Firesprite

Corporate brand

Unclaimed Request correction

Firesprite is a Liverpool-based British video-game developer and PlayStation Studios subsidiary.

Last updated August 25, 2026

AI crawler reads

No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.

Overview

Firesprite is a British video-game development studio headquartered in Liverpool. The company was established in 2012 by a group of former Studio Liverpool developers: managing director Graeme Ankers, art director Lee Carus, technical director Chris Roberts, game director Stuart Tilley, and programming director Stuart Lovegrove. Several members of the founding group had previously worked within the Liverpool development tradition associated with Psygnosis and Studio Liverpool, including on projects connected with the Wipeout series. Their experience covered the PlayStation platform across multiple generations and helped position Firesprite as a specialist in technically ambitious console and virtual-reality development. The studio’s early work included visual development for The Playroom, an augmented-reality technology demonstration and PlayStation 4 launch title created with Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Japan Studio. Firesprite subsequently collaborated with Japan Studio on The Playroom VR, which launched alongside PlayStation VR in 2016. These projects established the company’s early identity around immersive experiences, experimental presentation, and close cooperation with Sony platform teams. Firesprite also developed Run Sackboy! Run!, a mobile game released in 2014, although it received mixed critical reviews. Firesprite later developed The Persistence, a science-fiction survival-horror game designed around virtual reality. In 2019, the studio announced a free update that expanded the game beyond its original VR presentation to support conventional flat-screen television play. The project demonstrated Firesprite’s interest in adapting immersive concepts to a broader audience while retaining its focus on atmosphere and technical experimentation. The company also worked with Cloud Imperium Games on Theaters of War, a planned combined-arms multiplayer mode for Star Citizen. The relationship began in 2019 and was publicly announced in 2021, but the work was returned to an internal Cloud Imperium team in 2022, ending Firesprite’s involvement in the project. Sony Interactive Entertainment acquired Firesprite in September 2021, making it a first-party developer within PlayStation Studios. Around the same period, Sony acquired Fabrik Games, a studio founded by Firesprite co-founder Graeme Ankers, in connection with Firesprite’s integration into PlayStation Studios. Reporting at the time indicated that the combined operation had 265 employees. Firesprite later contributed to Horizon Call of the Mountain, a major PlayStation VR2 title developed with Guerrilla. In 2024, Firesprite was affected by workforce reductions implemented across Sony’s games business. Reporting also stated that a previously unannounced live-service game based on Twisted Metal had been cancelled. A February 2024 Eurogamer investigation described serious workplace problems at the studio, including allegations concerning excessive crunch, leadership instability, a toxic working environment, sexual discrimination, and ageism. The reports said that the studio experienced substantial departures after Sony’s acquisition and that allegations raised by employees were dismissed by Sony; these claims remain part of the public reporting about the company rather than established judicial findings. Firesprite remains a PlayStation Studios development unit, although details of its current projects and leadership have not been fully disclosed.

History

Firesprite was founded in Liverpool in 2012 by former Studio Liverpool developers Graeme Ankers, Lee Carus, Chris Roberts, Stuart Tilley, and Stuart Lovegrove. The founders brought experience from the local development scene associated with Psygnosis and Studio Liverpool, including work related to the Wipeout franchise. Their backgrounds across art, programming, technology, and game direction gave the new studio a broad production base and a close familiarity with PlayStation hardware. One of Firesprite’s earliest assignments was visual work on The Playroom, an augmented-reality technology demonstration released as a PlayStation 4 launch title in 2013. The project was developed in collaboration with Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Japan Studio. Firesprite continued that relationship on The Playroom VR, released in 2016 as one of the early PlayStation VR experiences. The studio also released Run Sackboy! Run! for mobile devices in 2014, though the game received mixed reviews. Firesprite’s most prominent independently identified project was The Persistence, a science-fiction survival-horror game built around virtual reality. In 2019, the company announced a free Complete Edition update that brought the title to ordinary flat-screen television play, extending its reach beyond VR owners. Firesprite also entered into a development partnership with Cloud Imperium Games for Theaters of War, a combined-arms multiplayer mode intended for Star Citizen. The partnership began in 2019 and was announced publicly in 2021, but Cloud Imperium transferred the work to an internal team in April 2022. In September 2021, Sony Interactive Entertainment purchased Firesprite, making it a first-party PlayStation Studios developer. Sony also acquired Fabrik Games, a company founded by Firesprite co-founder Graeme Ankers, in a transaction described as connected with Firesprite’s integration. Contemporary reporting indicated that the resulting Firesprite operation had 265 employees. Within PlayStation Studios, Firesprite worked with Guerrilla on Horizon Call of the Mountain, a major virtual-reality title for PlayStation VR2. The studio entered a period of reported organizational difficulty after the acquisition. In 2024, it was reported that Firesprite was affected by Sony-wide game-sector layoffs and that a previously undisclosed Twisted Metal live-service project had been cancelled. A Eurogamer investigation published on 29 February 2024 described allegations of excessive crunch, a chaotic and toxic workplace, executive turnover, sexual discrimination, and ageism. The report connected some of the alleged problems to the period following Sony’s acquisition and stated that complaints raised by employees were dismissed by Sony. These remain allegations reported by the publication, not findings recorded here as legally proven facts.

2024
Layoffs and reported project cancellation
[1]Firespriteen.wikipedia.org
Firesprite is affected by Sony workforce reductions, while reporting identifies the cancellation of an unannounced Twisted Metal live-service game.
2021
Sony acquires Firesprite
[1]Firespriteen.wikipedia.org
Sony Interactive Entertainment acquires Firesprite and makes it part of PlayStation Studios.
2019
The Persistence receives a flat-screen expansion plan
[1]Firespriteen.wikipedia.org
Firesprite announces a free update intended to make The Persistence playable on conventional flat-screen televisions as well as in VR.
2016
The Playroom VR releases
[1]Firespriteen.wikipedia.org
Firesprite collaborates with Japan Studio on The Playroom VR for PlayStation VR.
2014
Run Sackboy! Run! releases
[1]Firespriteen.wikipedia.org
The studio releases Run Sackboy! Run! on mobile devices.
2013
Work on The Playroom
[1]Firespriteen.wikipedia.org
Firesprite contributes visual development to The Playroom, an augmented-reality technology demonstration released with the PlayStation 4.
2012
Firesprite is founded in Liverpool
[1]Firespriteen.wikipedia.org
Former Studio Liverpool developers establish Firesprite, with Graeme Ankers, Lee Carus, Chris Roberts, Stuart Tilley, and Stuart Lovegrove forming the founding leadership group.

Products and positioning

A first-party PlayStation development studio focused on technically ambitious console, virtual-reality, and immersive game experiences, with roots in Liverpool’s Psygnosis and Studio Liverpool development community.

Augmented-reality game and technology demonstration · 2013
The Playroom
The Playroom is an augmented-reality PlayStation 4 experience created with Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Japan Studio. Firesprite contributed visual development to the project, which demonstrated the capabilities of the console and its camera and controller hardware around the platform’s launch.
Mobile game · 2014
Run Sackboy! Run!
Run Sackboy! Run! is a mobile title developed by Firesprite and released in 2014. It extended the LittleBigPlanet character Sackboy into a mobile format. Contemporary critical reception was mixed.
Virtual-reality game · 2016
The Playroom VR
The Playroom VR is a collection of short multiplayer-oriented virtual-reality experiences developed in collaboration with Japan Studio. It was associated with the launch period of PlayStation VR and emphasized accessible demonstrations of VR interaction.
Science-fiction survival-horror game · 2018
The Persistence
The Persistence is a science-fiction survival-horror game originally designed for virtual reality. Set aboard a damaged spacecraft, it emphasizes tense exploration and survival. A later free update, marketed as the Complete Edition, added support for play on conventional flat-screen televisions, allowing the game to reach players without VR hardware.
Virtual-reality action-adventure game · 2023
Horizon Call of the Mountain
Horizon Call of the Mountain is a PlayStation VR2 title developed by Guerrilla in collaboration with Firesprite. It is set in the Horizon universe and was designed as a showcase for the capabilities of Sony’s second-generation virtual-reality platform.
Multiplayer game mode
Theaters of War
Theaters of War was a planned combined-arms multiplayer mode for Star Citizen. Firesprite worked with Cloud Imperium Games on the project, but development was transferred back to an internal Cloud Imperium team in 2022 and Firesprite’s involvement ended.

Controversies

2024
Workplace allegations and leadership controversy
A Eurogamer investigation reported allegations from current and former employees concerning excessive crunch, a chaotic and toxic workplace, leadership instability, sexual discrimination, and ageism. The report also described significant staff departures after Sony’s acquisition and stated that employee complaints were dismissed by Sony. These are reported allegations rather than established legal findings.
Source

2024
Cancel an unannounced Twisted Metal live-service projectOther
Background
Sony implemented reductions across its games business amid changes to its development and live-service plans.
Action taken
Reporting stated that an unrevealed Twisted Metal live-service game associated with Firesprite was cancelled.
Aftermath
The cancellation was reported alongside layoffs affecting Firesprite, but Sony did not publicly disclose detailed project or financial information in the supplied sources.
Source
2021
Join PlayStation StudiosM&A
Background
Firesprite had developed multiple PlayStation and VR projects and maintained a close working relationship with Sony teams.
Action taken
Sony Interactive Entertainment acquired Firesprite, converting it into a first-party PlayStation Studios developer.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded Sony’s internal development capacity in Liverpool and virtual reality. Sony also acquired Fabrik Games in connection with the integration.
Source
2019
Expand The Persistence to flat-screen playGeneration change
Background
The Persistence was initially associated with virtual-reality play, limiting access to players with compatible hardware.
Action taken
Firesprite announced a free Complete Edition update that added conventional flat-screen television support.
Aftermath
The update broadened the game’s supported play formats beyond its original VR presentation.
Source

Recent events

2024
Firesprite affected by Sony game-business layoffs[1]Firespriteen.wikipedia.org
Other · Product launch
Firesprite was reported to be among the Sony studios affected by workforce reductions. A previously unannounced Twisted Metal live-service project associated with the studio was also reported cancelled.
2022
Theaters of War development returns to Cloud Imperium[1]Firespriteen.wikipedia.org
Other
Cloud Imperium Games transferred development of Theaters of War back to an internal vehicle-technology team, ending its work with Firesprite on the project.
2021
Firesprite partners with Cloud Imperium Games on Theaters of War[1]Firespriteen.wikipedia.org
Other
Firesprite publicly announced its work with Cloud Imperium Games on Theaters of War, a planned combined-arms multiplayer mode for Star Citizen. The collaboration had begun earlier.
2021
Sony Interactive Entertainment acquires Firesprite[1]Firespriteen.wikipedia.org
M&A
Sony Interactive Entertainment acquired Firesprite and brought the Liverpool studio into PlayStation Studios as a first-party developer.
2021
Sony acquires Fabrik Games in connection with Firesprite integration[1]Firespriteen.wikipedia.org
M&A
Sony acquired Fabrik Games, founded by Firesprite co-founder Graeme Ankers, in connection with Firesprite joining PlayStation Studios.

Sources11 sources

Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/firesprite · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled