Sony Officially Closes Two Of Its Development Studios For Business Continuation

Sony Interactive Entertainment (photo: Sony)

JAKARTA - CEO of Studio Business Group, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Hermen Hulst closed two business development studios for the company group, namely Neon Koi and Firewalk Studios.

In its official announcement, Hulst said that this step was taken to ensure the alignment of the company's projects with long-term business priorities, especially in expanding its presence to non-PlayStation platforms.

"Both decisions have been carefully considered, and in the end, we feel that the decision is the right decision to strengthen the organization," he said.

*Below is an internal email from Hermen Hulst, CEO, Studio Business Group, Sony Interactive Entertainment distributed today to SIE employees.

Dear Team,

Today, I want to share some important updates from Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Studio Business Group.

We consistently…

— Post Up (@PostUp_SOG) October 30, 2024

*Below is an internal email from Hermen Hulst, CEO, Studio Business Group, Sony Interactive Entertainment distributed today to SIE employees.

Dear Team,

Today, I want to share some important updates from Sony Interactive Entertainment's Studio Business Group.

We subscribe...

With this decision, Neon Koi, which focuses on mobile action games, will be closed because it does not meet market expectations. Meanwhile, Firewalk Studios, which previously worked on the Concord project, was also suspended due to lack of interest in players.

"After thinking for a long time, we have decided that the best way forward is to permanently stop this game and close the studio," Hulst continued.

Although this decision is difficult, Hulst said SIE remains committed to supporting affected teams to transition within their global studios.

"I remain confident that we are building a strong and capable organization driven by the creation of an unforgettable entertainment experience for our players," he concluded.

For information, Firewalk Studios was acquired by PlayStation in April last year. Meanwhile, Neon Koi was officially acquired by PlayStation in 2022.