Housemarque discusses its growth after Saros, its journey into PlayStation Studios, and its future ambitions. Learn how the Returnal team is evolving.
Housemarque, the Finnish studio behind Returnal and most recently Saros, is entering one of the most defining chapters in its thirty year history. Although the team officially joined PlayStation Studios in 2021, it is only now, following the April release of Saros, that the studio feels fully integrated into Sony’s first party ecosystem. The sentiment comes directly from co founder and director Ilari Kuittinen, who spoke about the studio’s transformation during an interview on The Game Business Show podcast.
Table of Contents
- What Did Housemarque Say About Becoming a PlayStation First Party Studio
- How Has Housemarque’s Team Size Changed Over the Years
- What Is Housemarque’s History From Arcade Roots to AAA Roguelikes
- How Has Saros Performed Since Launch
- Why Does Housemarque Compare Its Journey to FromSoftware
- What Could Housemarque’s Next Project Look Like
What Did Housemarque Say About Becoming a PlayStation First Party Studio
In the interview, Kuittinen explained that the release of Saros marked the moment the studio truly felt like a full PlayStation first party developer. He described the experience of being in California and receiving praise from colleagues across Sony’s global studios as a milestone for the team.
Kuittinen reflected on the studio’s long journey, recalling its early days during Super Stardust in 1997, when Housemarque had only ten to twelve employees.
How Has Housemarque’s Team Size Changed Over the Years
Housemarque has undergone significant growth. Around the launch of Nex Machina in 2017, the studio had roughly 40 to 50 employees working across multiple projects. Today, the team has expanded to around 120 developers, nearly tripling in size.
This growth has brought new challenges. Kuittinen noted that shifting from small scale arcade projects to large scale productions required the studio to learn new organizational structures and development pipelines.
What Is Housemarque’s History From Arcade Roots to AAA Roguelikes
Founded in 1995, Housemarque is the oldest active video game studio in Finland. Its early reputation was built on arcade inspired and bullet hell titles, later evolving into twin stick shooters such as:
- Dead Nation
- Alienation
The studio’s major turning point came with Returnal in 2021, its first AAA production under Sony. Saros, released in 2026, continued this direction with a third person action structure and roguelite elements.
How Has Saros Performed Since Launch
While Saros received strong critical reception, industry reports suggest its initial sales may be more modest than expected for a first party Sony release. Housemarque remains optimistic, pointing out that Returnal also took time to build momentum after launch.
The studio continues to gather player feedback and explore potential adjustments or new features for Saros.
Why Does Housemarque Compare Its Journey to FromSoftware
Kuittinen drew parallels between Housemarque’s trajectory and that of FromSoftware, the Japanese studio behind Dark Souls and Elden Ring. Both studios built their reputations on niche, demanding, and technically refined games before eventually reaching a broader audience.
Housemarque hopes to follow a similar long term path, focusing on distinctive gameplay identities rather than chasing mass market trends.
What Could Housemarque’s Next Project Look Like
When asked about the scale of the studio’s next game, Kuittinen suggested that Housemarque is open to exploring different project sizes. While Saros was an ambitious production, the team is also interested in ideas that may not match that scale.
For now, the studio’s priority remains supporting Saros, engaging with the community, and evaluating future opportunities.