Ryan Ellis, the game director of Concord at Firewalk Studios, has stepped down from his position. He is now in a support role within the studio. Ellis announced his shift on August 23.
“Ryan deeply believed in that project and bringing players together through the joy in it,” a former developer said. “Regardless of there being things that could have been done differently throughout development, he’s a good human and full of heart.”
There are growing concerns about the future of Firewalk Studios. Some staff believe the studio might work on other Sony projects.
Others fear layoffs or even the shutdown of the studio. Sony has been asked for more information on the matter. Concord is considered one of the biggest video game failures in PlayStation history.
It launched on August 23 for $40 on PC and PlayStation 5. But it was taken offline just 11 days later. Refunds were given to players.
Concerns about Firewalk Studios’ future
Staff at Firewalk, a 150-person studio bought by Sony, are now unsure about their future. Some staff have been asked to pitch ideas for new games.
Others think they may be moved to help develop another Sony project. Sony’s gaming division has already had big cuts in 2024. In February, the company announced layoffs affecting 900 employees, or about 8% of its global PlayStation workforce.
The layoffs impacted several PlayStation studios, including Insomniac, Naughty Dog, Guerrilla, and Firesprite. PlayStation’s London studio was hit the hardest and may close. Even though Concord failed as a video game, it will be part of Amazon’s Secret Level adult animation series later this year.
Sony still faces tough questions about its live service strategy. This includes upcoming titles like Bungie’s Marathon and Haven’s Fairgame$. Last year, Sony president Hiroki Totoki said the company would launch six of the twelve live service games in development.
But one based on The Last of Us has already been canceled.
