Firewalk Studios, the Sony-owned developer behind ill-fated PlayStation shooter Harmony, has been shut down, and the sport will stay completely offline regardless of earlier solutions it may return. Sony’s mobile-focused developer Neon Koi has additionally been closed.
Sony confirmed Firewalk’s closure in a publish on its web site, sharing an electronic mail from Sony Interactive Leisure boss Hermen Hulst despatched to the corporate’s workers earlier as we speak. “We persistently consider our video games portfolio and standing of our tasks to make sure we’re assembly close to and long-term enterprise priorities,” Hulst wrote. “As a part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen SIE’s Studio Enterprise, we’ve got needed to make a troublesome choice relating to 2 of our studios – Neon Koi and Firewalk Studios.”
“Increasing past PlayStation gadgets and crafting participating on-line experiences alongside our single-player video games are key focal areas for us as we evolve our income streams,” Hulst added. “We must be strategic, although, in bringing our video games to new platforms and recognise when our video games fall wanting assembly participant expectations.”
“Sure features of Harmony had been distinctive,” Hulst continued, “however others didn’t land with sufficient gamers, and consequently we took the sport offline. Now we have spent appreciable time these previous few months exploring all our choices… After a lot thought, we’ve got decided the most effective path ahead is to completely sundown the sport and shut the studio. I wish to thank all of Firewalk for his or her craftsmanship, artistic spirit and dedication.”
“The PvP first particular person shooter style is a aggressive house that is constantly evolving, and sadly, we didn’t hit our targets with this title,” Hulst wrote. “We’ll take the teachings realized from Harmony and proceed to advance our dwell service capabilities to ship future progress on this space.”
Harmony has been offline because the begin of September, when it was pulled from sale simply two weeks after its PS5 and PC launch, amid solutions it had offered lower than 25,00 copies. On the time, Sony stated the sport would stay offline indefinitely so Firewalk may “decide the most effective path forward” and “discover choices, together with these that may higher attain our gamers.” Later that very same month, it was reported Harmony recreation director Ryan Ellis had stepped down and that remaining workers at Firewalk Studios had been in limbo whereas they await Sony’s choice on the way forward for the sport.
Firewalk – which employed 150-170 individuals – was acquired by Sony final 12 months, as a part of a large live-service push beneath former PlayStation boss Jim Ryan.
Along with Firewalk’s closure, Hulst introduced Sony is shutting down its mobile-focused Neon Koi studio (formally Save Sport Studios) and cancelling its motion recreation. “Cellular stays a precedence progress space”, Hulst insisted in his electronic mail to workers, “[but] we have to focus on titles which can be in-line with PlayStation Studios’ pedigree and have the potential to achieve extra gamers globally… I wish to specific my gratitude to everybody at Neon Koi for his or her laborious work and infinite ardour to innovate.”
“I do know none of that is straightforward information to listen to, significantly with colleagues and buddies departing SIE,” Hulst continued. “Each selections got severe thought, and in the end, we really feel they’re the suitable ones to strengthen the organisation. Neon Koi and Firewalk had been dwelling to many gifted people, and we’ll work to search out placement for a few of these impacted inside our international group of studios the place attainable.
“I’m an enormous believer in the advantages of embracing artistic experimentation and growing new IP. Nevertheless, rising by way of sustainable financials, particularly in a challenged financial atmosphere is important. “
“Whereas as we speak is a troublesome day, there’s a lot to look ahead to within the months forward from the Studio Enterprise Group and our groups. I stay assured that we’re constructing a resilient and succesful group pushed by creating unforgettable leisure experiences for our gamers. ”
