The hidden secret about a DIFFERENT, little-known studio behind the fall of Concord... And no, it's not FireWalk Studios...
A Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Pipeworks Studios has made it pretty straight forward and abundantly clear that their number one priority isn't making games at all... no. Instead, it has been ensuring that every aspect of their company aligns with the principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Their job posting on LinkedIn hysterically spells it out:
"Pipeworks Studios recognizes the importance of creating an environment where all of our employees feel included and empowered to bring ideas to the table. We value each employee's unique experiences and perspectives and recognize that it is both the smart and right thing to foster diversity, equity and inclusion within our organization."
They double down by stating that they actively seek to "diversify" their workforce and ensure that individual differences are valued. This isn't just some basic corporate fluff—but instead it's a clear declaration that hiring at Pipeworks is primarily about identity politics rather than talent or merit.
A Studio Focused on Ideology First, Games Second
Upon visiting their website, Pipeworks brags about being one of the "world's premier videogame developers" with a long history of success. However, their messaging focuses heavily on their commitment to DEI rather than game development itself:
"We empower our people to create the best games for the sake of our players and partners. And now, as a part of the Jagex Group since July 2022, we have the backing and global reach to show the world what we’re capable of."
This is just more corporate doublespeak for saying that they've had the financial security to push an agenda while operating under the guise of game development. Their emphasis on "empowering" people tells me right away that their hiring philosophy is far more about meeting DEI quotas than any kind of 'finding' the best developers in the industry.
Proud Partners of Woke Gaming
Pipeworks boasts about their involvement in several game projects, but their biggest claim to fame recently has been working on Concord, the failed hero shooter from Firewalk Studios. Their website proudly declares:
"Pipeworks Studios worked hard alongside our partners at Firewalk Studios on their first title, Concord... a 5v5 character-driven, first-person multiplayer shooter set in the Concord galaxy."
The game was marketed as a diverse, character-driven shooter but ultimately bombed because it prioritized identity politics over quality gameplay. Concord tried to sell itself as an inclusive multiplayer experience, yet it was another case of a studio pushing DEI-driven character designs while failing to create a compelling product.
Costing Sony an estimated $400+ million dollars, and ultimately burying the studio of FireWalk in it's wake, apparently we now see that Pipeworks was a major player in how it all went down... Not shocking.
Forced Diversity as a Business Model
Pipeworks continues its virtue signaling by of course, championing remote work—not because it benefits employees, but instead, because it allows them to be even more "diverse."
They even straight up acknowledge that their studio is based in Eugene, Oregon—a predominantly white city—and seem desperate to avoid hiring locally:
"These games live and grow for years after launch with the community at their heart. Since then, we’ve developed games for every platform and many genres that we are passionate about. That diversity is core to who we are and what we do."
It's not hard to see the underlying message here: they see Eugene as too white and are deliberately pushing remote work so they can artificially inflate their diversity numbers (or how they talk about "Inclusion" for that matter...). This obsessive focus on DEI over actual talent is not a sustainable model for long-term success.
The Future of Pipeworks: Ideology Over Innovation
After a deeper look at Pipeworks Studios, I can honestly only conclude that they have cemented themselves as one of the wokest game companies in the entire industry. Their mission statement reads more like a social justice manifesto than a development studio focused on making great games. They are so obsessed with their DEI goals that they openly admit to prioritizing racial and gender diversity over skill and experience.
This approach is NOT even close to being sustainable in the long run. Gamers have already rejected Concord, and they'll continue rejecting games that put identity politics before quality. Pipeworks may think they are leading the industry forward, but in reality, they're only just setting themselves up for absolute irrelevance by alienating the core gaming audience in favor of an agenda - or - the message -that has proven time and time again to be a financial disaster.
At what point does Pipeworks realize that making great games—not pandering to DEI checklists—is what actually matters? If history is any indication, it won’t be before their next game flops just as hard as Concord... If they even make it that far in the first place.
~Smash
