Firewalk Studios
Firewalk Studios was a Bellevue-based, Sony-owned video game developer that created Concord, a sci-fi multiplayer hero shooter for PlayStation. The studio was shuttered in 2024 after the game's commercial failure and rapid discontinuation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersBellevue, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Firewalk Studios does
Firewalk Studios was a Bellevue, Washington-based video game development studio founded in 2018 and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment. The studio's stated objective was to build multiplayer gaming experiences within the PlayStation first-party ecosystem, leveraging PlayStation Store and PlayStation Network as its exclusive distribution channels and PlayStation console gamers as its target audience.
The studio's sole released product was Concord, a sci-fi multiplayer hero shooter launched in 2024 as a PlayStation first-party live-service title. Concord entered a competitive hero-shooter market segment and was positioned as a flagship live-service offering for the PlayStation platform. The game was shut down within approximately two to four weeks of release due to low player numbers and commercial failure, which led Sony to shutter Firewalk Studios entirely later in 2024.
Firewalk's business model was that of a captive first-party developer: the studio did not generate independent external revenue, instead operating under Sony's strategic direction with its output distributed exclusively through PlayStation's owned-and-operated channels. There is no evidence of independent funding rounds, third-party publishing arrangements, or pricing model diversification. The studio's closure marks it as a notable casualty of the broader struggles in the live-service gaming market.
Firewalk Studios firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Firewalk Studios
- Legal name
- Firewalk Studios
- Website
- https://firewalkstudios.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Firewalk Studios was a Bellevue-based, Sony-owned video game developer that created Concord, a sci-fi multiplayer hero shooter for PlayStation. The studio was shuttered in 2024 after the game's commercial failure and rapid discontinuation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Firewalk Studios industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Video Games
- NAICS
- Performing Arts Companies (7111)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Serious Games & Simulation Studios (Training, Defense, Enterprise) (MPAFAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Full-Service Game Publishers (1st/2nd/3rd-Party Publishing) (MPAFABAA)
Keywords
Where Firewalk Studios is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bellevue
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Firewalk Studios business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Distribution channels1 record
Firewalk Studios product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Firewalk Studios was a video game development studio that designed and built multiplayer console games for the PlayStation platform. Its sole commercial product was Concord, a sci-fi hero shooter live-service title released in 2024 as a Sony first-party game. The studio was shuttered by Sony later that year following Concord's commercial failure.
Product overview
Firewalk Studios was a PlayStation first-party game development studio that created Concord, a sci-fi shooter live-service game. Concord was the company's only known product and was shut down within weeks of launch due to poor commercial performance, resulting in the studio's closure by Sony.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Concord Concord was a PlayStation first-party sci-fi hero shooter live-service multiplayer game developed by Firewalk Studios and released in 2024. The game was targeted at PlayStation console gamers and was shut down within weeks of launch due to low player numbers and commercial failure.
Companies that use Firewalk Studios
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Firewalk Studios technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Firewalk Studios partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights1 record
Firewalk Studios competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Riot Games: Riot Games develops and operates Valorant, a 5v5 character-based hero shooter and the category-defining competitor to Concord. Both target the same multiplayer hero shooter segment with similar game mechanics and live-service models.
- Blizzard Entertainment: Blizzard operates Overwatch 2, the original hero shooter franchise and Concord's closest direct competitor. Both studios pursued the same character-based multiplayer shooter category with live-service monetization.
- Respawn Entertainment: Respawn develops Apex Legends, a free-to-play hero shooter published by EA. It competes directly with Concord in the same character-based multiplayer shooter genre with battle royale and team-based modes.
- Bungie: Bungie develops Destiny 2, a live-service sci-fi multiplayer shooter, and is developing Marathon, a sci-fi multiplayer extraction shooter. Like Firewalk, Bungie is a Sony-owned first-party studio making competitive live-service multiplayer games.
- 343 Industries: 343 Industries (Microsoft first-party) developed Halo Infinite's multiplayer, a free-to-play hero shooter. It is a direct platform-owned first-party peer competing in the same live-service shooter category as Concord.
Emerging players
- Embark Studios: Embark Studios (founded by former DICE/EA executives) develops THE FINALS, a free-to-play multiplayer shooter with destructible environments. It is an emerging live-service shooter peer with a similar risk profile to Concord as a new IP entering the category.
- Crystal Dynamics: Crystal Dynamics developed Marvel's Avengers, a live-service multiplayer superhero game that failed commercially and was shut down. It is a near-analog precedent for Concord: a high-budget live-service superhero/sci-fi multiplayer game that failed to retain players.
- People Can Fly: People Can Fly develops AAA multiplayer shooters including Outriders and the cancelled Project Dagger (similar sci-fi live-service shooter cancelled by publisher Square Enix). It is a peer comparable on shooter development expertise and live-service execution risk.
- Splash Damage: Splash Damage developed Dirty Bomb (a free-to-play multiplayer hero shooter) and co-developed Gears Tactics. It is a peer studio with comparable multiplayer shooter and live-service experience.
Broad incumbents
- Electronic Arts (EA): EA is a broad incumbent publisher of live-service multiplayer shooters including Apex Legends (via Respawn), Battlefield, and Titanfall. It competes with Firewalk/Sony in publishing live-service shooters at scale and represents the broader competitive set in this category.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights3 records
Customer concentration
Firewalk Studios social profiles
Digital presenceFirewalk Studios financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Firewalk Studios leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Firewalk Studios funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Firewalk Studios M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Firewalk Studios
What does Firewalk Studios do?
Firewalk Studios was a video game development studio that designed and built multiplayer console games for the PlayStation platform. Its sole commercial product was Concord, a sci-fi hero shooter live-service title released in 2024 as a Sony first-party game. The studio was shuttered by Sony later that year following Concord's commercial failure.
Is Firewalk Studios a public or private company?
Firewalk Studios is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently closed.
When was Firewalk Studios founded?
Firewalk Studios was founded in 2018. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Firewalk Studios based?
Firewalk Studios is headquartered in Bellevue, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Firewalk Studios's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Riot Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Respawn Entertainment, Bungie and 343 Industries. Emerging players are Embark Studios, Crystal Dynamics, People Can Fly and Splash Damage. Electronic Arts (EA) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Firewalk Studios have an API?
No public API is recorded for Firewalk Studios.
What industry is Firewalk Studios in?
Firewalk Studios's product category is Video Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAH, Serious Games & Simulation Studios (Training, Defense, Enterprise), with a secondary code of MPAFABAA, Full-Service Game Publishers (1st/2nd/3rd-Party Publishing). Its NAICS code is 7111 and its SIC code is 7900.