"Sony's Live Service Struggles Persist: PlayStation Exec Jade Raymond Leaves Fairgames Amid Testing Issues"

Jade Raymond has left Haven Studios, the Sony-owned developer behind the online multiplayer shooter Fairgames, in a move that has further complicated PlayStation's ambitions for live service games. According to Bloomberg, Raymond's departure came shortly after an external test of Fairgames, which reportedly did not meet expectations, leading to a delay of the game from its planned fall 2025 release to spring 2026.

Bloomberg reported that PlayStation leadership did not provide a specific reason for Raymond's exit, but it followed closely on the heels of the disappointing external test. Some developers at Haven expressed concerns about the game's reception and its developmental progress. Despite this setback, Sony remains committed to Haven and Fairgames, with Marie-Eve Danis and Pierre-François Sapinski stepping in as new co-studio heads.

This development is just the latest in a series of challenges for Sony's live service strategy, which has been struggling to gain traction. While Helldivers 2 from Arrowhead became a breakout success, selling 12 million copies in just 12 weeks and becoming the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game to date, other live service efforts have faltered. Concord, for example, turned into one of the biggest flops in PlayStation's history, shutting down after only a few weeks due to dismal player numbers. Sony ultimately decided to terminate the game and close its developer.

The failure of Concord was preceded by the cancellation of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us multiplayer project. Additionally, earlier this year, Sony reportedly canceled two unannounced live service titles, one being a God of War game developed by Bluepoint and another from the studio behind Days Gone, Bend.

Sony's aggressive push into live service gaming was announced in February 2022, with plans to launch over 10 live service games by March 2026. The company aimed to diversify its offerings across different genres and audiences, investing heavily in studio acquisitions, including Destiny developer Bungie, Jade Raymond's Haven Studios, and the now-defunct Firewalk Studios.

However, by 2023, Sony president Hiroki Totoki announced a review of the 12 live service games in development, committing to release only six by the end of the financial year 2025, or by March 2026. Totoki emphasized that the focus would shift to quality over quantity, stating, "It's not that we stick to certain titles, but for the gamers, quality should be the most important."

Despite the setbacks, Sony continues to pursue live service gaming. Bungie remains a key player with Destiny 2 and the upcoming Marathon. Sony also recently announced a new studio, teamLFG, with a debut live service incubation project in the works, alongside Guerrilla’s ongoing development of a Horizon multiplayer game.