Sony finds itself navigating turbulent waters after its ambitious plan to launch 12 game services by 2025 fell through, resulting in the abrupt cancellation of nine projects. This move has left the gaming community both disappointed and frustrated.
In 2022, Jim Ryan, then president of Sony Interactive Entertainment, unveiled the company's strategy to adapt to the evolving gaming landscape by introducing these services. However, this shift sparked concerns among fans who feared Sony might be sidelining its renowned single-player experiences. Despite assurances that single-player games would remain a focus, the reality has proven otherwise.
Recent reports confirm that Sony has canceled nine of the planned projects. While the successful launch of Helldivers 2 brought in millions of players, other anticipated titles such as Concord and Payback were shut down. High-profile cancellations include The Last of Us: Factions, Spider-Man: The Great Web, and a game set in the God of War universe developed by Bluepoint Games.
Sony's List of Canceled Games:
- Concord (failed to meet expectations)
- God of War by Bluepoint Games
- Bend Studio's multiplayer game
- The Last of Us: Factions
- Spider-Man: The Great Web by Insomniac Games
- Twisted Metal by Firesprite
- Unannounced fantasy game from London Studio
- Payback by Bungie
- Networking project from Deviation Games
The majority of these canceled projects were central to Sony's push into the game-services market. Fans have voiced their discontent, accusing Sony of chasing trends at the expense of its core identity. As a result, projects from Bend Studio and Bluepoint Games are now facing delays of several years.
