After the troubled launch of Concord, Sony confirmed it’s closing its developer, Firewalk Studios. Firewalk isn’t alone; Neon Koi can also be being closed, and its mobile motion game won’t move forward. The announcement was made in an internal email from CEO Hermen Hulst, shared on Sony Interactive Entertainment’s website. Hulst confirmed that over the past few months, the corporate explored other options for Concord, however the game won’t launch, at the same time as a free-to-play title. As an alternative, the studio has been closed, and the sport is permanently shelved.
This yr has been turbulent for the games industry, with record-setting layoffs and diverse studios forced to shut. The total story behind Concord and Firewalk Studios can be interesting if ever shared, especially since Sony acquired the studio in 2023 from ProbablyMonsters, and its only game was swiftly shut down.
Below is the inner email from Hermen Hulst, CEO of Studio Business Group at Sony Interactive Entertainment, distributed to SIE employees.
Dear Team,
Today, I need to share some vital updates from Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Studio Business Group.
We consistently evaluate our games portfolio and standing of our projects to make sure we’re meeting near and long-term business priorities. As a part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen SIE’s Studio Business, we now have needed to make a difficult decision referring to two of our studios – Neon Koi and Firewalk Studios.
Expanding beyond PlayStation devices and crafting engaging online experiences alongside our single-player games are key focal areas for us as we evolve our revenue streams. We must be strategic, though, in bringing our games to latest platforms and recognize when our games fall wanting meeting player expectations.
While mobile stays a priority growth area for the Studio Business, we’re within the very early stage of our mobile efforts. To attain success on this area we’d like to consider titles which can be in-line with PlayStation Studios’ pedigree and have the potential to succeed in more players globally.
With this re-focused approach, Neon Koi will close, and its mobile motion game won’t be moving forward. I need to specific my gratitude to everyone at Neon Koi for his or her labor and countless passion to innovate.
Regarding Firewalk, as announced in early September (An Vital Update on Concord), certain elements of Concord were exceptional, but others didn’t land with enough players, and consequently we took the sport offline. Now we have spent considerable time these past few months exploring all our options.
After much thought, we now have determined the perfect path forward is to permanently sunset the sport and shut the studio. I need to thank all of Firewalk for his or her craftsmanship, creative spirit and dedication.
The PvP first person shooter genre is a competitive space that’s repeatedly evolving, and unfortunately, we didn’t hit our targets with this title. We’ll take the teachings learned from Concord and proceed to advance our live service capabilities to deliver future growth on this area.
I do know none of this is straightforward news to listen to, particularly with colleagues and friends departing SIE. Each decisions got serious thought, and ultimately, we feel they’re the fitting ones to strengthen the organization. Neon Koi and Firewalk were home to many talented individuals, and we are going to work to search out placement for a few of those impacted inside our global community of studios where possible.
I’m a giant believer in the advantages of embracing creative experimentation and developing latest IP. Nonetheless, growing through sustainable financials, especially in a challenged economic environment is critical.
While today is a difficult day, there’s much to stay up for within the months ahead from the Studio Business Group and our teams. I remain confident that we’re constructing a resilient and capable organization driven by creating unforgettable entertainment experiences for our players.
Thanks to your continued support.
