Jade Raymond's departure from Haven Studios, the Sony-owned developer behind the online multiplayer shooter Fairgames, marks a significant setback for PlayStation's live service ambitions. Following an external test that reportedly didn't meet expectations, Fairgames has been delayed from its planned fall 2025 release to spring 2026. Bloomberg reports that Raymond left the studio she founded just weeks after the test, with PlayStation leadership not providing a clear reason for her exit. This has left some developers at Haven concerned about the game's reception and progress.
Despite Raymond's departure, Sony remains committed to Haven and Fairgames, with new co-studio heads Marie-Eve Danis and Pierre-François Sapinski taking over leadership. However, this development adds to the challenges Sony faces in its live service gaming strategy.
Sony's push into live service games, announced in February 2022 with a goal to launch over 10 titles by March 2026, has encountered numerous hurdles. While Helldivers 2 from Arrowhead was a resounding success, selling 12 million copies in just 12 weeks and becoming the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game ever, other projects have struggled. The live service game Concord was a notable failure, lasting only a couple of weeks before being taken offline due to extremely low player numbers and eventually canceled along with its developer.
Additionally, Sony canceled Naughty Dog's The Last of Us multiplayer game and two unannounced live service titles earlier this year, including a God of War project at Bluepoint and another at Days Gone developer Bend. In 2023, Sony president Hiroki Totoki announced a review of the 12 live service games in development, committing to launch only six by the end of the financial year 2025, and emphasizing the importance of quality over quantity.
Despite these setbacks, Sony continues to invest in live service gaming. Bungie remains a key player with Destiny 2 and the upcoming Marathon. Sony also recently announced a new PlayStation studio, teamLFG, which is working on a live service incubation project, and Guerrilla's Horizon multiplayer game is in development.
These developments underscore the volatile nature of the live service gaming market and the challenges Sony faces in achieving its ambitious goals in this space.
