Sony Scraps Nine Games Amid Fan Outrage

Sony finds itself in a difficult spot after its plan to launch 12 live-service games by 2025 fell apart. The company recently and unexpectedly canceled nine of those projects, leaving many players frustrated.

In 2022, then-SIE President Jim Ryan announced the ambitious target of releasing a dozen live-service titles by 2025. This strategy was intended to respond to shifts in the gaming industry. However, the announcement was met with concern from a segment of players who worried Sony was moving away from its acclaimed single-player narrative games. At the time, Sony reassured fans it would continue developing those types of titles, but the outcome has been different.

It has now been confirmed that 9 of the 12 planned projects have been axed. Beyond the smash hit Helldivers 2, which attracted millions of players, the company has shut down Concord and Payback. Several other high-profile games have also been canceled, including The Last of Us: Factions, Spider-Man: The Great Web, and a God of War project being developed by Bluepoint Games.

Sony's List of Canceled Games

Concord (failed to meet expectations)
God of War project by Bluepoint Games
Multiplayer game from Bend Studio
The Last of Us: Factions
Spider-Man: The Great Web by Insomniac Games
Twisted Metal by Firesprite
Unannounced fantasy title from London Studio
Payback by Bungie
Networking project from Deviation Games

Nearly all of the canceled projects were part of Sony's major push into the live-service gaming market. The gaming community has voiced significant disappointment, criticizing the company for chasing trends at the expense of its foundational strengths. Projects from studios like Bend and Bluepoint are now likely delayed for several years.