Firesprite

Studio logo since 2021

**Firesprite** (also known as **Firesprite Games**) is a British game developer based in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. A subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Firesprite operates under PlayStation Studios.

Comprised of former employees from the defunct Studio Liverpool (also known as Psygnosis), Firesprite was founded in 2012 following Studio Liverpool's closure earlier that year. The studio's first years were spent working with Sony for companion and mobile titles. Firesprite maintained a working relationship with Sony, and in the following years shifted focus on virtual reality titles, including development for Sony's PlayStation VR headset; in 2018 Firesprite released and self-published *The Persistence* as its first retail title.

In September 2021, Firesprite was acquired by Sony. As part of PlayStation Studios, Firesprite's first announced and released project was the *Horizon* spin-off *Horizon Call of the Mountain*, developed with series creator Guerrilla Games. As of 2023, the studio is currently working on a horror adventure game and a multiplayer title.

Firesprite received praise for its VR-focused titles, with generally positive reviews towards both *The Persistence* and *Horizon Call of the Mountain* for their technical capabilities and gameplay foundations.

## History

### 2012 - 2016: Foundation, early projects

Firesprite was founded in 2012 by Graeme Ankers, Lee Carus, Chris Roberts, Stuart Tilley, and Stuart Lovegrove; the five individuals were veterans who worked at the Sony-owned studio Psygnosis until its closure that year. Firesprite's first work was providing additional art assistance to Japan Studio and Team Asobi's *The Playroom*, a 2013 launch title for the PlayStation 4, meant to demonstrate the console's camera.

In 2014, Firesprite released *Run Sackboy! Run!*, a free to play endless runner based on Sony's *LittleBigPlanet* franchise; the title was released for PlayStation Vita and mobile devices supporting iOS and Android. *Run Sackboy! Run!* received generally mixed reviews for its repetition and lack of substance, but also gained favor for being free and its enjoyment value.

In 2016, Firesprite returned to similar support work for Team Asobi's *The Playroom VR*, a follow-up to *The Playroom* using the then-newly released PlayStation VR headset. *The Playroom VR* would be Firesprite's final Sony-published title until the studio's acquisition in 2021.

### 2016 - 2021: Independent endeavors

In March 2017, Firesprite announced its first major project, *The Persistence VR*, a self-published virtual reality first-person horror game launching exclusively for Sony's PlayStation VR headset. It received generally favorable reviews upon its release in July 2018.

In early 2019, Firesprite entered a partnership with *Star Citizen* developer Cloud Imperium Games to work on a multiplayer mode called *Theaters of War*. The partnership would be officially confirmed in March 2021. By April 2022, Firesprite concluded its work on *Theaters of War*, with the remainder of development shifting to Cloud Imperium.

In March 2020, Firesprite announced its intention to release a modified, flat-screened version of *The Persistence* for all available consoles and personal computers. It was released in May of that year, receiving mixed to positive reviews. A remaster for ninth-generation consoles called *The Persistence Enhanced* was released the following year.

### 2021 - current: Expansion, acquisition by Sony

In September 2021, Sony announced its acquisition of Firesprite. According to PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst, Firesprite was acquired to bolster Sony's game catalogue outside of its "core offerings". At the time of the acquisition, Firesprite numbered 250 employees, and was said to be working on a cinematic adventure title and a multiplayer shooter game, the latter's development getting discontinued by August 2022. On September 29, Firesprite announced its intentions to buy Fabrik Games, which increased the the studio's headcount to 265.

In January 2022, Firesprite was announced as the co-developer of the virtual title *Horizon Call of the Mountain*, alongside its sister studio Guerrilla Games, and the game was released in February 2023 to favorable reviews. The same month of *Call of the Mountain*'s announcement, it was reported that Firesprite took over a *Twisted Metal* reboot project from Lucid Games, though neither Firesprite or Sony commented on the reports.

In July 2023, Firesprite moved to a new office within Liverpool.

## Relationship with other studios

### PlayStation Studios

Firesprite has been a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment's PlayStation Studios division since September 2021.

#### Guerrilla Games

Firesprite collaborated with Guerrilla Games on the 2023 PlayStation VR2 game *Horizon Call of the Mountain*, based on Guerrilla's *Horizon* franchise. Firesprite focused on technical aspects of the title, while Guerrilla provided creative input and direction.

#### London Studio

Firesprite and Guerrilla collaborated with London Studio during the development of *Horizon Call of the Mountain*.

#### Team Asobi

Firesprite provided support and additional art for Team Asobi's *The Playroom*. Firesprite was commissioned for a similar role in Asobi's virtual reality follow-up, *The Playroom VR*.

## Games developed

### Primary developer

 Untitled multiplayer video game | TBA | PlayStation 5 | n / a

### Other projects

 *The Playroom VR* | 2016 | PlayStation 4 (PlayStation VR) | Additional art

## References

1. ↑ https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/firesprite-announces-sci-fi-horror-game-persistence
2. ↑ https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/the-persistence-vr/critic-reviews
3. ↑ https://www.firesprite.com/news/2021/03/cloud-imperium-games-and-firesprite-unveil-development-partnership-for-star-citizen-multiplayer-mode/
4. ↑ https://robertsspaceindustries.com/spectrum/community/SC/forum/3/thread/roadmap-roundup-april-27th-2022/5038588
5. ↑ https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/9/21171332/the-persistence-coming-to-ps4-pc-switch-xbox-one-after-being-psvr-exclusive-for-two-years
6. ↑ https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/the-persistence
7. ↑ https://gamingbolt.com/the-persistence-enhanced-launches-june-4th
8. ↑ *Why PlayStation is buying Firesprite, one of the UK's fastest growing studios*, GamesIndustry. Dring, Christopher.
9. ↑ https://www.resetera.com/threads/playstation-studios-ot30-every-day-we-stray-closer-to-ragnar%C3%B6k.609897/post-92717170
10. ↑ https://www.gamesindustry.biz/firesprite-acquires-fabrik-games
11. ↑ https://www.nme.com/en\_asia/news/gaming-news/horizon-call-of-the-mountain-revealed-as-a-psvr2-exclusive-from-guerrilla-3131152
12. ↑ https://www.gamespot.com/articles/review-roundup-for-horizon-call-of-the-mountain/1100-6511586/
13. ↑ https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/sonys-firesprite-takes-over-twisted-metal-as-motorstorm-director-is-hired/
14. ↑ https://www.firesprite.com/news/2023/07/firesprite-unveil-new-studio-space/
15. ↑ https://www.gamesradar.com/playstation-studio-firesprite-is-making-a-horror-game-in-unreal-engine-5/

***Main Developer***
*Run, Sackboy! Run* - *The Persistence* - *Horizon Call of the Mountain*

***Development Support***
*The Playroom* - *The Playroom VR*