LogInAfter PlayStation acquired Firesprite, the working environment at the studio allegedly deteriorated, with some employees reporting instances of sexism, ageism, and other inappropriate behavior.
Image credit: Firespirit, The Persistence
In 2021, we reported that PlayStation acquired a UK-based studio Firesprite, which you may recognize for developing the PSVR horror shooter The Persistence.
We didn't know details about the acquisition, and how it affected Firesprite's employees until the recent report published by Eurogamer.
Employees at Firesprite revealed to Eurogamer that the company's culture deteriorated following its acquisition by Sony, adding that the studio used to have a better environment that quickly disappeared after the takeover.
Most of the leadership team departed from the studio within the last year, replaced by new management from XDev, a support studio under Sony. As sources shared with Eurogamer, two XDev bosses faced around 13 complaints, including allegations of sexual discrimination and ageism, though Sony's investigation reportedly dismissed these claims as "misunderstandings".
Image credit: Firespirit, Horizon: Call of the Mountain
The takeover also impacted the game development processes, especially Firesprite's VR game, Horizon: Call of the Mountain. The studio reportedly faced pressure from Sony and Guerilla Games to create a high-quality PSVR 2 game for its launch.
The development team doubled in size quickly, leading to challenges with integrating new members and undergoing crunch time to meet the launch date.
Some say that the company should work on its principles and culture without Sony's influence.
"Sony has committed the worst possible mistake in buying a studio and meddling to the point where it may end up in a death spiral and unable to complete any of the projects it is working on," shared one employee.
For more information, you can read the full report on Eurogamer. Also, don't forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.
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