Sony is publicly doubling down on live service games, promising investors and players a “diverse and resilient portfolio” and stating they’ve learned from past stumbles like the recently canceled Concord. The company is projecting confidence in its upcoming lineup. However, a closer look at their announced live service projects reveals that the path forward might be much rockier than the official messaging suggests.
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Despite the confident talk, many key titles in Sony’s live service plan appear to be facing significant hurdles. The picture is complex, with bright spots having unique limitations and several high-profile projects showing concerning signs of trouble.
Sony’s Live Service Vision vs. Reality
PlayStation leadership continues to emphasize a strong commitment to live service titles, which are games designed for ongoing play and revenue over years, unlike traditional single-player story games. They’ve invested heavily, particularly through the acquisition of Bungie, the studio behind Destiny. The goal is seemingly to balance their acclaimed single-player experiences with games that keep players engaged long-term.
But the reality on the ground for their known projects presents a mixed, often worrying, picture.
Helldivers 2: A Smashing Success, With a Catch
One undeniable success story for Sony’s recent live service push has been Helldivers 2. Developed by Arrowhead Game Studios, it became a breakout hit, praised for its fun co-op gameplay and engaging community management. It’s a shining example of what a live service game can be.
But here’s the twist: Arrowhead isn’t a first-party Sony studio. They are independent developers. The massive success of Helldivers 2 has empowered Arrowhead financially to self-fund and publish their next game, according to their CEO. While they’ve stated this isn’t a slight against Sony, it means Helldivers 2‘s success doesn’t necessarily translate into a reliable, in-house live service powerhouse for Sony long-term. Arrowhead can choose their next path freely.
Destiny 2: The Long Haul Gets Longer
Destiny 2, developed by Bungie (now owned by Sony), is something of a pioneer in the live service space, having run for over a decade. It has seen incredible highs and lows. Now, in its 11th year, the game is scaling down after concluding its major narrative saga. It’s moving towards a new “Frontiers” era designed to sustain the game rather than chase massive growth.
The challenge here is that while Destiny 2 continues, it’s unlikely to reach its past peaks. Many players might be ready for a fresh start with a potential Destiny 3. However, keeping Destiny 2 alive for the foreseeable future seems to be the priority, meaning a true sequel might not be on the horizon, leaving the franchise in a state of maintenance rather than expansion.
Marathon: Facing an Uphill Battle
Sony leaders have called the upcoming Marathon, another Bungie project, “bold and innovative,” citing positive internal engagement reports. However, public perception paints a different, more concerning picture.
Marathon game character on a futuristic planet landscape
Marathon has faced several public hurdles already: a lukewarm initial gameplay showcase, reports of mixed-to-poor feedback from early alpha tests, and even a controversy involving alleged art plagiarism that Bungie addressed. A subsequent livestream intended to reassure fans seemed to do little to quash the concerns. This title appears to be facing significant headwinds before it even launches, making its success far from guaranteed.
Fairgame$: Signs of Trouble
Less is publicly known about Fairgame$, a live service title from Jade Raymond’s Haven Studios (a Sony first-party studio). What little information has emerged is not encouraging. The head of the studio, Jade Raymond, recently departed the project. There have also been unconfirmed reports of negative internal test results.
We haven’t seen or heard anything substantial about Fairgame$ in nearly two years. This lack of updates, combined with the reported internal issues and leadership change, makes it look like a prime candidate for either cancellation before release or a difficult launch, potentially following the path of other live service games that failed to find an audience.
Beyond the Horizon: Other Unseen Projects
Sony has other live service projects reportedly in the works, but details are even scarcer, meaning they are likely years away. This includes a rumored multiplayer game set in the popular Horizon universe, potentially a monster-hunter style game. While leveraging a popular franchise is smart, converting fans of a single-player, narrative-driven series into dedicated multiplayer players is always a risky proposition, and we’ve seen almost nothing concrete about the project itself.
Another project involves a new internal studio carved out from Bungie, reportedly working on a game codenamed “Gummy Bears.” While there are mentions of positive internal tests, there’s no official name, genre details, or public footage. It’s a complete unknown for players.
Finally, acclaimed game developer Jason Blundell (known for his work on Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies) has his own studio within Sony. This is perhaps one of the more promising wildcards, given Blundell’s pedigree in creating engaging, replayable experiences. However, again, there is absolutely zero public information about what his studio is working on.
The Big Picture: More Questions Than Answers
Sony is putting on a confident face regarding its live service future, but the reality for its known projects looks challenging. Helldivers 2 is a hit, but its success empowers an independent partner, not necessarily reinforcing Sony’s internal capabilities long-term. Destiny 2 is a veteran scaling down. Marathon and Fairgame$, the next major known releases, appear to be facing significant hurdles. The other projects are either years away, largely unknown, or attempting risky conversions of existing franchises.
While Sony might eventually find success with its live service ambitions, the current lineup doesn’t offer easy answers. The path appears fraught with difficulty, suggesting that achieving that “diverse and resilient portfolio” is still a long and uncertain journey.
