Sony-Owned Firewalk Faces Uncertainty as Game Director Resigns
Concord, a game developed by Firewalk Studios and published by Sony, faced a sudden closure just two weeks after its launch. The game's director, Ryan Ellis, resigned shortly after this decision. This has left the future of the studio and its 150 employees uncertain. Concord's failure is one of the most significant in PlayStation history, with poor sales and low player engagement.
Concord's Rocky Launch
Concord was launched on August 23, 2024, but it failed to meet sales expectations, selling only about 25,000 copies. The number of concurrent players on Steam was also disappointingly low. As a result, Sony decided to pull the game from both physical and online stores just 11 days after its release, offering refunds to all buyers.
Impact on Firewalk Studios
Firewalk Studios, acquired by Sony in 2023, is now facing an uncertain future. While Ellis mentioned that the studio would explore options to revive Concord in some form, the staff remains skeptical. Some believe they might be reassigned to other projects within Sony, while others fear massive layoffs or even the studio's closure.
Sony's Broader Challenges
Sony's gaming division has already undergone significant layoffs in 2024, affecting around 900 employees or 8% of its global workforce. Major studios like Insomniac, Naughty Dog, Guerrilla, and Firesprite were impacted. The London-based PlayStation studio was shut down entirely.
Bungie, another Sony-owned studio, also faced cuts, struggling with the commercial success of Destiny 2. Despite these challenges, Concord's IP will live on through Amazon's animated series, Secret Level.
Future of Sony's Service Games
Sony is currently grappling with tough decisions regarding its service games. Titles like Bungie's Marathon and Haven's Fairgame$ are under scrutiny. Last year, Sony's president, Hiroki Totoki, committed to launching only six out of twelve service games in development, canceling projects like the multiplayer online game The Last of Us.
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