Sony's ambitious games-as-a-service strategy falters, leading to widespread player disappointment. The company's 2022 announcement of twelve planned game services by 2025 has dramatically backfired, with a recent cancellation of nine projects.
This abrupt shift contrasts sharply with Jim Ryan's (then President of Sony Interactive Entertainment) initial assurances. While the strategy aimed to adapt to evolving market demands, it sparked considerable gamer backlash, fueled by concerns that Sony was neglecting its celebrated single-player titles. Despite promises to continue developing such games, the reality is a significant scaling back of ambitious projects.
Nine of the twelve anticipated services have been scrapped. While Helldivers 2 proved successful, high-profile cancellations include The Last of Us: Factions, Spider-Man: The Great Web, and a God of War title from Bluepoint Games, alongside projects from Bend Studio, Firesprite, London Studio, Bungie, and Deviation Games.
Sony's Cancelled Games:
- Concord (failed to meet expectations)
- God of War (Bluepoint Games)
- Bend Studio's Multiplayer Game
- The Last of Us: Factions
- Spider-Man: The Great Web (Insomniac Games)
- Twisted Metal (Firesprite)
- Unannounced Fantasy Game (London Studio)
- Payback (Bungie)
- Deviation Games' Networking Project
The cancellations primarily impact Sony's push into the games-as-a-service market. Player frustration is palpable, with many criticizing Sony for chasing trends at the expense of its core strengths and established franchises. Projects from Bend Studio and Bluepoint Games, among others, face significant delays.
