That is to say, in good faith and off the back of a relatively successful launch for the PS5 exclusive, Returnal, Sony has dug into its pockets and offered developer Housemarque a permanent spot in its stable of first-party studios, adding to an already impressive livery.

And in the wake of Microsoft's five-year spending spree that now sees the Green Goliath as a major platform exclusives provider for gamers, Sony had to show some sense of bolstering its own stocks. If only to maybe take a potential target off the market lest Microsoft flick out one of its all-buying tentacles in the Housemarque direction. (It wouldn't happen, Sony fanpeeps, just playing with the tentacled theme of Returnal's Lovecraftian world.)

Here's the media brief on the deed to that house stuck on Atropos:

With the recent release of the hugely popular PlayStation 5 exclusive Returnal, Housemarque evolved its trademark style gameplay by weaving a haunting narrative into a 3D bullet-hell shooter. Based in Helsinki, Finland, Housemarque will join the global development operation of PlayStation Studios and will be the 13th studio to join the PlayStation Studios family.

“Housemarque has flexed its creative palette on a wide range of PlayStation games over the years that have continually showcased the power of our hardware,” said Jim Ryan, President & CEO, Sony Interactive Entertainment. “The addition of Housemarque to PlayStation Studios reiterates our commitment to elevating the best development teams in the industry and delivering new experiences that can only be found on the PlayStation platform.”

“With a proven track record of creating original games that feature best-in-class gameplay, Housemarque is a highly-accomplished studio and we couldn’t be more thrilled to officially welcome them to the PlayStation Studios family,” said Hermen Hulst, Head of PlayStation Studios. “With its gripping gameplay, haunting story and unforgiving world, Returnal has captivated the PlayStation audience and we’re looking forward to working alongside the team to bring to life their ambitious creative vision on future projects.”

“After more than 15 years of successfully collaborating, we’re excited to amplify our potential even further and join PlayStation Studios,” said Ilari Kuittinen, Co-founder and Managing Director, Housemarque. “Returnal is a testament to our strong relationship with PlayStation Studios and the organisation believing in us to take a risk and give us the freedom to explore our creativity and develop something unique. We can’t wait to bring PlayStation fans more fresh, new experiences.”

The day-to-day operations will continue to be run by Housemarque’s current management team in conjunction with PlayStation Studios External Development team. Terms of this transaction including the acquisition cost are not disclosed due to contractual commitments.

So there you go, Returnal will definitely be back for more jokes that play on its name and that concept, in repeated form. But seriously, this is a very good get for old Sones, marque our words.