Sony is very happy that outside developer Firewalk Studios is working on an as yet unannounced game and has decided to acquire this development studio in unison with the game in progress I don't know much about Firewalk, which was founded in 2018, I do know that they were working on a live service game of some sort.

Sony Interactive Entertainment had previously locked down Firewalk's debut title for themselves. That was in 2021 (open in new tab), but two years later, Sony apparently liked Firewalk's work so much that they decided to nip in the bud any doubts about Firewalk titles being removed from the first-party shield in the future. firewalk is PlayStation Studios' 20th development team.

Firewalk is currently a studio of nearly 150 developers, but in its early days it was led by Bungie veterans, most notably Tony Hsu, who was senior vice president of "Destiny" at Activision, and Ryan Ellis, who was creative director at Bungie. and Ryan Ellis, who had been creative director at Bungie.

Jim Ryan, CEO and President of Sony Interactive Entertainment, had this to say: "Firewalk Studios is led by an experienced, world-class team with a deep passion for creating great multiplayer games that foster memorable, shared experiences. Firewalk Studios is led by a world-class team of experienced professionals with a deep passion for creating exceptional multiplayer games that foster memorable shared experiences. We are also confident that their expertise in live services and technology will help us expand the reach of PlayStation."

Ryan's characteristically tight-lipped response doesn't tell us much. That big company likes to acquire expertise in services and technology.

"We've assembled some of the most inspiring talent in the industry to bring you awe-inspiring new worlds and experiences filled with great core gameplay. The excitement of creating something new for our players has thoroughly energized our team and partners, and we playtest every day," Firewalk's Hsu said of the acquisition.

Meanwhile, Hermen Hulst, head of PlayStation Studios, reiterated that Sony was impressed with what Firewalk is doing in the multiplayer space.

"We continue to be impressed by the team's ambition to create state-of-the-art multiplayer games that connect players in new and innovative ways. The studio shares our passion for creating inspiring worlds backed by exceptional gameplay, and we look forward to continuing to invest in their mission," Hulst said.

So for those of you who are keeping an eye on the game studio, keep an eye on this studio.