CWA’s Criticism of Sony’s Acquisition of Firewalk Studios and Neon Koi
The recent closure of Firewalk Studios in Concord and mobile developer Neon Koi has stirred up controversy, particularly with the Communication Workers of America (CWA) in North America. The CWA made a statement that seemed to suggest that Sony’s actions in acquiring and shutting down studios are somehow strengthening its monopoly in the gaming industry. However, the logic behind this claim is puzzling to say the least.
CWA’s Curious Statement
The exact statement from the CWA, as reported by Game Developer, reads as follows:
Sony’s decision to dissolve studios outside their walled-garden of PlayStation-exclusive content, rather than making games that have to compete in the highly diverse and competitive mobile game market, should be a cautionary warning sign of Sony’s interests in furthering their monopoly position in the video game industry.
It appears that the CWA is interpreting the closure of Neon Koi, a studio that did not produce any games under Sony, as a strategic move to eliminate studios not dedicated to PlayStation-exclusive titles. The union also seems to suggest that Sony is not interested in competing in the mobile game market, which is a bold claim considering the company’s presence in the industry.
In response, the CWA has expressed its intention to address Sony’s alleged anti-competitive behavior with antitrust regulators, policymakers, and other stakeholders.
While the closure of Firewalk Studios and Neon Koi is unfortunate for those involved, it’s a stretch to connect Sony’s business decisions to an effort to solidify its monopoly. The CWA has a history of making controversial statements, such as advocating for the acquisition of Activision Blizzard to protect jobs.