Sucker Punch Explains Its “Focused” Approach to Development

Prior to becoming a first-party studio for Sony, Sucker Punch was an independent team, even though they’ve produced exclusive titles for the PlayStation platform since 2000.

Many have wondered why the developer wants to limit themselves to only one platform, and why they only work on one project at a time. Expanding would allow them to reach more gamers and as a result, Sucker Punch could grow. But inFamous: Second Son producer and studio founder Brian Fleming explained the team’s continued focus in a recent Edge interview:

“Our studio really prizes focus. We’re a one-team studio; we’ve always been that. Anything that steals focus from that is something that we’re trying to eliminate, whether that’s starting a second team to work on another game, or working on another platform simultaneously. All of those things compete for our focus, so we’re very driven by the ability to isolate anything that’s a distraction from what we’re trying to do.”

Ideally, this results in a top-tier production. inFamous fans certainly appreciate Sucker Punch’s “focused” efforts, and their games should continue to benefit from such a philosophy. These days, huge developers and publishers make games for every platform, and they typically have multiple teams cranking on numerous projects.

Sucker Punch’s method isn’t as fast, nor is it as lucrative. However, the cohesiveness absolutely works. I just wonder how long it’ll last before they decide they want to hit the super huge multiplatform market…