Sony Interactive Entertainment to Acquire Firesprite
8.9.2021 17:00:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Sony Interactive Entertainment (“SIE”) announced today that SIE has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Firesprite Limited, the UK-based videogame studio with a history of developing highly-polished showpieces for cutting-edge hardware. With a partnership spanning more than 8 years and a games portfolio highlighting PlayStation’s technological innovations, Firesprite will play a critical role in strengthening SIE’s exclusive games catalog in genres outside of PlayStation Studios’ core offerings.
Founded by industry veterans from SIE’s Studio Liverpool, Firesprite has a strong record of developing showcase games for PlayStation console and peripheral launches. Over the past few years, Firesprite has partnered with SIE to develop games for the PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®VR launch including The Playroom (PS4) and The Playroom VR (PS VR), both of which showcased unique hardware capabilities with highly-quality gameplay.
Originally a PS VR exclusive, with its most recent release, The Persistence, Firesprite pushed the boundaries of how users interact with the PS VR headset by introducing a groundbreaking virtual reality social element that further demonstrated the studio’s technical and creative capabilities. Later adapted for flat screens in 2018, Firesprite recently released The Persistence Enhanced in June 2021 which optimized the game for PlayStation®5 to include DualSense™ wireless controller haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and raytraced rendering.
“We are delighted to welcome Firesprite into the PlayStation family,” said Jim Ryan, President & CEO, Sony Interactive Entertainment. “We have a rich history of working with the founders of Firesprite and are excited to grow the PlayStation presence in Liverpool. The portfolio of titles Firesprite has developed has continually demonstrated the team’s ability to transcend traditional gameplay experiences and brilliantly showcase the potential of our hardware.”
“Creating quality, state-of-the-art games has always been at the forefront of Firesprite’s work and I’m confident they will push the bar even further as part of PlayStation Studios,” said Hermen Hulst, Head of PlayStation Studios. “Firesprite’s ability to weave best-in-class gameplay with new technology is exceptional and I think fans will be excited about their creative vision for the future.”
“At Firesprite, we’re always striving to bring something new to a game or genre and developing for new technologies is a driving force of our passion,” said Graeme Ankers, Managing Director, Firesprite. “Joining PlayStation Studios will allow us to amplify this passion, working more closely on cutting-edge hardware without any limitations and furthering our studio’s heritage of creativity and technical innovation to offer some truly unique experiences for PlayStation fans.”
Based in Liverpool, UK Firesprite will join the global development operation of PlayStation Studios and will be the 14th studio to join the PlayStation Studios family. The day-to-day operations post-acquisition will continue to be run by Firesprite’s current management team. Terms of this transaction including the acquisition cost are not disclosed due to contractual commitments.
About Sony Interactive Entertainment
Recognized as a global leader in interactive and digital entertainment, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) is responsible for the PlayStation® brand and family of products and services. PlayStation has delivered innovation to the market since the launch of the original PlayStation in Japan in 1994. The PlayStation family of products and services include PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®VR, PlayStation™Store, PlayStation®Plus, PlayStation™Now, and acclaimed PlayStation software titles from PlayStation Studios. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, SIE is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation and has global functions in California, London and Tokyo.
About Firesprite
Founded in 2012 by a group of creative and management veterans with years of industry experience, Firesprite is a visionary game development studio based in the heart of Liverpool’s vibrant game development hub with over 200 team members. Creating a number of showcase games for PlayStation console and peripheral launches over the years, Firesprite’s core focus is developing innovative and memorable experiences for players on cutting edge gaming hardware. At Firesprite, the end player experience always comes first and the team is passionate about how to best combine the disciplines of design, art and code to deliver experiences that surprise and delight.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210908005275/en/
Contact information
Brian Keltner
brian.keltner@sony.com
Joelle Messianu
joelle.messianu@sony.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Verdantis Launches MRO360 “The World's First AI-Native Spare Parts Intelligence Platform”8.5.2026 16:40:00 EEST | Press release
Verdantis today announced the global launch of MRO360, a purpose-built AI platform that transforms how asset-intensive organizations manage their MRO spare parts inventory. Designed for manufacturers, oil and gas operators, mining companies, utilities, and other industrial enterprises, MRO360 deploys nine interconnected AI agents that continuously forecast demand, score parts criticality, manage obsolescence risk, calculate dynamic reorder points, helps intercompany plant transfer thereby realizing the exact dollar value of every optimization opportunity across a spare parts catalog in real time. Unlike traditional EAM and CMMS platforms built on static rules, MRO360's agents adapt continuously as demand patterns, supplier performance, and equipment health evolve. For the first time, a maintenance planner can see which work orders are at supply risk today and what to do about it. A CFO can see a live dollar figure of releasable excess inventory. “We have spent over twenty years working
Andersen Global Expands African Platform with Addition of Member Firm in Namibia8.5.2026 16:30:00 EEST | Press release
Andersen Global advances its growth across Africa with the addition of Andersen in Namibia, as Windhoek Advisory & Taxation adopts the Andersen brand, strengthening its ability to serve businesses operating in one of southern Africa’s dynamic emerging markets. A collaborating firm since 2021, Andersen in Namibia is a locally owned professional services firm delivering accounting, tax, and business advisory services tailored to the unique needs of Namibia’s business environment. With expertise spanning mining, agriculture, logistics, tourism, and financial services, sectors critical to Namibia’s economy, the firm supports both domestic enterprises and international businesses establishing operations in the region. Through cloud-based technology and data-driven insights, Andersen in Namibia delivers efficient, scalable solutions that enable businesses to optimize operations, manage tax obligations across jurisdictions, and make informed strategic decisions. “Our transition to the Anderse
Cyble Positioned as a Challenger in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Cyberthreat Intelligence Technologies8.5.2026 16:22:00 EEST | Press release
Cyble today announced it has been recognized as a Challenger in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Cyberthreat Intelligence Technologies. The company believes this recognition underscores Cyble’s mission to make threat intelligence truly operational—delivering AI-native capabilities that enable enterprises, government agencies, and MSSPs to shift from reactive security to proactive, intelligence-driven defense. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260508164528/en/ Cyble Named a Challenger in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Cyberthreat Intelligence Technologies "Security teams are under constant pressure to respond faster with greater accuracy," said Beenu Arora, Co-Founder and CEO, Cyble. "We believe this recognition highlights our focus on delivering intelligence that drives real outcomes—cutting through noise, accelerating response, and enabling confident decision-making at scale." Intelligence That Acts
WHOOP Expands Health Platform with On-Demand Clinician Access and New AI Features8.5.2026 16:00:00 EEST | Press release
WHOOP, the human performance company, today announced a new suite of health and AI-driven enhancements and feature updates across the WHOOP memberships, marking a major step forward in its evolution into an intelligent health platform. These updates deepen the company’s commitment to delivering highly personalized, accurate, and actionable insights. They signal the company’s expansion beyond performance optimization into clinical-grade health support. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260508464188/en/ WHOOP Expands Health Platform with On-Demand Clinician Access and New AI Features “WHOOP is a membership, and we take that seriously,” said Ed Baker, Chief Product Officer of WHOOP. “We’re always asking how we can deliver more value to our members, and these upcoming features are some of the most meaningful we’ve ever built, from bringing clinician support directly into the app to advancing our AI coaching to be mo
Reply Presents the Jury of the Second Edition of the AI Music Contest: This Year Again, Finalists Will Perform on the NOVA Stage of Kappa FuturFestival in Turin8.5.2026 14:24:00 EEST | Press release
Reply, [EXM, STAR: REY], an international group specialised in the development of new AI-enabled business models and always distinguished by a strong drive for innovation, renews its commitment to creative experimentation with the second edition of the ReplyAI Music Contest. The initiative, organised in collaboration with Kappa FuturFestival—one of Europe’s leading festivals dedicated to electronic music—takes the form of an international competition aimed at creatives and innovators who use AI technologies to explore new ways of integrating sound and image, enhancing the role of artificial intelligence in live performances. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260508361016/en/ This initiative is part of the Reply Challenges, a programme of technological and creative competitions that reflects Reply’s commitment to developing innovative training models capable of engaging younger generations. Today, the Reply Chall
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom