Kotaku reports that Firewalk’s Ryan Ellis has stepped down from his role as game director at the studio.
After the shutdown of its debut project Concord, Ellis has reportedly moved into a “support role” at the PlayStation studio. An interim or replacement director was not listed, and the outlet claims Firewalk staff are unsure what the future holds for the studio.
PlayStation pulled the plug on Concord just two weeks after launch, with Ellis stating it “didn’t land the way we intended.” He added that Firewalk and Sony would “explore options” to improve and potentially revive the game.
However, sources speaking to Kotaku claim Sony is still deciding how to proceed, with some suggesting the sci-fi shooter is essentially dead. Firewalk staff have reportedly been asked to begin pitching new projects.
There’s also speculation that Firewalk may be turned into a support studio for other first-party teams, while some fear that mass layoffs could be on the horizon. Sources told Kotaku that some employees have begun updating their portfolios in anticipation of those cuts, while others have preemptively departed the studio.
The history of Firewalk and PlayStation so far
Sony acquired Firewalk in 2023 following a publishing agreement the two companies struck in 2021. At the time, Sony was looking to make inroads into the live-service market, which fueled its acquisition of Bungie in 2022 and decision to pursue several multiplayer projects.
Since then, many of those live-service games have been shelved or scrapped. The future of Bungie is currently in flux.
As for Firewalk, sources told Kotaku the acquisition was allegedly one of the more expensive PlayStation studios on a per-head basis, further fueling speculation of a shutdown.
Amidst all of this, the same sources extended their sympathies to Ellis, who they said became “too emotional” to speak during a team all-hands before Concord’s end.
“Ryan deeply believed in that project,” said one former developer. “Regardless of there being things that could have been done differently throughout development…he’s a good human, and full of heart.”
Kotaku’s full report on Firewalk and Concord can be read here.