What FireSprite does

FireSprite (legal entity: Firesprite Ltd.) is a Liverpool-headquartered video game development studio founded in 2012 by industry veterans from SIE's Studio Liverpool. Following Sony Interactive Entertainment's acquisition in September 2021, it operates as the 15th first-party member of PlayStation Studios, with day-to-day operations still managed by its co-founder and CEO, Graeme Ankers. The studio's functional focus is the design and development of narrative-led, immersive gaming experiences — primarily survival horror and VR showcase titles — built in close integration with PlayStation hardware, including DualSense haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, raytraced rendering, and PS VR2 capabilities.

The studio's core product portfolio comprises The Playroom (PS4 launch title, 2013), The Playroom VR (PS VR launch, 2016), The Persistence / The Persistence Enhanced (2018/2021), Horizon Call of the Mountain (co-developed with Guerrilla, PS VR2 launch, February 2023), and the forthcoming Until Dawn 2 (PS5 exclusive, announced June 2026 for 2027 release) — its first solo-IP project since the Sony acquisition. Underlying technology is based on standard game engines augmented with proprietary VR, DualSense, and raytracing integrations; the studio also acquired Manchester-based Fabrik Games in September 2021 to bolster development capacity.

FireSprite's commercial model is best characterised as captive first-party development: revenue flows primarily from one-time game license sales (digital and physical retail) distributed through PlayStation Network/Store as the primary channel, supplemented by Perp Games physical distribution in Europe/North America and select cross-platform releases on Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch for non-VR titles (notably The Persistence Enhanced). Pricing is set at standard platform retail levels and is not independently disclosed. The end customer is the PlayStation gamer base — particularly console and VR enthusiasts seeking narrative-driven horror and immersive experiences — with Sony Interactive Entertainment acting as sole publisher and de facto sole anchor customer for major IP.

Name

FireSprite

Legal name

Firesprite Ltd.

Website

https://firesprite.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FireSprite is a Liverpool-based, first-party PlayStation Studios video game developer founded in 2012 and acquired by Sony in 2021. It builds narrative-driven survival horror and VR showcase titles — including Horizon Call of the Mountain and the upcoming Until Dawn 2 — for Sony's PlayStation ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Liverpool

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Video Game Sales: Sales of video games developed by Firesprite including retail and digital downloads across PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms. Revenue from boxed retail editions (e.g., The Persistence Enhanced physical retail via Perp Games) and digital sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Firesprite is a Liverpool-based video game development studio and a first-party PlayStation Studios developer owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It designs and develops narrative-driven, survival horror and VR titles for PlayStation hardware (PS5, PS VR2) and select cross-platform releases, including Until Dawn 2, Horizon Call of the Mountain, and The Persistence.

Product overview

FireSprite is a Liverpool-based video game studio acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment in 2021, now part of PlayStation Studios as its 15th studio. The company develops games across PlayStation platforms including VR experiences and horror titles. Their portfolio includes The Persistence Enhanced (sci-fi survival horror rogue-lite), Horizon Call of the Mountain (PS VR2 adventure), and Until Dawn 2 (PS5 survival horror sequel). The studio has developed showcase titles for PlayStation console and peripheral launches and acquired Manchester-based Fabrik Games in 2021.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Until Dawn 2 A PS5-exclusive survival horror game where players join a team of ghost hunters chasing viral content on a remote tropical island. Features branching narratives where player decisions determine character fates, building on the Butterfly Effect mechanic from the original. Targeted at PlayStation console gamers who enjoy narrative-driven horror.
• The Persistence Enhanced A critically acclaimed sci-fi survival horror rogue-lite game. Originally a PS VR exclusive, later adapted for flat screens and enhanced for next-gen consoles with DualSense controller support, raytraced rendering, and NVIDIA DLSS. For console and PC gamers seeking survival horror.
• Horizon Call of the Mountain A PlayStation VR2 adventure set in the world of Horizon, developed in collaboration with Guerrilla Games. Delivers immersive VR gameplay and won multiple awards including DICE Immersive Reality Technical Achievement, Golden Joystick Best VR Game, and TIGA Best Visual Design.
• The Playroom A PS4 launch title that showcased unique PlayStation hardware capabilities with highly-polished gameplay, for PlayStation 4 owners.
• The Playroom VR A PS VR launch title developed with SIE to demonstrate the unique hardware capabilities of PlayStation VR, for PlayStation VR owners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple industry awards including DICE Awards (Immersive Reality Technical Achievement), Golden Joysticks (Best VR Game), TIGA Awards (Best Visual Design)

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 April 2023Environmental partnership adopting Salt the humpback whale and supporting WDC's Games for Waves program for whale and dolphin conservation.
• EcologicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 January 2022Environmental partnership with social enterprise Ecologi for monthly tree planting contributions and climate solutions. Firesprite has planted over 91,000 trees through this partnership, supporting reforestation projects across multiple countries including Kenya, Mozambique, Madagascar, Senegal, and Tanzania.
• Fabrik GamesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2021Firesprite acquired Manchester-based game developer Fabrik Games in connection with its integration into PlayStation Studios after being acquired by Sony.
• Safe in Our WorldcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2021Mental health charity partnership as #LevelUpMentalHealth partner. Safe in Our World is a video games mental health charity fostering worldwide mental health awareness within the industry.
• SpecialEffectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGaming accessibility charity partnership supporting disabled people to play video games. Firesprite participates in annual Northern Masters football tournaments and has raised over £2,500 for the charity through various fundraising activities including OneSpecialDay.
• Global ButterfliescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDE&I consultancy providing transgender and non-binary inclusion workshops, language and pronouns training, and LGBTQIA+ education sessions for Firesprite staff. Multiple workshops conducted including Past, Present & Future workshops.
• Voice At The TableminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDE&I organisation providing inclusive communication workshops including 'The Impact of Words', inclusive recruitment and unconscious bias training, and diversity, equity and inclusion education sessions.
• King's TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partnership spanning over 14 years with Sony Interactive Entertainment. Firesprite participates in 'Get Started with Games Design' programmes in Liverpool, hosting panel discussions, career stories, CV workshops, and interview preparation for young people. Also supported King's Trust prize draws with Horizon Call of the Mountain signed art.
• FORMAT GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganiser of Games Tech Connect event which Firesprite sponsored as part of commitment to supporting talent and industry in the North West.
• Liverpool Game Dev NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organiser of Games Tech Connect event with FORMAT Group, creating a summit and mixer for game, tech and creative industries in the North West.
• GuerrillacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partnership creating Horizon Call of the Mountain, a brand-new PS VR2 experience set in the world of Horizon, released February 2023.
• Perp GamesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRetail distribution partner for physical retail launches of The Persistence Enhanced in Europe and North America.
• Cloud Imperium GamesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partnership announced March 2021 for Firesprite's key role in developing the Star Citizen Combined Arms Multiplayer Mode.
• LCR Pride FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLGBTQIA+ charity partnership supporting Liverpool's Pride celebrations. Firesprite marches with PlayStation Liverpool and has donated £500 to support the charity working to highlight community barriers and champion rights.
• MermaidsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLGBTQIA+ charity supporting transgender, nonbinary and gender-diverse children and young people. Firesprite donated £1,040 (doubled from £520 raised by sprites) for Pride 2022.
• SahirminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiverpool's longest-standing LGBTQ+ and HIV charity. Firesprite donated £500 in 2025 Pride celebrations, supporting HIV support, health and wellbeing services, and community groups.
• The Albert Kennedy TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity supported through Gay Pride Shop donations. Firesprite contributes to the Albert Kennedy Trust via merchandise purchases.
• The George House TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHIV charity supported through Gay Pride Shop donations from Firesprite's Pride initiatives.
• SparkleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational transgender charity supported through Gay Pride Shop donations from Firesprite's Pride fundraising.
• Save the ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Christmas Jumper Day fundraising partnership. Firesprite raised £720 (2024), £915 (2025) for Save the Children's work supporting children facing war, hunger and poverty.
• PAPYRUS Prevention of Young SuicideminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSuicide prevention charity supported through step challenges (£538 raised in 2021) and esports tournaments (£595 raised in 2021). PAPYRUS noted Firesprite's support helps increase visibility of HOPELINEUK in the games industry.
• Macmillan Cancer SupportminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual World's Biggest Coffee Morning fundraising partner. Multiple donations including £1,454 (2021), £3,400 (2022), £775 (2023), £790 (2024), £540 (2025) supporting people living with cancer.
• Women in GamescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate ambassador programme membership supporting women in gaming. Firesprite sponsors MCV/DEVELOP Women in Games Awards (third consecutive year 2024) and works with organisations like Coding Black Females, GirlCode, and IWD.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Naughty Dog: PlayStation sister studio developing narrative-driven AAA exclusives such as The Last of Us and Uncharted. Direct in-house peer within SIE/PlayStation Studios, comparable as a narrative-led first-party developer with deep Sony integration, though operating at much larger scale.
• Sony Santa Monica Studio: PlayStation sister studio behind God of War, a first-party AAA narrative action franchise. In-house comparable for Firesprite's role inside SIE: large-scale, narrative-led, console-exclusive development under the PlayStation Studios umbrella.
• Housemarque: Finnish PlayStation sister studio acquired by Sony in 2021, developer of Returnal. Comparable size tier and acquisition timeline to Firesprite, and a fellow mid-sized AAA studio within PlayStation Studios competing for internal project allocation.
• Insomniac Games: PlayStation sister studio and developer of Spider-Man, Ratchet & Clank, and Resistance. Relevant in-house comparable for AAA console-exclusive development under Sony ownership, though Firesprite operates at materially smaller scale.
• Guerrilla Games: PlayStation sister studio and developer of the Horizon franchise. Co-development partner on Horizon Call of the Mountain, providing a concrete collaboration template and making it a directly comparable in-house peer for VR/horror-adjacent AAA work.
• Bluepoint Games: PlayStation sister studio known for high-fidelity remasters and remakes (Shadow of the Colossus, Demon's Souls). Comparable in-house studio within SIE specializing in technical showcase work for PlayStation hardware — directly relevant to Firesprite's launch-showcase positioning.

Direct peers

• Supermassive Games: UK-based narrative-driven survival horror studio and original developer of Until Dawn, now majority-owned by Nordisk Games. Closest direct peer — same genre (branching-narrative horror), same UK base, same PlayStation publishing history, and the studio whose Until Dawn IP Firesprite is now sequeling.
• Bloober Team: Polish studio specializing in psychological and survival horror (Layers of Fear, The Medium, Silent Hill 2 remake). Direct genre peer competing for the same horror-gamer audience that Firesprite's Until Dawn 2 and The Persistence target.
• Quantic Dream: French studio behind narrative-heavy titles such as Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls, and Detroit: Become Human. Comparable as a European, story-led, branching-narrative developer targeting the same premium narrative-game audience as Firesprite's survival-horror titles.
• Remedy Entertainment: Finnish developer of narrative-driven action/horror titles such as Alan Wake and Control. Comparable as a console-focused, story-led studio with proprietary IP and a similar headcount scale, competing for premium narrative-gamer attention.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/firesprite
• YouTubeyoutube.com/FirespriteGames
• Xx.com/FireSpriteGames
• Facebookfacebook.com/FirespriteGames

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FireSprite