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PlayStation Studios has acquired AAA multiplayer game developer Firewalk Studios from ProbablyMonsters Inc. for an undisclosed sum.
Firewalk was formed in 2018 in Bellevue, Washington as part of ProbablyMonsters, an independent game company set up by ex-Bungie CEO Harold Ryan. Its team is led by Tony Hsu (Destiny) and Ryan Ellis (Destiny 2).
It is the latest in a string of video game studio acquisitions by the firm which includes other big industry names like Insomniac Games, Housemarque, Bluepoint Games and Bungie. PlayStation has said that Firewalk is hard at work on a brand new AAA multiplayer game for PlayStation 5, which will be part of a “new generation of live service experiences”.
PlayStation Studios had already announced that they would publish Firewalk Studios’ next multiplayer title back in April 2021 on both PS5 and PC. It is currently unknown if the upcoming title will still be coming to PC now that PlayStation own the studio, but the publisher has seen some success on the platform in recent history, so it’s not unlikely.
“Firewalk Studios is led by a world-class team that is highly experienced and deeply passionate about creating exceptional multiplayer games that foster memorable shared experiences,” said Jim Ryan, president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment. “I’m confident the studio’s upcoming project will be a robust addition to PlayStation Studios’ portfolio, and its live service and technology expertise will be instrumental in helping grow PlayStation’s reach.”
“We’re thrilled to expand upon our collaborative relationship with Firewalk Studios and formally welcome the team to PlayStation Studios,” said Hermen Hulst, Head of PlayStation Studios. “We’ve had the privilege of working with ProbablyMonsters and Firewalk for several years and our teams share the same ambition to create meaningful experiences for gamers. Firewalk’s innovative approach to connected storytelling and its commitment to high-quality gameplay continues to exceed our expectations. I think fans will be very pleased when they see what Firewalk has in store for them.”
“We’ve assembled an amazing team at Firewalk Studios, built specifically to bring memorable multiplayer experiences to players around the world,” added Hsu. “SIE has supported our team’s vision from the beginning and with the incredible creative power of the PlayStation Studios ecosystem. This exciting next step will help us transform that vision into a reality.”
After its acquisition, Firewalk’s team of almost 150 employees will continue to be led by its existing management team, who will work alongside PlayStation Studios’ External Development team.
Sony, ProbablyMonsters and Firewalk have not disclosed what the exact terms or really any further details of the studio acquisition are at this time, citing ‘contractual commitments’.
