Media Molecule focusing on "new, risky innovations"

LittleBigPlanet developer Media Molecule poured cash into developing brand new products last year, in an effort to address its reliance on its PlayStation platforming franchise.

The Sony-owned Guildford studio's annual director's report, dug up by Develop, explained that its main business risks came "largely as a result of the company's heavy reliance on the one LittleBigPlanet brand name."

Duly, it's been spending big on new projects. According to the report, it made £3.44 million in profit during 2011 but spent £4.1 million on research and development.

"It is vital for Media Molecule to focus a high proportion of its resources on R&D to allow it to maintain its world leading position as a developer of innovative games," read the report.

The studio added that it must "remain at the forefront of technological advances, and must bring new and often risky innovations to market in products of the highest quality."

The report referenced significant investments in "leading edge physics and dynamics, rapid world creation from laser data, innovative routes to market via web based interfaces, 3D stereo-optics for advanced simulation, and use of 'hi-def' data capture and processing techniques."

The studio has already confirmed it has no plans to make a third LittleBigPlanet game, with responsibility for the impending Vita title passing to Double Eleven and Tarsier Studios.

Back in July last year, technical director Alex Evans explained the studio's decision to step away from the franchise that made its name.

"The point is, we're no longer a one threaded company," he said.

"That's really difficult for us, but we're doing it to keep it fresh. Because if you do the same thing all of the time single-threadedly, and that's it, you do end up getting stale.

"So what we've tried to do is almost pile things on. But as anyone knows who's worked in a growing studio, that's a dangerous place to go."

It hasn't yet confirmed the identity of its next project/s.