Firesprite’s Canceled PlayStation Projects: Breaking Bad VR and a Dead Space-Inspired Horror Game

PlayStation’s first-party Firesprite studio has seen several projects canceled in recent years, including a Twisted Metal battle royale and, more recently, a Breaking Bad virtual reality experience and a new sci-fi horror IP. These cancellations highlight a period of volatility for the studio following its acquisition by Sony in 2021.

Breaking Bad VR: A Narrative “Experience”

Between 2017 and 2018, Firesprite was developing a Breaking Bad VR title for the PlayStation VR. The project, which involved collaboration with series creator Vince Gilligan and Sony Interactive Entertainment as reported in 2017 by Variety, wasn’t intended to be a traditional game. Instead, it was designed as a narrative “experience” similar to Stranger Things: The VR Experience, focusing on cinematic storytelling.

Players would have explored iconic locations from the series, such as Walter White’s backyard and the New Mexico desert . The project was ultimately canceled approximately a year after the initial report.

A Sci-Fi Horror IP Inspired by Dead Space

Following the cancellation of the Breaking Bad VR project in 2018, Firesprite began development on a new, independent sci-fi horror IP. Concept art from former employees reveals a focus on extreme body horror, a departure from the studio’s previous VR title, The Persistence .

Technically and atmospherically, the project aimed to compete with genre staples like Dead Space and The Callisto Protocol , but it never progressed beyond the prototype phase and was officially canceled in 2020, before Firesprite’s acquisition by Sony.

Firesprite’s Restructuring and Current Projects

The cancellations of these projects, along with the Twisted Metal battle royale, occurred amidst a period of restructuring at Firesprite following its acquisition by PlayStation in 2021. This included layoffs and a shift in focus towards larger, triple-A productions .

Currently, Firesprite is reportedly focusing on two main projects:

• Project Heartbreak: A narrative horror title, potentially a sequel to Until Dawn, developed using Unreal Engine 5.
• Project Pillar: A large-scale first-party game similarly utilizing Unreal Engine 5.

The shift in focus suggests Sony is positioning Firesprite as a specialist in high-end cinematic horror experiences .