Firemonkeys Studios

Firemonkeys Studios is an Australian video game developer and publisher of video games, based in Melbourne, Victoria. In May 2011, Electronic Arts announced the acquisition of Firemint for an undisclosed sum, making it an in-house studio for EA Interactive. IronMonkey Studios were also taken under EA Interactive's wing back in 2010.[2] In January 2011, Firemint acquired fellow Australian video game developer Infinite Interactive, best known for the Puzzle Quest series. In July 2012, Firemint announced a post on their blog that Firemint would merge with IronMonkey Studios by EA and merge their names into Firemonkeys. All-new games, including Need for Speed: Most Wanted and Real Racing 3, are released with the new company name.[3]

Not to be confused with FireMonkey.

Firemonkeys Studios
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryVideo games
Predecessors
  • Firemint
  • IronMonkey Studios
FoundedJuly 2012 (2012-07)
HeadquartersMelbourne, Australia
Key people
Robert Murray
ProductsReal Racing series
Flight Control series
Number of employees
170[1]
ParentElectronic Arts
Websitewww.ea.com/ea-studios/firemonkeys

Acquisition

Electronic Arts, with a market capitalization of US$6.7 billion, announced the acquisition of Melbourne-based gaming studio Firemint overnight in a press release for an undisclosed amount. Firemint is recognised as one of the leading game developers on the iOS platform. According to Barry Cottle, General Manager of EA Interactive "The Firemint team is remarkable for its critical and commercial success. Having them as part of EA will accelerate our position as worldwide leader in game development for mobile devices and online gaming platforms." In January, Murray told SmartCompany the work-for-hire market is growing thin, especially as the Australian dollar continues to climb. Coming under the EA banner will give the company security.[4]

Layoffs

In February 2019, Electronic Arts announced that 40 to 50 of Firemonkeys 200 staff would be laid off, to focus the studio more on live services. This equals around 5% of the entire Australian game industries workforce.[5]

In June 2023, Electronic Arts announced that a majority of the Firemonkeys staff would be laid off, to focus the studio more on The Sims FreePlay, as part of the company's restructuring. Development for the racing titles Real Racing 3 and Need for Speed: No Limits would be shifted to Slingshot Games in India, following the completion of two limited filler updates on the said racing games.[6]

Games

Firemint have produced a number of different games for different platforms and different publishers, starting with Nicktoons Racing in 2002 for the Game Boy Advance. For several years after publishing their debut game Firemint continued to produce and release games for the Game Boy Advance and mobile devices. It wasn't until early 2008, however, with the release of the Apple iPhone in 2007 did Firemint really expand their games market share. During 2009, Firemint developed their two most popular games, Flight Control and Real Racing. These games went on to achieve great success with the subsequent release of two sequels each, Flight Control HD in 2010, Flight Control Rocket in 2012, Real Racing 2 was released in 2010 and Real Racing 3 in 2013.[7]

Released
Game Platform Release date
The Sims Mobile iOS / Android March 2018
Need for Speed: No Limits iOS / Android September 2015
Real Racing 3 iOS / Android February 2013
Need for Speed: Most Wanted iOS / Android October 2012
Flight Control Rocket iOS / Windows Phone March 2012
Mass Effect Infiltrator iOS / Android / BlackBerry 10 / Windows Phone March 2012
The Sims FreePlay iOS / Android / Kindle Fire / BlackBerry 10 / Windows Phone December 2011
Spy Mouse iOS / Android August 2011
Dead Space iOS / Android January 2011
Real Racing 2 iOS / Android / Mac OS X December 2010
Flight Control HD PlayStation 3 / PlayStation Network September 2010
Mirror's Edge iOS / Windows Phone April 2010
Flight Control Nintendo DSi / DSiWare February 2010
Real Racing iOS June 2009
Flight Control iOS / Windows Phone March 2009
The Simpsons Arcade for iPhone iOS February 2009
Back at the Barnyard: Slop Bucket Games Nintendo DS October 2008
Madden NFL 09 3D Mobile August 2008
The Fast and the Furious: Pink Slip 3D iOS, Mobile August 2008
The Sims DJ iPod June 2008
Project Joystick: Dung Mobile, PC May 2008
Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots Game Boy Advance October 2007
FIA World Rally Championship Mobile September 2007
Madden NFL 08 3D Mobile August 2007
The Fast & the Furious: Fugitive Mobile June 2007
Ratatouille Mobile June 2007
Tinker Bell: Fly! Mobile February 2007
Need for Speed: Most Wanted Mobile October 2006
Madden NFL 07 3D Mobile August 2006
Socceroos: Path to Glory Mobile June 2006
Sopranos Poker Mobile March 2006
Snood 2: On Vacation Mobile August 2005
NBA 1 on 1 2006 Mobile June 2005
Star Trek: The Cold Enemy Mobile February 2005
Black Rain: Revenge Mobile September 2004
Ryan Giggs International Mobile August 2004
Tokyo Fighter Mobile December 2003
Soul Daddy BKB Mobile August 2003
Soul Daddy in LA Mobile July 2003
Nicktoons Racing Game Boy Advance June 2002

Awards

Firemint was awarded the Arts and Entertainment Award for being amongst the most successful exporters in 2009 at the Australian Export Awards in November.[8]

References
  1. "New Headquarters Takes Victoria's Digital Games Sector to a New Level". 15 August 2016.
  2. Moses, Asher (4 May 2011). "High-tech Aussie lands multimillion-dollar deal". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  3. "IronMonkey and Firemint become Firemonkeys". 24 July 2012. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  4. "Melbourne game studio Firemint acquired by Electronic Arts". Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  5. "EA's Australian Studio Hit By Massive Layoffs". Kotaku Australia. Kotaku. 22 February 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  6. "EA's Firemonkeys Studio Hit With Massive Layoffs, Titles In Development Cancelled". Kotaku Australia. Kotaku. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  7. "firemint projects". Archived from the original on 8 March 2009. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
  8. "Firemint Wins Australian Export Award". Austrade Media Release.
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