Sony Imagesoft

Sony Imagesoft Inc. was an American video game publisher that operated from 1989 to 1995 and was located in California. It was established in January 1989 in Los Angeles, California, as a subsidiary of the Japan-based CBS/Sony Group (CSG) and initially named CSG Imagesoft Inc.^[1] Their focus at the beginning was on marketing games exclusively for Nintendo consoles.^[2]

History

The company's trademark was first registered on October 17, 1989.^[3]

The first release was Super Dodge Ball in summer 1989.^[2] UK-developed games such as Solstice and Dragon's Lair followed in 1990. Both were also published in Japan through Epic/Sony Records.

Sega partnership

On May 20, 1992, Sega of America and Sony Electronic Publishing announced a partnership to create content for Sega's consoles under the direction of Imagesoft.^[4] Besides Sega's cartridge-based Genesis and Game Gear consoles the partnership targeted the upcoming Sega CD peripheral.^[5]

Among the first titles released for Sega's consoles after the announcement are Sewer Shark and Hook. Sewer Shark, initially released exclusively to Sega CD, is a rail-shooter that years earlier had been shelved as part of the ill-fated Control-Vision platform. The Hook video games are tie-ins to the Spielberg feature film Hook that premiered in December 1991 and was produced by Sony-owned TriStar Pictures. Ports of the video game for Sega platforms are based on the Super NES game published earlier by Imagesoft. The Sega CD version was enhanced with better cut scenes with voice actors and digital stills and featured music from the film soundtrack.^[6]

1995 changes

In March 1995, Sony Imagesoft announced that it had appointed Kelly Flock as president. Flock came from Trimark Interactive where he was executive vice president since March 1993.^[7]

Starting in July 1995, just two months prior to the release of the PlayStation console in Western markets, Sony Electronic Publishing restructured and renamed its divisions. All video game marketing from Sony Imagesoft was folded into Sony Computer Entertainment of America (SCEA), with about 100 employees transferred from Santa Monica to Foster City.^[8][9][10] The video game business of Sony Imagesoft was merged with the product development branch of SCEA and became Sony Interactive Studios America^[11] which would later be renamed to 989 Studios.

The computer software business of Imagesoft became Sony Interactive PC Software America and was headed by general manager Ray Sangster.^[11] In August, the Los Angeles Times said Sony had canceled prior projects on computer and video game platforms other than its own PlayStation. It also said Psygnosis became Sony Interactive Europe.^[12]

Games published

Games developed

Unreleased Games

References

1. ^ Sony in U.S. Videogame Venture. In: Television Digest with Consumer Electronics. Volume 28, December 26, 1988, page 51.
2. ^ CSG Imagesoft Enters U.S. Home Video Game Market. PR Newswire, Los Angeles, September 6, 1989
3. ^ Trade-marks Journal: Journal Des Marques de Commerce · Volume 37, Issues 1866-1870, page 104.
4. ^ Sony Electronic Publishing and Sega of America announce broad business partnership. Business Wire, May 20, 1992
5. ^ Adam Bryant: Sega Links with Sony to Make CD Video Games. New York Times, May 21, 1992. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (archived version)
6. ^ Janet Wasko: Hollywood in the information age: beyond the silver screen. University of Texas Press 1995, ISBN 0-292-79094-5. Page 62.
7. ^ Sony Imagesoft names Kelly Flock president. Business Wire New York, March 8, 1995.
8. ^ Carl DiOrio: Sony to Transfer 100 Workers. In: The Hollywood Reporter, July 12, 1995.
9. ^ Scott Hettrick: -- no title given -- In: The Hollywood Reporter, August 8, 1995.
10. ^ Sony in Disarray on Eve of Playstation Debut. In: Television Digest with Consumer Electronics, August 14, 1995, ISSN 0497-1515, page 9.
11. ^ Sony Electronic Publishing Co. renamed; Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. is established. Business Wire, August 17, 1995.
12. ^ Harmon, Amy (1995-08-18). "Company Town". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2025-12-28.
13. ^ Super NES Release List from nintendo.com September 30, 2007 at the Wayback Machine
14. ^ "Altered Space – Game Boy – IGN". uk.ign.com. Retrieved 2015-07-07.
15. ^ https://www.retrogames.cz/manualy/SNES/Flashback-_The_Quest_for_Identity_-_Manual_-_SNES.pdf
16. ^ Peter M. Nichols: Home Video. In: New York Times, December 10, 1993. Accessed: 2010-09-16. (archived version)
17. ^ "The Milwaukee Journal – Google News Archive Search – The earliest reviews available online are from March 1993". Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved 2015-07-07.
18. ^ Philips Teams With Propagande. In: Billboard, June 24, 1995, page 54
19. ^ Sony Imagesoft to showcase "Johnny Mnemonic" Archived 2016-03-13 at the Wayback Machine Business Wire, Santa Monica, California, March 13, 1995
20. ^ Last Action Hero – Sega Mega CD unseen64.net
21. ^ Notebooks. In: Television Digest with Consumer Electronics, Vol. 33, No. 21, Pg. 19. – "...Psygnosis, founded in 1984, published noteworthy "Lemmings" software series, and has developed 2 titles – "Bram Stoker's Dracula" and "Last Action Hero" – for Sega CD."
22. ^
23. ^ https://retrofaith.net/2022/09/21/mega-turrican-directors-cut-mega-drive-review/
24. ^ "Mega Drive Review - Mega Turrican". Sega Magazine. EMAP. November 1994. pp. 88–89. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
25. ^
26. ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 5 March 1994. p. 67. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2015-07-07.
27. ^ https://www.engadget.com/2007-09-02-promotional-consideration-beaning-the-red-army.html
28. ^ https://fmvworld.com/bugblasters.html
29. ^ https://kotaku.com/games/bug-blasters-the-exterminators

External links

• Sony Imagesoft profile on MobyGames