First Contact Entertainment, the VR studio responsible for popular PlayStation VR titles Firewall Zero Hour and Firewall Ultra, announced its closure, citing the "lack of support for VR within the industry" as a significant factor in the decision.
The news came through a heartfelt statement posted on the company's official Facebook page. "After almost 8 years of working with the most amazing team I've ever had the pleasure of being part of, I'm sad to announce that we will be closing our company First Contact Entertainment by the end of the year," the statement reads.
The studio expressed its frustration, attributing the closure to the challenges faced by AAA VR game developers in justifying the expenses needed to continue. "The lack of support for VR within the industry has eventually taken its toll. As a team of fearless innovators willing to push new technologies to its limits, we find ourselves at a crossroads," the statement further explained.
First Contact Entertainment had gained recognition for its groundbreaking work in the VR space, with titles like Firewall Zero Hour, released in 2018, and its follow-up, Firewall Ultra, which launched on the PSVR2 last year. Despite positive reviews for the initial release, the studio acknowledged the challenges faced with the sequel, acknowledging both praise and criticism.
The closure of First Contact Entertainment adds to the growing list of studio shutdowns and layoffs witnessed in the gaming industry over the past 12 months. However, it is crucial to note that the reasons behind these closures were not consistently attributed to VR challenges.
The statement from First Contact concluded with gratitude towards the team and supporters, saying, "It's been a wild ride, Thank you."
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