Psygnosis was a British developer and publisher founded in 1984, born from the ashes of the short-lived Imagine Software. They cut their teeth on the home computer scene, particularly on the Amiga, and distinguished themselves with their technical proficiency, generous extras and distinctive cover artwork by Roger Dean (who also provided the company's logo). They also published numerous games developed by minor British companies such as DMA Design Limited (which later became Rockstar North), Raising Hell Software (later Bizarre Creations), Reflections Interactive and Traveller's Tales.
They were acquired by Sony in 1993 to ensure a good software lineup for the PlayStation, and even supplied its official SDK, developed by SN Systems. The studio still retained a degree of independence from Sony, resulting in several ports for the Sega Saturn and one edition of the anti-gravity racing league to the Nintendo 64.
While critical acclaim remained high, several of their later productions were financial disappointments, leading to a full takeover by Sony in 1999. The "Psygnosis" label was phased out and the studio was restructured as SCE Studio Liverpool and focused entirely on the Wipeout and Formula One series.
On August 22, 2012, Sony announced that Studio Liverpool would be closing its doors forever.
Games and franchises developed and/or published as Psygnosis:
- Agony (publisher)
- Alundra (publisher)
- Assault Rigs (developer and publisher)
- Blood Money (publisher)
- Bram Stoker's Dracula (Sega CD game; developer)
- Brataccas (developer and publisher; their very first game, and a combination of Bandersnatch and Psyclapse, Imagine's two eternally delayed projects.)
- A Bug's Life (co-developed in tandem with Disney Interactive Studios and Traveller's Tales; loosely based off the 1998 movie of the same name; published by Sony Computer Entertainment) (PlayStation version)
- The City of Lost Children (developer and publisher)
- Codename: Tenka (developer and publisher)
- Colony Wars series (developer and publisher)
- Creepers (publisher)
- Darker (developer and publisher)
- Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors (developer of PlayStation conversion)
- Destruction Derby series (publisher)
- Discworld (publisher)
- Discworld II (publisher)
- Drakan: Order of the Flame (publisher)
- Ecstatica (developer and publisher)
- Ecstatica II (developer and publisher)
- G-Police (developer and publisher)
- Hired Guns (publisher)
- Innocent Until Caught series (publisher)
- The Killing Game Show (publisher)
- Kingsley's Adventure (developer and publisher)
- Krazy Ivan (developer and publisher)
- Lemmings series (publisher)
- The Adventures of Lomax (a spin-off of Lemmings; developer and publisher)
- Metal Fatigue (publisher)
- Microcosm (developer and publisher)
- Muppet Race Mania (a Muppet-themed racing game; co-developed in tandem with Jim Henson Interactive and Traveller's Tales; published by Sony Computer Entertainment in Europe and Midway Home Entertainment in North America)
- Myst (publisher, PlayStation version)
- Nitro (developer and publisher)
- Novastorm (developer and publisher)
- Obitus (publisher)
- O.D.T. - Escape... Or Die Trying (developer and publisher)
- Psybadek (developer and publisher)
- Puggsy (publisher)
- Rascal (publisher)
- Rollcage (publisher)
- Sentient (developer and publisher)
- Shadow Master (publisher)
- Shadow of the Beast series (publisher)
- Spice World (a musical-themed video game starring the Spice Girls; publisher)
- Team Buddies (developer and publisher)
- Walker (publisher)
- WipEout series (developer and publisher)
- Wiz 'n' Liz (publisher)
Games developed as SCE Studio Liverpool:
- Formula One / F1
- WipEout Fusion
- Wipeout Pulse
- Wipeout HD + Fury
- Wipeout 2048
