Alex Barnes, Director of Horizon: Call of the Mountain, Laid Off by Firesprite Amid Sony Layoffs

The layoffs follow a turbulent period at Firesprite, involving allegations of toxic work culture and the cancellation of a major project.

Alex Barnes, the director of Horizon: Call of the Mountain, was laid off by Firesprite after nearly seven years with the studio.
Sony, Firesprite's parent company, announced significant layoffs in February, affecting about 900 employees across various studios.
Reports suggest a toxic work environment at Firesprite, with allegations of sexual discrimination and a high staff turnover.
Firesprite's next major project, a live-service game based on Twisted Metal, was reportedly canceled as part of the restructuring.
Despite the layoffs, the Horizon online game is reportedly still in production, indicating ongoing projects within Sony's gaming division.