Sony First-Party Studios Hit by Massive Layoffs

A wave of layoffs has shaken various Sony first-party studios today, including Naughty Dog, Guerilla Games, and Insomniac. Another studio affected is Firesprite Games, the UK-based developer behind The Playroom games and The Persistence. Reports indicate that a new Twisted Metal title from Firesprite has also been cancelled.

Twisted Metal Game in Development

According to Bloomberg‘s Jason Schreier, Firesprite was working on a Twisted Metal game that has now been scrapped. The game was described as a live-service title in early development stages and had not yet received official approval for production.

Twisted Metal, originally released shortly after the launch of the PS1 in North America in 1995, has seen multiple sequels and spin-offs over the years. The most recent installment was a 2012 reboot for the PS3. The franchise has also received praise for its live-action series, which is set to return for a second season.

Firesprite and Sony Layoffs

The extent of the layoffs at Firesprite has not been disclosed. Sony acquired Firesprite in 2021, and the studio contributed to the development of Horizon Call of the Mountain alongside Guerrilla Games. In total, around 900 employees have been let go across various Sony first-party studios, with London Studio, creators of Blood & Truth, being completely shut down.

PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst attributed the layoffs to overgrowth within the organization and mentioned a thorough review of upcoming projects to determine which ones will be discontinued. It seems that the canceled Twisted Metal project is just one of several titles facing cancellation.

[Source: Bloomberg]