989 Studios was a division of Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) that developed games for the PlayStation consoles and Windows personal computers. Their titles include Twisted Metal III and 4, Syphon Filter and 2, Jet Moto 3, Bust a Groove, EverQuest and others. It now exists as the 989 Sports brand owned by SCEA that produces sports titles.

History

The 989 Sports title 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).^[1] On April 1998, SISA was renamed 989 Studios, after the street address of the building they worked in (989 E. Hillsdale Boulevard, Foster City, California, which Sony still uses). 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 titles are published under the SCEA name instead of the 989 name.

Games

989 Studios

• 3Xtreme (1999)
• Bust A Groove (Bust A Move: Dance & Rhythm Action in Japan) (1998)
• Cool Boarders 3 (1998)
• Cool Boarders 4 (1999)
• Cyberstrike 2 (1998) (Microsoft Windows)
• EverQuest (1999)
• Jet Moto 3 (1999)
• Rally Cross 2 (1999)
• Running Wild (1998)
• Syphon Filter (1999)
• Syphon Filter 2 (2000)
• Cardinal Syn (1998)
• Tanarus (1998)
• Twisted Metal III (1998)
• Twisted Metal 4 (1999)

Published by 989 Sports

• NFL Xtreme (1998)
• NFL GameDay 99 (1998)
• NCAA Gamebreaker 99 (1998)
• NHL FaceOff 99 (1998)
• NCAA Final Four 99 (1998)
• MLB 2000 (1999)
• NFL Xtreme 2 (1999)
• NCAA GameBreaker 2000 (1999)
• NFL GameDay 2000 (1999)
• NHL FaceOff 2000 (1999)
• Supercross Circuit (1999)
• NCAA Final Four 2000 (1999)
• NBA Shootout 2000 (1999)

Published by SCEA under the 989 Sports brand

• MLB 2001 (2000)
• NCAA GameBreaker 2001 (2000)
• NFL GameDay 2001 (2000)
• NBA ShootOut 2001 (2000)
• Cool Boarders 2001 (2000)
• NCAA Final Four 2001 (2000)
• NCAA GameBreaker 2001 (2000)
• NCAA Final Four 2001 (2000)
• Formula One 2001 (2001)
• NHL FaceOff 2001 (2001)
• NBA ShootOut 2001 (2001)
• MLB 2002 (2001)
• NFL GameDay 2002 (2001)
• NBA ShootOut 2002 (2001)
• NCAA Final Four 2002 (2001)
• MLB 2003 (2002)
• NFL GameDay 2003 (2002)
• NCAA GameBreaker 2003 (2002)
• NHL FaceOff 2003 (2002)
• NBA ShootOut 2003 (2002)
• NCAA Final Four 2003 (2002)
• MLB 2004 (2003)
• NFL GameDay 2004 (2003)
• NCAA GameBreaker 2004 (2003)
• NBA ShootOut 2004 (2003)
• NCAA Final Four 2004 (2003)
• MLB 2005 (2004)
• NFL GameDay 2005 (2004)
• NBA (2004)
• MLB 2006 (2005)
• Gretzky NHL (2005)
• Gretzky NHL 2005 (2005)

989 Sports Game Announcers/Voices

NBA ShootOut

• Mike Carlucci
• Ian Eagle

NFL GameDay

• Mike Carlucci
• Dick Enberg/Phil Simms

MLB Baseball

• Mike Carlucci
• Vin Scully (MLB 99 only)
• Vin Scully/Dave Campbell (MLB 2000 to MLB 2005)

NHL FaceOff

• Mike Emrick/Darren Pang

References

1. ↑ Sony Electronic Publishing Co. renamed; Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. is established. Businesswire, August 17, 1995.