Jade Raymond's departure from Haven Studios marks a significant setback for Sony's PlayStation division, particularly in its pursuit of live service games. Raymond, who founded Haven and was leading the development of the online multiplayer shooter Fairgames, left the studio following a reportedly disappointing external test of the game. Originally slated for a fall 2025 release, Fairgames has now been delayed to spring 2026.
According to Bloomberg, PlayStation leadership did not provide a clear reason for Raymond's exit, which occurred weeks after the external test. The test raised concerns among some Haven developers about the game's reception and its development progress. Despite this, Sony remains committed to 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 with its live service ambitions. While Arrowhead's Helldivers 2 achieved remarkable success, selling 12 million copies in just 12 weeks, other live service efforts have struggled. Sony's Concord, for instance, was a major disappointment, lasting only a few weeks before being taken offline due to low player engagement. Ultimately, Sony decided to cancel Concord and shut down its developer.
The difficulties with Concord followed the cancellation of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us multiplayer game. Earlier this year, Sony reportedly canceled two more unannounced live service projects: a God of War game at Bluepoint and another at 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 invested heavily in studio acquisitions, including Destiny developer Bungie, Haven Studios, and the now-closed Firewalk Studios.
However, in 2023, Sony president Hiroki Totoki revealed that the company was reassessing its portfolio of 12 live service games, committing to launch only six by the end of the financial year 2025. Totoki emphasized that Sony would prioritize quality over sticking to specific titles, indicating flexibility in their release strategy.
Bungie continues to uphold Sony's live service efforts with the ongoing Destiny 2 and the upcoming full launch of Marathon later this year. Additionally, Sony recently announced a new PlayStation studio, teamLFG, which is working on a live service incubation project. Guerrilla's Horizon multiplayer game is also in development, suggesting that Sony remains dedicated to exploring the live service model despite recent setbacks.
