Things don't seem to be going well for PlayStation's live service games. Previously announced with high hopes, Fairgame$ The game was postponed from its planned release in the fall of 2025 due to development problems. Had to postpone until 2026. In addition to this postponement, the experienced name leading the project Jade Raymond also leaves her role at Haven Studios.
Fairgame$ Is Having Serious Development Issues
According to Bloomberg, Fairgame$, one of Sony's live service games, was revealed after external testing. performance and quality concerns This situation led to a comprehensive evaluation of the project, and as a result, the game's release was moved to 2026. Haven Studios, which was acquired by Sony in 2022 and includes former Google Stadia developers, experienced a significant shake-up with this postponement.
Project Lead Jade Raymond Leaves Studio
Immediately after this delay, the founder and leader of the studio, one of the well-known names in the industry, Jade Raymond leaves Sony was announced. Having previously worked on major projects such as Assassin's Creed and EA Motive, Raymond's departure has raised questions about the project. Sony said in an official statement, "Jade Raymond was a visionary force in the establishment of Haven Studios. We are grateful for her contributions and wish her success in her future journey," saying goodbye to Raymond.
Fairgame$: It Was Going To Be A Robin Hood Themed Payday 2-Like Production
Fairgame$ was announced at a PlayStation event in 2023, but details about the game were kept quite limited. It was stated that the game would have open-ended gameplay based on class conflicts, and its production style was compared to a Robin Hood-themed Payday 2. The game, which was expected to take a Ubisoft-style approach, would be the first major project of Haven Studios, which was founded after the failure of Google Stadia.
Is Sony's Live Service Strategy Failing?
Sony has not completely cancelled the Fairgame$ project, but it has been announced that new names, Marie-Eve Danis and Pierre-François Sapinski, have been brought in to lead the studio. However, when looking at the overall picture, it seems that Sony's strategy for live-service games has seriously shaken. Recent decisions such as the cancellation of The Last of Us Online, the withdrawal of Concord, the shelving of the online God of War game, and the cancellation of Bend Studio's co-op shooter project have raised concerns about the company's stability in this area. This latest delay and the departure of the studio head raise further questions about Sony's future in the live-service games space.
