Sony Interactive Studios America
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| Subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment | |
| 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.
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). 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 completion, including Dark Guns, Sorcery, Warhawk 2, Barnstormers and The Diabolical Adventures of Tobu.
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.
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