Sony acquires The Persistence developer Firesprite as part of PlayStation Studios
Sony has acquired another studio, with UK-based Firesprite joining PlayStation Studios.
PlayStation Studios has added another developer to its portfolio, with Liverpool-based Firesprite joining the recent acquisitions of Housemarque and Nixxes.
The team, perhaps best known for VR horror title The Persistence and its PS5 optimized version, had already partnered with Sony to work on The Playroom for PS4 and The Playroom VR for PlayStation VR.
According to Sony, “Firesprite will play a critical role in strengthening SIE’s exclusive games catalog in genres outside of PlayStation Studios’ core offerings.”
SonyFiresprite joins PlayStation Studios
Firesprite was initially founded by veterans from Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Studio Liverpool, which closed in 2012. In a post on the PlayStation Blog, the team assures fans that its “just getting started”.
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“At Firesprite, we’re always striving to bring something new to a game or genre and developing for new technologies is a driving force of our passion,” said Graeme Ankers, Managing Director, Firesprite.
“Joining PlayStation Studios will allow us to amplify this passion, working more closely on cutting-edge hardware without any limitations and furthering our studio’s heritage of creativity and technical innovation to offer some truly unique experiences for PlayStation fans.”
“We are delighted to welcome Firesprite into the PlayStation family,” said Jim Ryan, President & CEO, Sony Interactive Entertainment.
“We have a rich history of working with the founders of Firesprite and are excited to grow the PlayStation presence in Liverpool. The portfolio of titles Firesprite has developed has continually demonstrated the team’s ability to transcend traditional gameplay experiences and brilliantly showcase the potential of our hardware.”
Firesprite“Creating quality, state-of-the-art games has always been at the forefront of Firesprite’s work and I’m confident they will push the bar even further as part of PlayStation Studios,” added Hermen Hulst, Head of PlayStation Studios.
“Firesprite’s ability to weave best-in-class gameplay with new technology is exceptional and I think fans will be excited about their creative vision for the future.”
Sony notes that the day-to-day operations of the studio will continue to be run by Firesprite’s existing management team, and that the cost of the acquisition will not be disclosed due to contractual commitments.
The acquisition marks Sony’s third of 2021, following Nixxes and Housemarque. The former has worked on multiple PC ports, while the latter is perhaps best known for the 2021 PS5 exclusive Returnal.
Team Asobi was also formed this year, following the reorganization of Japan Studio.
