Sony has officially acquired Firewalk Studios, a growing independent developer which is currently working on its first original AAA multiplayer game. This title was previously being developed ‘in partnership’ with Sony – but now, it appears this relationship has taken another step forward.
Firewalk will join a long list of formerly independent studios now under the PlayStation Studios banner. In recent years, Sony has also snapped up a range of other developers including: Bungie, Bluepoint Games, Fabrik Games, Firesprite, Haven Studios, and Savage Game Studios.
‘Firewalk is home to a remarkably talented team of creatives who have launched some of gaming’s most celebrated experiences, and they’re already hard at work on their first original AAA multiplayer game for PlayStation,’ Hermen Hulst, head of PlayStation Studios said of the acquisition.
‘Since announcing our publishing partnership with ProbablyMonsters and Firewalk in 2021, we continue to be impressed by the team’s ambitions to build a modern multiplayer game that connects players in new and innovative ways. The studio shares our passion for creating inspiring worlds grounded in exceptional gameplay, and we want to continue to invest in their mission.’
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Tony Hsu and Ryan Ellis of Firewalk Studios were similarly enthusiastic. The pair established Firewalk just five years ago, with a view to create a studio based on ‘shared moments of joy’ and their positive experiences working in the games industry.
In a joint statement, the pair made clear that while the road hasn’t been easy, the studio has been able to rely on a number of partners in its journey – including ProbablyMonsters, and now Sony.
‘We’ve assembled some of the most inspired talent in the industry to deliver awe-inspiring new worlds and experiences filled with great core gameplay. The excitement of building something new for players has thoroughly energized the team and our partners, and we’ve been playtesting every day,’ Hsu and Ellis said.
‘We’ve worked closely with Hermen and the very talented team at PlayStation for years, helping to make our new game even better. To join PlayStation Studios is to formally become part of a family that has produced many of the most storied games of our age, and we are honoured.’
We’ll likely hear more about Firewalk’s in-development AAA multiplayer game in the coming months and years, as work ramps up under the watchful eyes of Sony.
