Sony Imagesoft

Sony Imagesoft Inc.

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Video games
Predecessor	CSG Imagesoft Inc.
Founded	January 1989 (1989-01)
Defunct	1995 (1995)
Fate	Merged into Sony Interactive Studios America (later 989 Studios); computer software division became Sony Interactive PC Software America
Successor	Sony Interactive Studios America
Headquarters	Los Angeles , United States
Area served	United States
Key people	Kelly Flock (President, 1995)
Products	Video game publishing
Owner	Sony Electronic Publishing (from 1991)
Number of employees	Approximately 100 (relocated in 1995) (1995)
Parent	Sony Electronic Publishing

Sony Imagesoft Inc. functioned as a video game publisher in the United States from 1989 until 1995, headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The company was originally established in January 1989 under the name CSG Imagesoft Inc. as part of the Japan-based CBS/Sony Group, with an initial emphasis on distributing games solely for Nintendo platforms.

Following the creation of Sony's North American branch, Sony Electronic Publishing, in April 1991, the firm was renamed Sony Imagesoft Inc.

History

The debut title released by the company was Super Dodge Ball during the summer of 1989. In 1990, it published UK-developed games such as Solstice and Dragon's Lair, which were also distributed in Japan through Epic/Sony Records.

Collaboration with Sega

On May 20, 1992, a strategic alliance was formed between Sega of America and Sony Electronic Publishing to create content for Sega’s gaming systems under the guidance of Imagesoft. This partnership covered Sega’s cartridge-based Genesis and Game Gear consoles, along with the forthcoming Sega CD add-on.

Among the initial releases from this collaboration were Sewer Shark and Hook. Originally developed for the canceled Control-Vision system, Sewer Shark was exclusive to Sega CD at launch and featured rail-shooter gameplay. The Hook titles were linked to the Steven Spielberg film produced by Sony-owned TriStar Pictures, with Sega CD versions boasting enhanced cut scenes, voiceovers, and soundtrack improvements.

Developments in 1995

In March 1995, Kelly Flock was named president of Sony Imagesoft. Prior to this role, Flock had served as executive vice president at Trimark Interactive since March 1993.

By July 1995, just before the Western launch of the PlayStation console, Sony Electronic Publishing underwent organizational changes. The video game marketing division of Sony Imagesoft was absorbed into Sony Computer Entertainment of America (SCEA), resulting in the relocation of approximately 100 employees from Santa Monica to Foster City. The gaming segment merged with SCEA’s product development unit to establish Sony Interactive Studios America, which was later rebranded as 989 Studios. Meanwhile, the company’s computer software division became Sony Interactive PC Software America under general manager Ray Sangster.

Games published

Title	Platform	Genre	Release date	Developer
3 Ninjas Kick Back	Sega Genesis	Action	June 1, 1994	Malibu Interactive
	Super NES		November 19, 1994
Altered Space	Game Boy	Puzzle adventure	September 1991	Software Creations
Bram Stoker's Dracula	Game Boy	Action	1993	Psygnosis
	Super NES		September 1993	Traveller's Tales/Psygnosis
Championship Soccer '94		Sports	June 1994	Sensible Software
Cliffhanger	Sega Genesis	Action	October 25, 1993	Malibu Interactive
	Super NES		October 1993
Chuck Rock	Super NES	Side-scrolling platformer	November 1992
	Sega CD		unknown	Core Design
Dragon's Lair	NES	Action	December 29, 1990	Motivetime
Eastern Mind: The Lost Souls of Tong Nou	Microsoft Windows Macintosh	Point-and-click adventure	Early August 1995	OutSide Directors Company
Equinox	Super NES	Action-adventure	March 1994	Software Creations
ESPN Baseball Tonight	Super NES	Sports	May 1994	Park Place Productions
ESPN National Hockey Night	Sega Genesis Sega CD		August 1, 1994
ESPN NBA HangTime '95	Sega CD		1994
ESPN SpeedWorld	Sega Genesis	Racing	1994	Park Place Productions
ESPN Sunday Night NFL	Sega CD	Sports	1993	Ringler Studios
	Sega Genesis		August 1, 1994
	Super NES		November 1994
Extra Innings	Super NES		March 20, 1992	Sting Entertainment

Title	Platform	Genre	Release date	Developer
'Flashback (1992 video game)'	Super NES	Action-adventure	1993	Tiertex Design Studios
'Flink'	Sega Mega Drive	Platformer	May 1994	Psygnosis
'Gear Works'	Game Gear, Game Boy	Puzzle	1993
'Ground Zero: Texas'	Sega CD	Action	November 1993	Digital Pictures
'Hook (video game)'	NES, Game Boy	Action	April 1992	Ocean Software
'Hook (video game)'	Super NES	Action	October 1992	Ukiyotei
'Hook (video game)'	Sega Genesis, Sega CD	Action	1992 / March 1993 (European Mega CD version)	Core Design
'Hudson Hawk (video game)'	NES, Game Boy	Platformer	1991	Ocean Software
'Johnny Mnemonic (video_game)'	Microsoft Windows, Macintosh	Interactive movie	May 26, 1995	Propaganda Code
'Johnny Mnemonic (video_game)'	Sega CD	Interactive movie	Unreleased
'Last Action Hero (video game)'	Sega Genesis	Action	March 28, 1994	Bits Studios
'Last Action Hero (video game)'	Super NES	Action	October 1993	Bits Studios
'Last Action Hero (video game)'	Sega CD	Beat 'em up	Cancelled	Psygnosis
'Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (video game)'	Sega Genesis	Action	March 4, 1994	Bits Studios
'Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (video game)'	Super NES	Action	November 1994	Bits Studios
'Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (video game)'	Sega CD	Action	1994	Psygnosis
'Mickey Mania'	Sega Genesis, Sega CD, Super NES	Platformer	October 1994	Traveller's Tales/Psygnosis
'No Escape (video game)'	Super NES	Action	November 1994	Bits Studios
'Super Battletank 2' (European version)	Super NES	Action	1993	Absolute Entertainment
'Super Bomberman' (European version)	Super NES	Action	November 1993	Hudson Soft
'Skyblazer'	Super NES	Action-adventure	March 16, 1994	Ukiyotei
'Sewer Shark'	Sega CD	Shooter	October 15, 1992	Digital Pictures
'Smart Ball'	Super NES	Action-adventure	March 1992	Game Freak
'Soccer Mania'	Game Boy	Sports	March 1992	Kitty Group Japan
'Solstice (1990 video game)'	(NES)	Puzzle	(June) June 1990	(Software Creations)
'Super Dodge Ball (NES video game)'	(NES)	Sports	(June) June1989	(Technōs Japan)

Games developed

Title	Platform	Genre	Release date	Notes
Jeopardy! Classic	Sega CD, PC	Puzzle	May 22, 1994	Sega CD edition developed in partnership with Absolute
Wheel of Fortune	Sega CD, PC	Strategy	1994	Sega CD edition created collaboratively with Absolute

External links

• Sony Imagesoft company profile at MobyGames