Sony announced last Tuesday (29) the closure of two of its game studios, Neon Koi and Firewalk Studios , both recently acquired. The measure is part of a strategic restructuring of the company. The CEO of Sony's studios division, Hermen Hulst, explained that the decision aims to align the company's resources with its business priorities, both in the short and long term.
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Neon Koi, a mobile game developer, and Firewalk Studios, the developer of "Concord ," have both permanently shut down. The game, released in August and budgeted at US$400 million, underperformed and was pulled shortly after. In an official statement, Sony stated that the decision to close the studios was made after a detailed analysis of the projects' portfolio and performance.
Firewalk Studios ends after the failure of “Concord”
The decision to close Firewalk Studios is directly related to the performance of "Concord." The title was launched to compete in the highly competitive hero shooter market. However, the game failed to attract a solid player base. In a statement, Sony stated that, despite certain innovative aspects, the game failed to achieve its projected goals.
Hermen Hulst publicly thanked the Firewalk team for their commitment and dedication, highlighting the production company's creative spirit. He said the decision, while difficult, was necessary to preserve the company's resource efficiency. "We will take the lessons learned from Concord and continue to enhance our live service capabilities to drive future growth ," Sony commented.
Neon Koi: Revised Strategy for the Mobile Market
Neon Koi, a mobile game development company, also ceased operations. The company, which recently began expanding into this sector, states that the mobile gaming market remains a priority, but that it will focus on titles more aligned with the core values of PlayStation Studios. With this, Sony hopes to reach a wider and more diverse audience.
In an official statement, the company emphasized that, while the mobile market is promising, projects must align with the PlayStation Studios vision. "We are in the early stages of our mobile efforts, and we need to focus on games that match the PlayStation Studios pedigree and can reach a global audience ," the company explained.
These decisions are part of a broad restructuring Sony has been implementing across its gaming divisions. According to the company, the adjustments aim to prepare the studios for a constantly evolving market, thus reinforcing its commitment to experiences that deliver long-term growth.
