989 Studios
 | |
| Industry | Computer and video game industry |
|---|---|
| Fate | Merged into Sony Computer Entertainment America |
| Predecessor | Sony Imagesoft |
| Successor | SCE San Diego Studio |
| Founded |
1995 (as Sony Interactive Studios America) 2001 (relaunch) |
| Founder | Daniel Phillips |
| Defunct |
2000 (original) 2005 (relaunch) |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, United States |
| Products | Games for video game consoles and computer software |
| Parent | Sony Computer Entertainment America |
989 Studios was a division of Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) that developed games for the PlayStation consoles and Windows personal computers. Their games include EverQuest, Twisted Metal III and 4, Syphon Filter and Syphon Filter 2, Jet Moto 3, Bust a Groove, and others. It now exists as the 989 Sports brand owned by SCEA that produces sports games.
History
The 989 Sports game developed from a long history of name changes and corporate shuffling within Sony centered around operations in Foster City, California. In August 1995, the video game business of Sony Imagesoft was merged with the product development branch of SCEA, becoming Sony Interactive Studios America (SISA).[1] On April 1998, SISA was renamed 989 Studios, after the street address of the building they worked in at the time (989 E. Hillsdale Boulevard, Foster City, California). The part of 989 developing EverQuest (and other online and PC games) broke off to become an independent studio named Verant Interactive in early 1999. 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. SCEA continues to release sports games under the 989 Sports brand. Subsequent reissues and sequels to 989's games are published under the SCEA name instead of the 989 name. 989 Studios was also working on many unreleased video games, that were cancelled before to be completed, as Dark Guns, Sorcery (PlayStation), Warhawk 2 (PlayStation), Barnstormers (PlayStation), and The Diabolical Adventures of Tobu.[2]
Games
Published by 989 Studios
- 3Xtreme (1999)
- Bust A Groove (Bust A Move: Dance & Rhythm Action in Japan) (1998)
- Cool Boarders 3 (1998)
- Cool Boarders 4 (1999)
- Cyberstrike 2 (1998) (Microsoft Windows)
- Jet Moto 3 (1999)
- Rally Cross 2 (1999)
- Running Wild (1998)
- Cardinal Syn (1998)
- Tanarus (1998)
- Twisted Metal III (1998)
- Twisted Metal 4 (1999)
Published by 989 Sports
- NFL Xtreme (1998)
- NFL GameDay 99 (1998)
- NCAA Gamebreaker 99 (1998)
- NHL FaceOff 99 (1998)
- NCAA Final Four 99 (1998)
- MLB 2000 (1999)
- NFL Xtreme 2 (1999)
- NCAA GameBreaker 2000 (1999)
- NFL GameDay 2000 (1999)
- NHL FaceOff 2000 (1999)
- Supercross Circuit (1999)
- NCAA Final Four 2000 (1999)
- NBA Shootout 2000 (1999)
- Syphon Filter (1999)
- Syphon Filter 2 (2000)
- Syphon Filter 3 (2001)
Published by SCEA under the 989 Sports brand
- MLB 2001 (2000)
- NCAA GameBreaker 2001 (2000)
- NFL GameDay 2001 (2000)
- NBA ShootOut 2001 (2000)
- Cool Boarders 2001 (2000)
- NCAA Final Four 2001 (2000)
- NCAA GameBreaker 2001 (2000)
- NCAA Final Four 2001 (2000)
- Formula One 2001 (2001)
- NHL FaceOff 2001 (2001)
- NBA ShootOut 2001 (2001)
- MLB 2002 (2001)
- NFL GameDay 2002 (2001)
- NBA ShootOut 2002 (2001)
- NCAA Final Four 2002 (2001)
- MLB 2003 (2002)
- NFL GameDay 2003 (2002)
- NCAA GameBreaker 2003 (2002)
- NHL FaceOff 2003 (2002)
- NBA ShootOut 2003 (2002)
- NCAA Final Four 2003 (2002)
- MLB 2004 (2003)
- NFL GameDay 2004 (2003)
- NCAA GameBreaker 2004 (2003)
- NBA ShootOut 2004 (2003)
- NCAA Final Four 2004 (2003)
- MLB 2005 (2004)
- NFL GameDay 2005 (2004)
- Road to Sunday (2005)
- NBA (2004)
- MLB 2006 (2005)
- Gretzky NHL 2005 (2004)
- Gretzky NHL 2006 (2005)
- Syphon Filter (1999)
- Syphon Filter 2 (2000)
- Syphon Filter 3 (2001)
Unreleased 989 Studios games
- Dark Guns
- Sorcery (Playstation)
- Warhawk 2 (Playstation)
- Barnstormers (Playstation)
- The Diabolical Adventures of Tobu
989 Sports game announcers/voices
NBA ShootOut
The NBA ShootOut series of games featured Mike Carlucci as PA announcer in every game. Carlucci has doubled as a play-by-play announcer in NBA ShootOut 97 and NBA ShootOut 98. Later versions have the voice of CBS Sports play-by-play announcer Ian Eagle as the play-by-play announcer.
NFL GameDay
In the original NFL GameDay for the PlayStation, there were only the voices of football players. Carlucci was added as both play-by-play announcer and PA announcer in NFL GameDay 97 and NFL GameDay 98. Starting with NFL GameDay 99, the game features an NBC Sports-style presentation with play-by-play announcer Dick Enberg and Super Bowl XXI MVP Phil Simms as a color commentator. The NBC Sports-style presentation was retained, starting with NFL GameDay 2001, after Enberg began working at CBS in 2000.
MLB Baseball
The first game in 989 Sports' line of Major League Baseball games was MLB Pennant Race. MLB 98 featured Carlucci as both PA announcer and play-by-play announcer. MLB 99 has Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully as play-by-play announcer, but no color commentator. Starting with MLB 2000, infielder Dave Campbell is paired with Scully as color commentator.
NHL FaceOff
Starting with NHL FaceOff 99, NHL on NBC play-by-play announcer Mike Emrick is the play-by-play announcer, and Darren Pang is paired with Emrick as color commentator.
References
- ↑ Sony Electronic Publishing Co. renamed; Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. is established. Businesswire, August 17, 1995.
- ↑ Beta and cancelled 989 Studios games from Unseen64 archive.
| ||||||||||||||
