30, 2003PlayStation 2March 10, 2003MLB 2005PlayStationMarch 16, 2004PlayStation 2MLB 2006PlayStation 2March 8, 2005PlayStation PortableApril 12, 2005NBA ShootOutPlayStationMarch 28, 1996Sony Computer Entertainment EuropeNBA ShootOut '97PlayStationMarch 11, 1997NBA ShootOut 98PlayStationMarch 11, 1998Sony Interactive Studios AmericaNBA ShootOut 2000PlayStationDecember 21, 1999989 SportsNBA ShootOut 2001PlayStationOctober 24, 2000Killer GamePlayStation 2February 21, 2001San Diego StudioNBA ShootOut 2002PlayStationSeptember 21, 2001Killer GameNBA ShootOut 2003PlayStationSeptember 24, 2002PlayStation 2San Diego StudioNBA ShootOut 2004PlayStationOctober 6, 2003Killer GamePlayStation 2October 29, 2003San Diego StudioNBAPlayStation PortableMarch 24, 2005NCAA GamebreakerPlayStationSeptember 19, 1996Sony Interactive Studios AmericaNCAA Gamebreaker 98PlayStationNovember 21, 1997NCAA GameBreaker 99PlayStationOctober 27, 1998Red Zone Interactive, Inc.NCAA GameBreaker 2000PlayStationAugust 11, 1999NCAA GameBreaker 2001PlayStationAugust 22, 2000PlayStation 2December 19, 2000NCAA GameBreaker 2003PlayStation 2August 13, 2002San Diego StudioNCAA GameBreaker 2004PlayStation 2August 26, 2003NCAA Final Four 99PlayStationJanuary 13, 1999Killer GameNCAA Final Four 2000PlayStationNovember 17, 1999NCAA Final Four 2001PlayStationNovember 16, 2000PlayStation 2December 19, 2000NCAA Final Four 2002PlayStation 2November 12, 2001NCAA Final Four 2003PlayStation 2November 27, 2002NCAA Final Four 2004PlayStation 2November 11, 2003NFL GameDayPlayStationDecember 4, 1995Sony Interactive Studios AmericaNFL GameDay '97PlayStationDecember 4, 1996NFL GameDay 98PlayStationSeptember 1997NFL GameDay 99PlayStationAugust 25, 1998Red Zone Interactive, Inc.Microsoft WindowsSeptember 1998NFL GameDay 2000PlayStationAugust 11, 1999NFL GameDay 2001PlayStationAugust 15, 2000PlayStation 2November 16, 2000NFL GameDay 2002PlayStationAugust 7, 2001San Diego StudioPlayStation 2December 4, 2001NFL GameDay 2003PlayStationAugust 13, 2002PlayStation 2NFL GameDay 2004PlayStationAugust 26, 2003PlayStation 2NFL GameDay 2005PlayStationAugust 1, 2004NFL XtremePlayStationJuly 13, 1998989 SportsNFL Xtreme 2PlayStationJuly 20, 1999NHL FaceOffPlayStationDecember 19, 1995Sony Interactive Studios AmericaNHL FaceOff '97PlayStationOctober 22, 1996Killer GameNHL FaceOff 98PlayStationOctober 31, 1997NHL FaceOff 99PlayStationSeptember 30, 1998NHL FaceOff 2000PlayStationSeptember 15, 1999SolWorksNHL FaceOff 2001PlayStationSeptember 5, 2000PlayStation 2February 6, 2001NHL FaceOff 2003PlayStation 2November 5, 2002Gretzky NHL 2005PlayStation 2November 9, 2004Page 44 StudiosPlayStation PortableMarch 14, 2005Rally CrossPlayStationRacingFebruary 28, 1997Sony Interactive Studios AmericaRally Cross 2PlayStationNovember 1998Idol MindsRunning WildPlayStationOctober 6, 1998Universal Interactive Studios/Blue ShiftSpawn: The EternalPlayStationBeat 'em upDecember 9, 1997Sony Interactive Studios AmericaSteel ReignPlayStationVehicular combatOctober 9, 1997Chantemar CreationsSupercross CircuitPlayStationRacingNovember 9, 1999Idol MindsSyphon FilterPlayStationThird-person shooterFebruary 17, 1999EideticSyphon Filter 2PlayStationMarch 14, 2000TanarusMicrosoft WindowsMultiplayer first-person shooterDecember 12, 1997Sony Interactive Studios AmericaTwisted MetalPlayStationVehicular combatSeptember 9, 1995SingleTracTwisted Metal 2PlayStationNovember 8, 1996SingleTracMicrosoft WindowsNovember 13, 1997Twisted Metal IIIPlayStationNovember 10, 1998989 StudiosTwisted Metal 4PlayStationNovember 16, 1999WarhawkPlayStationCombat flight simulationSeptember 9, 1995SingleTracWorld Tour Soccer 2002PlayStation 2SportsFebruary 17, 2002Team SohoWorld Tour Soccer 2003PlayStation 2February 10, 2003London StudioWorld Tour Soccer 2005PlayStation 2April 13, 2004
Games unreleased TitlePlatformGenreRelease dateNotesBig Guns (Exodus)PlayStationActionUnreleasedDeveloped by Neversoft Entertainment, cancelled in November 1997Jet Moto 2124PlayStationRacingUnreleasedDeveloped by Pacific Coast Power & LightNBA ShootOut 99PlayStationSportsUnreleasedCancelled in early 1999Xena: Warrior PrincessPlayStationActionUnreleasedPublishing rights sold to Electronic ArtsVirusPlayStationActionUnreleasedCancelled in late 1995
See also 989 Sports Major League Baseball series Sony Imagesoft Sony Computer Entertainment
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