PlayStation Studio's Firesprite Faces Unhappy Staff

Firesprite, the developer responsible for the upcoming "Horizon Call of the Mountain," reportedly faces significant internal unrest, with an 'alarming' number of employees leaving the studio. The discontent stems from intense pressure during the game's development, leading to a crunch culture where employees are working excessively long hours. It has been suggested that collaborations, particularly with Horizon creators Guerrilla Games, heightened expectations to deliver a high-quality game, contributing to the stressful environment.

Founded as a successor to Sony's Studio Liverpool, Firesprite was positively perceived when Sony acquired it in 2021. The studio previously developed titles such as "The Playroom" and a "LittleBigPlanet" spin-off, "Run Sackboy Run". Despite once having had a strong relationship with Sony, recent layoffs across Sony Interactive Entertainment, which may include Firesprite staff, and the rumored cancelation of a live-service "Twisted Metal" game, have hinted at trouble within the studio.

Sources have revealed that the majority of the original Firesprite founders have left, possibly taking with them what made the studio a desirable workplace. New leadership from Sony's supporting studio XDev has faced accusations of discrimination based on age and gender, although an internal investigation reportedly chalked up such claims to misunderstandings. Nevertheless, multiple accounts describe the new management as bullies and tyrants, while others allege efforts towards inclusivity.

The situation at Firesprite exemplifies the potential negative impacts of corporate acquisitions and intense management interference on game development studios. Employees reportedly feel unsupported, stressed and face burnout, contributing to a toxic work environment. Sony has yet to respond to these allegations.

Crunch culture refers to the practice of working excessive overtime, often without adequate compensation, to meet game development deadlines. This can lead to employee burnout, health issues, and a negative workplace environment.

As additional context, Firesprite is known in the gaming community for taking over the development of projects with high expectations due to their association with widely recognized franchises like "Horizon." "Horizon Call of the Mountain" is part of the expanded universe of "Horizon Zero Dawn," a critically acclaimed action RPG developed by Guerrilla Games. The studio's involvement with high-profile games like those in the "LittleBigPlanet" series and their current VR project raises the stakes for their success and possibly contributes to the reported workplace pressures.