Sony Signs New Multiplayer Game Deal With Ex-Halo, Destiny, CoD Devs At Firewalk Studios

Firewalk Studios, a AAA development team founded by former Halo and Destiny veterans, has announced a deal with Sony for its first game, a multiplayer title set in a new universe.

Firewalk Studios was founded in 2018 and its leadership includes Tony Hsu (Activision's former Destiny boss), Ryan Ellis (former Bungie creative director), and Elena Siegman (formerly of Bungie, Irrational Games, and Harmonix). Firewalk's developers have worked on franchises like Destiny, Call of Duty, Apex Legends, Mass Effect, and Halo.

Sony Interactive Entertainment will be the "exclusive publishing partner" for the first title from Firewalk. All we know is that the game is a multiplayer title that is an original IP.

Hsu said on the PlayStation Blog that Firewalk's new game is already playable. He teased that the game is aiming to create watercooler-type moments.

"There's a moment that happens almost every day in our multiplayer playtests--where someone jolts out of their seat, laughs, and says to no one in particular, 'Did you just see that happen?' These amazing and unpredictable moments in gaming are the sparks that occur when playing with others; future memories ready to be replayed and retold," Hsu said.

Firewalk is a subsidiary of ProbablyMonsters, a company founded by former Bungie CEO Harold Ryan. ProbablyMonsters also owns Cauldron Studios, which is working on a narrative-driven AAA game, and another team making a next-gen co-op RPG. More details on ProbablyMonsters' new studios and games will be announced in the coming months.

Sony's partnership with Firewalk is just the latest from the gaming company, as it previously inked a deal with Jade Raymond's new studio Haven for an original game. More recently, PlayStation boss Jim Ryan said the PS5 may have more exclusives than PS4, and these deals with Firewalk and Haven appear to be part of that.