In its recently unveiled Corporate Report for 2025, Sony has clearly reiterated its unwavering commitment to live-service games, even in the face of recent challenges and setbacks within this evolving market. The report offers a comprehensive look into the latest information and developments across all of the company`s divisions, prominently featuring its PlayStation segment.
The document specifically underscores Sony`s ongoing efforts to enhance its “live services expertise,” citing a range of successful titles such as MLB The Show, the critically acclaimed Helldivers 2, Gran Turismo, and Destiny 2 as exemplars of its capabilities in this domain.
A notable aspect of the report is the prominent mention of Bungie`s Marathon as a pivotal upcoming title for Sony`s live-service strategy. This emphasis comes despite the game facing an indefinite delay and being entangled in controversies involving allegations of stolen artwork. Curiously, the report makes no mention of other planned live-service games, most conspicuously omitting Fairgame$, which has been widely rumored to be in a difficult development phase.
Fairgame$, currently being developed by Sony`s Haven Studios, has experienced significant leadership changes, including the departure of studio head Jade Raymond, reportedly due to concerns surrounding the project. Its director, Daniel Drapeau, also left the company earlier this year. The game is now reportedly slated for a Spring 2026 release, a timeframe that positions it in close proximity to major releases like GTA 6, expected in May 2026.
However, it`s important to consider that these internal changes and the absence of Fairgame$ from Sony`s corporate report do not automatically confirm that the game is in imminent trouble.
At one point, Sony harbored ambitions to launch 12 live-service games over the next few years, alongside its continued focus on delivering compelling single-player experiences. Nevertheless, in May 2023, Sony announced a strategic shift, halving its projected live-service game output and emphasizing a focus on quality over sheer quantity. This change in direction notably led to the cancellation of Naughty Dog`s The Last of Us multiplayer game in December 2023.
Despite these challenges, early 2024 proved to be a resounding success for Sony`s live-service ventures with the launch of Helldivers 2. The game not only broke sales records but also secured its position as the third best-selling game of 2024 in the US. Its recent expansion to Xbox, coupled with continuous updates, has fueled a massive surge in its popularity.
Conversely, Sony faced a significant setback in the live-service market with Concord, which debuted in August 2024. Its dismal performance upon release prompted Sony to swiftly remove the game from sale and issue refunds to all players, subsequently leading to the closure of its developer, Firewalk. By the close of 2024, Sony further confirmed the cancellation of several other projects, including a live-service God of War title and another unannounced live-service game from Bend Studio.
Following the unfortunate outcome with Concord, Hermen Hulst, the head of PlayStation Studios, has affirmed that Sony has implemented new organizational structures and protocols to ensure that future live-service games are brought to market in a more refined and robust condition.