Jade Raymond's departure from Haven Studios marks a significant setback for Sony's PlayStation division, particularly its ambitions in the live service gaming sector. Raymond, who founded Haven Studios under Sony's umbrella, left the company after an external test of their debut game, Fairgames, reportedly did not meet expectations. This online multiplayer shooter was initially slated for a fall 2025 release but has now been pushed back to spring 2026.
According to Bloomberg, PlayStation leadership did not provide a specific reason for Raymond's exit, which occurred weeks after the disappointing external test. Some developers at Haven expressed concerns over the game's reception and its development progress. Despite this, Sony continues to support Haven and Fairgames, with new co-studio heads Marie-Eve Danis and Pierre-François Sapinski taking the helm.
This development adds to the challenges Sony faces in its live service gaming strategy. While Arrowhead's Helldivers 2 achieved remarkable success, selling 12 million copies in just 12 weeks, other ventures have struggled. Sony's Concord, for instance, experienced a catastrophic launch, lasting only a few weeks before being taken offline due to extremely low player engagement. Consequently, Sony decided to terminate the game and close its developer.
Sony's difficulties in the live service space are further highlighted by the cancellation of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us multiplayer project and two other unannounced live service games earlier this year—one from Bluepoint, working on a God of War title, and another from Bend Studio, the team behind Days Gone.
In February 2022, Sony announced plans to launch over 10 live service games by March 2026, aiming to diversify its offerings across different genres and audiences. The company made significant investments, including acquiring studios like Bungie, Haven Studios, and Firewalk Studios. However, 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. Totoki emphasized that quality should be paramount for gamers, indicating a potential shift in Sony's strategy.
Despite these setbacks, Bungie continues to support Sony's live service efforts with Destiny 2 and the upcoming Marathon. Additionally, Sony recently announced a new studio, teamLFG, working on a live service incubation project, and Guerrilla is developing a multiplayer game set in the Horizon universe. These ongoing projects suggest that Sony remains committed to exploring the live service model, albeit with a more cautious approach.
