Firewalk Studios Waiting In Layoff Limbo After Concord Flop

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Firewalk Studios Waiting In Layoff Limbo After Concord Flop

Key Takeaways

  • Concord’s failure led to Sony canceling the project, leaving the future of Firewalk Studio employees uncertain.
  • Game director Ryan Ellis resigned after the game’s poor sales, shifting to a support role within the company.
  • Concord’s cancelation may lead to layoffs at Firewalk Studio and a potential studio shutdown.

As a long-time gaming enthusiast and follower of industry developments, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of empathy for Ryan Ellis and the team at Firewalk Studio. The story of Concord is a stark reminder of the rollercoaster ride that game development often represents – a journey filled with excitement, anticipation, and ultimately, heartbreak when things don’t go as planned.

Without a doubt, Concord is widely recognized as one of the most significant and unrecovered blunders in modern gaming. The game failed dismally in global markets, and surprisingly, Sony abruptly cancelled the project merely days following its debut launch.

After two weeks, there’s a lot of uncertainty about the future for several employees at the company. However, one fact is clear: Firewalk Studio must proceed without their game director, Ryan Ellis, who was from Concord.

Previously serving as a Creative Director at Bungie, Ellis spearheaded the development of Destiny 2. However, he yearned for an opportunity to venture into something more ambitious, which led him to Concord.

Regrettably, his tenure as game director at Firewalk Studio came to an end last week when he decided to step down and take on a supporting position instead.

Ellis’ Departure Points To Bleak Future

Firewalk Studios Waiting In Layoff Limbo After Concord Flop

Based on figures released last week, the game Concord reportedly sold only 25,000 copies. Despite positive feedback about its mechanics and overall experience, these sales numbers were insufficient for Ellis to continue leading the team.

It’s unfortunate to hear this, as it seems Ellis was highly committed to the project, according to his coworkers. Here’s a comment from one of the employees at Firewalk Studio regarding the situation:

“Ryan deeply believed in that project and bringing players together through the joy in it”

According to internal reports, it seems that the game director became less vocal during company gatherings after the release of Concord.

Although he was already making plans to attract more users, it was simply never meant to be.

Regrettably, Ellis leaving may signal a chain of unfavorable events for the studio. The staff of around 150 to 175 people are anxious about their job security and what roles they might assume in the near future.

It’s been whispered around that Firewalks Studios might collaborate with others on upcoming development tasks, but they may not have complete control over Sony’s specific projects.

It seems highly probable that Sony may undergo a significant downsizing, leading to many job cuts. Some workers have chosen to depart ahead of time, while others are waiting to find out about any potential severance offers.

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2024-09-20 13:08