Firesprite (also known as Firesprite Games) is a British game developer based in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. A subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Firesprite operates under PlayStation Studios.
Comprised of former employees from the defunct Studio Liverpool (also known as Psygnosis), Firesprite was founded in 2012 following Studio Liverpool's closure earlier that year. The studio's first years were spent working with Sony for companion and mobile titles. Firesprite maintained a working relationship with Sony, and in the following years shifted focus on virtual reality titles, including development for Sony's PlayStation VR headset; in 2018 Firesprite released and self-published The Persistence as its first retail title.
In September 2021, Firesprite was acquired by Sony. As part of PlayStation Studios, Firesprite's first announced and released project was the Horizon spin-off Horizon Call of the Mountain, developed with series creator Guerrilla Games. As of 2023, the studio is currently working on a horror adventure game and a multiplayer title.
Firesprite received praise for its VR-focused titles, with generally positive reviews towards both The Persistence and Horizon Call of the Mountain for their technical capabilities and gameplay foundations.
History[]
2012 - 2016: Foundation, early projects[]
Firesprite's original logo from its foundation until 2021.
Firesprite was founded in 2012 by Graeme Ankers, Lee Carus, Chris Roberts, Stuart Tilley, and Stuart Lovegrove; the five individuals were veterans who worked at the Sony-owned studio Psygnosis until its closure that year. Firesprite's first work was providing additional art assistance to Japan Studio and Team Asobi's The Playroom, a 2013 launch title for the PlayStation 4, meant to demonstrate the console's camera.
In 2014, Firesprite released Run Sackboy! Run!, a free to play endless runner based on Sony's LittleBigPlanet franchise; the title was released for PlayStation Vita and mobile devices supporting iOS and Android. Run Sackboy! Run! received generally mixed reviews for its repetition and lack of substance, but also gained favor for being free and its enjoyment value.
In 2016, Firesprite returned to similar support work for Team Asobi's The Playroom VR, a follow-up to The Playroom using the then-newly released PlayStation VR headset. The Playroom VR would be Firesprite's final Sony-published title until the studio's acquisition in 2021.
2016 - 2021: Independent endeavors[]
In March 2017, Firesprite announced its first major project, The Persistence VR, a self-published virtual reality first-person horror game launching exclusively for Sony's PlayStation VR headset.[1] It received generally favorable reviews upon its release in July 2018.[2]
In early 2019, Firesprite entered a partnership with Star Citizen developer Cloud Imperium Games to work on a multiplayer mode called Theaters of War. The partnership would be officially confirmed in March 2021.[3] By April 2022, Firesprite concluded its work on Theaters of War, with the remainder of development shifting to Cloud Imperium.[4]
In March 2020, Firesprite announced its intention to release a modified, flat-screened version of The Persistence for all available consoles and personal computers.[5] It was released in May of that year, receiving mixed to positive reviews.[6] A remaster for ninth-generation consoles called The Persistence Enhanced was released the following year.[7]
2021 - current: Expansion, acquisition by Sony[]
In September 2021, Sony announced its acquisition of Firesprite. According to PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst, Firesprite was acquired to bolster Sony's game catalogue outside of its "core offerings". At the time of the acquisition, Firesprite numbered 250 employees, and was said to be working on a cinematic adventure title and a multiplayer shooter game[8], the latter's development getting discontinued by August 2022.[9] On September 29, Firesprite announced its intentions to buy Fabrik Games, which increased the the studio's headcount to 265.[10]
In January 2022, Firesprite was announced as the co-developer of the virtual title Horizon Call of the Mountain, alongside its sister studio Guerrilla Games,[11] and the game was released in February 2023 to favorable reviews.[12] The same month of Call of the Mountain's announcement, it was reported that Firesprite took over a Twisted Metal reboot project from Lucid Games, though neither Firesprite or Sony commented on the reports.[13]
In July 2023, Firesprite moved to a new office within Liverpool.[14]
In February 2024, Firesprite was named as one of several studios to be impacted by a significant layoff round of roughly 900 employees at Sony Interactive Entertainment. As a result, one of the studio's projects, a multiplayer-focused revival of the Twisted Metal, was cancelled after spending several years in pre-production.[15]
Controversies[]
Workplace misconduct accusations[]
In February 2024, Eurogamer published an investigation into Firesprite's workplace culture. The publication noted from its sources that the studio suffered high employee attrition including several high-profile exits and "all but one" of Firesprite's co-founders leaving. Eurogamer also reported sexual discrimination and ageism conducted by XDev veterans who were brought to help the studio; internal Sony investigations dismissed the incidents as "misunderstanding".[16]
Relationship with other studios[]
PlayStation Studios[]
Firesprite has been a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment's PlayStation Studios division since September 2021.
Guerrilla Games[]
Firesprite collaborated with Guerrilla Games on the 2023 PlayStation VR2 game Horizon Call of the Mountain, based on Guerrilla's Horizon franchise. Firesprite focused on technical aspects of the title, while Guerrilla provided creative input and direction.
Team Asobi[]
Firesprite provided support and additional art for The Playroom by Team Asobi, then a division within Japan Studio. Firesprite was commissioned for a similar role in Asobi's virtual reality follow-up, The Playroom VR.
Defunct[]
Japan Studio[]
Firesprite worked with Japan Studio through Team Asobi on The Playroom and The Playroom VR.
London Studio[]
Firesprite and Guerrilla collaborated with London Studio during the development of Horizon Call of the Mountain.
Games developed[]
Primary developer[]
| Game title | Release | Platform | Additional notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Run Sackboy! Run | 2014 | PlayStation Vita, Mobile (iOS, Android) | Published by PlayStation Mobile |
| Horizon Call of the Mountain | 2023 | PlayStation 5 (PlayStation VR2) | Co-developed with Guerrilla Games |
| Untitled adventure video game[17] | TBA | PlayStation 5 | n / a |
Other projects[]
| Game title | Release | Platform | Additional notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Playroom | 2012 | PlayStation 4 | Additional art |
| The Playroom VR | 2016 | PlayStation 4 (PlayStation VR) | Additional art |
Cancelled projects[]
| Game title | Genre | Platform | Additional notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Untitled Twisted Metal game | Vehicular combat | PlayStation 5 |
References[]
- ↑ https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/firesprite-announces-sci-fi-horror-game-persistence
- ↑ https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/the-persistence-vr/critic-reviews
- ↑ https://www.firesprite.com/news/2021/03/cloud-imperium-games-and-firesprite-unveil-development-partnership-for-star-citizen-multiplayer-mode/
- ↑ https://robertsspaceindustries.com/spectrum/community/SC/forum/3/thread/roadmap-roundup-april-27th-2022/5038588
- ↑ https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/9/21171332/the-persistence-coming-to-ps4-pc-switch-xbox-one-after-being-psvr-exclusive-for-two-years
- ↑ https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/the-persistence
- ↑ https://gamingbolt.com/the-persistence-enhanced-launches-june-4th
- ↑ Why PlayStation is buying Firesprite, one of the UK's fastest growing studios, GamesIndustry. Dring, Christopher.
- ↑ https://www.resetera.com/threads/playstation-studios-ot30-every-day-we-stray-closer-to-ragnar%C3%B6k.609897/post-92717170
- ↑ https://www.gamesindustry.biz/firesprite-acquires-fabrik-games
- ↑ https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/gaming-news/horizon-call-of-the-mountain-revealed-as-a-psvr2-exclusive-from-guerrilla-3131152
- ↑ https://www.gamespot.com/articles/review-roundup-for-horizon-call-of-the-mountain/1100-6511586/
- ↑ https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/sonys-firesprite-takes-over-twisted-metal-as-motorstorm-director-is-hired/
- ↑ https://www.firesprite.com/news/2023/07/firesprite-unveil-new-studio-space/
- ↑ https://www.ign.com/articles/sony-reportedly-cancels-twisted-metal-live-service-game-as-part-of-mass-layoffs
- ↑ https://www.eurogamer.net/sony-studio-firesprite-has-been-shedding-talent-amidst-accusations-of-toxic-culture-staff-say
- ↑ https://www.gamesradar.com/playstation-studio-firesprite-is-making-a-horror-game-in-unreal-engine-5/
| Firesprite |
|---|
| Sony Interactive Entertainment - PlayStation Studios Related Guerrilla Games - Team Asobi Main Developer
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