Former Naughty Dog Game Director Bruce Straley, who worked on The Last of Us and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, said Sony is being “EXTREMELY short-sighted” by shutting down Firewalk Studios, the developer of Concord.
A screenshot from Concord (2024), Firewalk Studios
Sony announced it was shutting down Firewalk Studios in a post to its website with PlayStation Studios Head Herman Hulst writing, ” As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen SIE’s Studio Business, we have had to make a difficult decision relating to two of our studios – Neon Koi and Firewalk Studios.”
Speaking specifically to Firewalk Studios, he said, “Regarding Firewalk, as announced in early September (An Important Update on Concord), certain aspects of Concord were exceptional, but others did not land with enough players, and as a result we took the game offline. We have spent considerable time these past few months exploring all our options. After much thought, we have determined the best path forward is to permanently sunset the game and close the studio. I want to thank all of Firewalk for their craftsmanship, creative spirit and dedication.”
A screenshot of the character Bazz in Concord (2024), Firewalk Studios
Hulst then added, “The PvP first person shooter genre is a competitive space that’s continuously evolving, and unfortunately, we did not hit our targets with this title. We will take the lessons learned from Concord and continue to advance our live service capabilities to deliver future growth in this area.”
“I know none of this is easy news to hear, particularly with colleagues and friends departing SIE. Both decisions were given serious thought, and ultimately, we feel they are the right ones to strengthen the organization,” Hulst continued. “Neon Koi and Firewalk were home to many talented individuals, and we will work to find placement for some of those impacted within our global community of studios where possible.”
A screenshot from Concord (2024), Firewalk Studios
Hulst then concluded, “I am a big believer in the benefits of embracing creative experimentation and developing new IP. However, growing through sustainable financials, especially in a challenged economic environment is critical.”
“While today is a difficult day, there is much to look forward to in the months ahead from the Studio Business Group and our teams. I remain confident that we are building a resilient and capable organization driven by creating unforgettable entertainment experiences for our players,” he finished.
A screenshot from Concord (2024), Firewalk Studios
The closure of Firewalk Studios came after Concord Game Director Ryan Ellis announced the game was going to be taken offline less than two weeks after the game’s release.
Ellis wrote at the same time, “At this time, we have decided to take the game offline beginning September 6, 2024, and explore options, including those that will better reach our players.”
He also shared that the company will be offering full refunds, “While we determine the best path ahead, Concord sales will cease immediately and we will begin to offer a full refund for all gamers who have purchased the game for PS5 or PC. If you purchased the game for PlayStation 5 from the PlayStation Store or PlayStation Direct, a refund will be issued back to your original payment method.”
A screenshot from Concord (2024), Firewalk Studios
Straley reacted to Sony shutting down Firewalk Studios writing on X, “I think it’s EXTREMELY short-sighted & irresponsible to let Firewalk studios (or any studio that’s shipped a game) go. The work it takes to build a team, tools, culture, IP & ship a game is invaluable, and severely underestimated, when the finance dept is driving decisions.”
Bruce Straley on X
In a subsequent post, he added, “Love the discourse & persp’s. Too many thoughts to follow up here, but as a person building a new studio, new IP, a new team & tools to get a game out & coming from a legacy studio like ND w years of tools & talent, it’s just hard for me to endorse a full closure.”
He concluded, “I understand the financial risk & branding issues. I do not think those issues are unsolvable. The experience this team has now is invaluable. Uncharted 2 would not have been what it was had Uncharted 1 not missed the mark. It can be good for a team to have something to prove!”
Bruce Straley on X
Straley would also share his thoughts in various responses to other individuals. When one person pointed out how Firewalk “wasted 300+ million on a game that died on launch and had all copies refunded,” Straley replied, “Fair point. But it’s an easy out that undermines your investment & long-term portfolio.”
He added, “It also erodes trust with a publisher’s (MS or Sony) other dev relationships. Pretty sure other studios are feeling the pressure now & it’s super hard to be creative w an axe over your head.”
Bruce Straley on X
To another individual, he said, “It’s a waste of infrastructure AND talent. Dunno if Concord needed more time, it might be a flop. And that’s ok. The team has learned INVALUABLE LESSONS no one else can theorize or talk about. The EXPERIENCE they now collectively have, IS the investment.”
Bruce Straley on X
Straley also shared his opinion that he believes a lot of corporate decisions are “being driven by fear & quarterly earnings reports atm.”
He then questioned, “Who is going to be the vision holder for long-term portfolio strategy?”
Bruce Straley on X
In response to one individual who suggested they should have replaced the company leadership, but also suggested the company could not have been saved due to a horrible culture, Straley said, “I don’t put 100% of the blame on the leadership of Firewalk. They were able to build a team, build an IP, sell a studio & keep the lights on for several years AND ship an extremely complicated piece of tech. That’s not nothing. Respect!”
Bruce Straley on X
When another individual questioned the talent of the team at Firewalk, Straley replied, “You doubt they’re talented? That’s a ridiculous statement. The game might not have been unique & the strategy to enter a saturated market (on console for $40 no less) is not ideal. But objectively, the quality & talent of the team is clear to see. Give the devs some credit man.”
Bruce Straley on X
Another person countered Straley stating, “On the other hand, it is extremely short-sighted & irresponsible for a studio to be given trust, a big budget, and the freedom to make a game and you fail to manage your budget and communicate your problems. This is a business and not a charity.”
Straley replied, “Sure. The difference is I don’t think the studio should be punished for bad decisions their investors made. (I’m not just referring to Firewalk – I’m referring to the way the industry is being run at large). Jim Ryan made mistakes, that gives them the right to shut a studio down?”
Bruce Straley on X
When one individual suggested just the art directors and consultants and mangers should have been fired, Straley replied, “Design is correctable & iterative. Art is malleable. Team, culture, communication & tools are invaluable!”
Bruce Straley on X
One person shared, “Their brand became toxic. Any game they work on next would be fairly or unfairly tied to Concord. At best they would need an under the radar rebranding. Not sure you can put 100-200 million into the hopes that gamers don’t have a long memory. Hard to do in this climate.”
Straley replied, “I disagree. But to your point, rebranding is easy – and good games speak for themselves. Teams are harder to build than games. An experienced team is the value of a company.”
Bruce Straley on X
What do you make of Straley’s comments and his belief that shuttering Firewalk Studios was short-sighted?
