The gaming world mourns again: another studio has succumbed

It's a sad day in the gaming world as we've just heard the news that Ready At Dawn, the studio behind some of the most popular PSP games, is closing its doors. It's a bittersweet moment for all players as it marks the end of an era. For fans of the PlayStation Portable (PSP), this is an important chapter in gaming history that they will remember fondly.

Ready At Dawn was founded in 2003 by former members of the Naughty Dog studio, known for cult series such as Crash Bandicoot and Uncharted. Over the years, Ready At Dawn has carved out a special place in gaming history, especially on the PSP platform, with games that showed us what handheld gaming could be.

One of Ready At Dawn's most ambitious projects was The Order. 1886 is a third-person shooter set in an alternate history of Victorian London. The game had truly beautiful visuals, a truly immersive cinematic presentation, and a fascinating blend of historical figures and events with fantasy elements. The game received mixed reviews. Some liked the graphics and story, while others felt the gameplay and length could have been better. Although it wasn't a hit with everyone, The Order: 1886 is a great example of Ready At Dawn's vision and talent, and has become a cult classic among fans!

The studio's work on the God of War series with titles like Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta was absolutely amazing! Epic storytelling and visceral combat brought to the palm of players' hands. These games were much more than technical demonstrations. There were also incredible narrative experiences that rivaled their console counterparts on par.
Another fantastic title from Ready At Dawn was Daxter, a sequel to the Jak and Daxter series. It gave us a whole new way of looking at the universe, and people loved it for its humor, gameplay, and graphics that really stood out on the PSP console.

The studio also dabbled in virtual reality (VR) with the Echo series, which included the award-winning game Lone Echo and its sequel, and the multiplayer game Echo Arena. These titles showed just how creative and flexible Ready At Dawn could be, creating a fully immersive experience that everyone loved.

Unfortunately, Ready At Dawn's closure is part of a larger trend of game studios closing in 2024. This raises concerns about the stability of the gaming industry, which is a real shame. It's sad to see that despite Meta's commitment to VR development, they had to close the studio. This just goes to show how challenging economic conditions are and how priorities in the industry are changing.

This may not be the end of their creative journey for the wonderful folks at Ready At Dawn Studio. The kind folks at Meta encouraged the talented team to apply to Oculus Studios, which could lead to exciting new opportunities and projects that would build on the legacy of Ready At Dawn Studios.

As we say goodbye to Ready At Dawn, let's think about all the amazing things they've done for games. Their titles will always be remembered by those who played them, and their influence will live on in the games that came after them. The studio's closure is a reminder of how quickly things change in the industry and how important it is to support the creators who create such memorable experiences.