Polyphony Digital is a Japanese game developer based in Tokyo, and an a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment under its SIE Worldwide Studios umbrella. Originally a development team within Japan Studio known as Polys Entertainment, it was founded in 1994 before being granted greater autonomy in 1998.
The studio is best known for its critically acclaimed and genre-defining Gran Turismo franchise of racing games, which also ranks as SIE's highest-selling game franchise at over 85 million copies. Polyphony developed multiple sequels, spin-off games and expansions to the series, spanning across various PlayStation consoles. Aside from their main studio at Tokyo, Polyphony Digital also has studios in Fukuoka, Amsterdam and Los Angeles.
Polyphony Digital also developed other racing games over its history, including its debut titles within the Motor Toon Grand Prix series, and the 2006 motorcycle-focused Tourist Trophy, the latter receiving fairly positive reviews. The studio's only internal project not focused on racing games was 1999's Omega Boost, a shooter video game that was met with favorable reception. Outside of its internal game projects, Polyphony also aided in producing cinematic cutscenes for several first-party titles, including The Legend of Dragoon, Everybody's Golf and Crash Bandicoot.
Polyphony Digital is also involved in automatics productions. Beginning with 2013's Gran Turismo 6, the company has been spearheading the Vision Gran Turismo program which includes the development of fictional cars by a cross-section of the world's top automobile manufacturers.
Polyphony Digital's work received considerable acclaim, particularly for their influence on the racing genre and their games' wide appeal. Additional points of recognition for the studio were pointed towards their games' high production values and realistic approach to racing mechanics. In contrast, since the late 2000s, Polyphony Digital also received criticism for its long development cycles and frequent delays, while their non-Gran Turismo titles were met with generally positive but less favorable reception.
History[]
1994 - 1998: Foundation and reorganization[]
1998 - 2006: Gran Turismo expanding[]
2006 - 2013: PlayStation 3 era struggles[]
2013 - 2020: Gran Turismo Sport[]
2020 - current: PlayStation 5 era[]
Studios[]
Tokyo Studio[]
Polyphony Digital's Tokyo Studio serves as the company's primary development center and main location, originally started in 1994 and properly reorganized as Polyphony Digital in 1998. It houses Polyphony's engineers, artists, designers and other key employees responsible for the operations of the studio and online aspects of the Gran Turismo games.
Fukuoka Atelier[]
Polyphony Digital's Fukuoka Atelier is the company's second major development location, and second studio in Japan. The studio is designed to encourage collaboration between developers and push forward creativity through avoidance of functional assignments.
Lost Angeles GT Explore Studio[]
One of Polyphony Digital's two GT Explore Studios, the office located in Los Angeles, California serves as the company's headquarters in the Americas. Through its Los Angeles wing, Polyphony Digital communicates and collaborates with various American car manufacturers for its game production as well as other ventures such as the Vision Gran Turismo program. The company also uses its Los Angeles branch to communicate and coordinate with parent company Sony Interactive Entertainment on marketing and high-profile car shows.
Amsterdam GT Explore Studio[]
One of Polyphony Digital's two GT Explore Studios, the office located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands serves as the company's headquarters in Europe. Similar to its American counterpart, the Dutch wing of the studio communicates with car manufacturers of European countries for game development purposes and other ventures. The Dutch studio also operates to participate in European car shows and races, as well as maintaining partnership with Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).
Relationship with other developers[]
PlayStation Studios[]
Naughty Dog[]
Polyphony Digital and Naughty Dog have been sister studios since 2001, with the acquisition of Naughty Dog by Sony. Prior to the acquisition, Polyphony assisted in producing the cutscenes for Naughty Dog's Crash Bandicoot.
Defunct[]
Japan Studio[]
Polyphony Digital and Japan Studio were sister studios from 1998 - when Polyphony was established - until Japan Studio's closure in 2021. Polyphony Digital assisted in producing cutscenes for several of Japan Studio's titles, including The Legend of Dragoon and the Clap Hanz co-developed Everybody's Golf series.
Games developed[]
As Polys Entertainment[]
- Motor Toon Grand Prix (1994)
- Motor Toon Grand Prix 2 (1996)
- Gran Turismo (1997)
As Polyphony Digital[]
- Omega Boost (1999)
- Gran Turismo 2 (1999)
- Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec (2001)
- Gran Turismo Concept (2002)
- Gran Turismo 4 Prologue (2003)
- Gran Turismo 4 (2004)
- Tourist Trophy (2006)
- Gran Turismo HD (2006)
- Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (2007)
- Gran Turismo PSP (2009)
- Gran Turismo 5 (2010)
- Gran Turismo 6 (2013)
- Gran Turismo Sport (2017)
- Gran Turismo 7 (2022)
References[]
| Polyphony Digital |
|---|
| Sony Interactive Entertainment - PlayStation Studios Motor Toon Gran Prix
|