Sony renewed its trademark for Psygnosis as well its iconic logo a decade after operations at the Lemmings and Wipeout studio ceased. Spotted by Twitter user Robert Serrano, the trademark was renewed on December 1, 2021, fueling a range of speculations but it probably doesn’t mean much.
Why Sony renewed Psygnosis trademark
It’s not uncommon for companies to renew dormant properties. In the absence of an official announcement, all the trademark renewal means is that Sony’s hanging on to Psygnosis just a little bit longer. The studio was founded in 1984 by the late Ian Hetherington and became a part of Sony (Studio Liverpool) in 1993.
Other than Wipeout and Lemmings, Psygnosis is known for Shadow of the Beast, Colony Wars, and Formula One series. Following its closure in 2012, Studio Liverpool employees founded Firesprite, which Sony acquired last September. The “spin-off” developer is currently working on VR game Horizon Call of the Mountain.
A trademark of Psygnosis logo has been registered and renewed December 1, 2021 on US
Well known for Amiga titles like Lemmings, and WipeOut, Lula World, G-Police on PlayStation as SCE Studio Liverpool (now XDEV) after the acquisition by Sony in 1993
> https://t.co/nhTuGxUEDb pic.twitter.com/5zbg2SvAN3
— Roberto Serrano’ (@geronimo_73_) January 17, 2022
Opinion: We need a new Wipeout
Zarmena writes… Whenever developments like these crop up, one can’t help but start reminiscing about beloved franchises. Wipeout Rush‘s mobile announcement did sting a little, especially since the series’ last major release was the widely praised Omega Collection, leading to fans hoping that Sony would consider making a new entry for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. It’s no surprise, then, that Psygnosis trademark renewal got folks all excited.
In other news, HORI has announced a new PS5 controller and fighting stick, and Konami’s foray into NFTs was a success, with over $160,000 raised via its debut auction.
