Sony Live Service Shake-Up – What’s Going on Behind the Scenes?
two major Sony Live Service games is canceled? Sony’s been making some bold moves lately, and if you’ve been keeping an eye on their live-service plans, things just got a lot more interesting. In a surprising twist, Sony has officially pulled the plug on two major unannounced live-service projects—one from Bend Studio (the team behind Days Gone) and the other from Bluepoint Games (famous for their incredible Demon’s Souls remake). According to a report from Bloomberg, the project at Bluepoint might’ve even been a live-service God of War game. Yeah, you read that right—a multiplayer take on Kratos' world. While that sounds epic, it’s now off the table.
But don’t worry—Sony isn’t shutting down either studio. Instead, both teams are shifting gears and working on new, undisclosed projects. This move raises big questions about Sony’s live-service strategy and what’s next for their big-name studios.
Sony’s Live-Service Ambitions – What Happened?
Let’s rewind a bit. Sony had ambitious plans to launch 12 live-service games by 2025. But after some major setbacks—including layoffs at Bungie and the cancellation of The Last of Us PvP project—they’ve trimmed that goal down to just six live-service titles. It looks like Sony is seriously rethinking how much they want to lean into the live-service model.
A few key projects are still in the pipeline, though. Here’s what we know:
Bungie’s Marathon – A reboot of their classic extraction shooter.
Haven Studios’ PvP Game – A mysterious multiplayer project from the team led by industry legend Jade Raymond.
Possible Horizon Co-op Game – Rumors hint at a multiplayer spin on the Horizon universe.
Horizon MMO – Another potential expansion of Aloy’s world with MMO ambitions.
It’s clear that Sony isn’t giving up on live service entirely—but they’re definitely adjusting their approach.
Why Is Sony Changing Course?
So, what’s going on here? Why is Sony, a company known for its blockbuster single-player hits, suddenly pulling back on live service?
1. Market Challenges:
Live-service games are risky. For every hit like Fortnite or Destiny 2, there are dozens of flops. Sony’s already faced some turbulence—Bungie’s recent layoffs suggest Destiny 2 isn’t performing as expected, and fan reactions to multiplayer-focused projects (like The Last of Us PvP) haven’t been glowing.
2. Player Preferences:
Let’s be real—when you think of Sony, you think of epic single-player adventures. God of War, The Last of Us, Spider-Man—these are the experiences that put PlayStation on the map. Fans aren’t exactly begging for more live-service titles, and Sony seems to be taking that feedback seriously.
3. Quality Over Quantity:
Rushing out 12 live-service games by 2025 always seemed ambitious—maybe too ambitious. Scaling back to six projects allows Sony to focus on delivering higher-quality, more polished experiences instead of flooding the market.
What’s Next for Bend Studio and Bluepoint?
The million-dollar question: if they’re not doing live-service, what are these studios working on?
Bend Studio
After the cult success of Days Gone, fans have been hoping for a sequel—but nothing official has been announced. With the live-service project scrapped, there’s speculation that Bend could be returning to open-world storytelling. Whatever they’re up to, Sony seems to trust them to deliver another major title.
Bluepoint Games
Bluepoint is known for their stunning remakes, including Shadow of the Colossus and Demon’s Souls. There’s a lot of buzz about them working on an original project—but what if it’s a remake of another PlayStation classic? Fans are already dreaming of a Bloodborne remake or even a fresh take on the Metal Gear Solid series.
Is Sony Done with Live-Service Games?
Not even close. While they’ve hit the brakes on a couple of projects, they’re still moving forward with a more focused lineup. The remaining live-service titles—especially Marathon and the Horizon projects—could define Sony’s multiplayer future if they stick the landing.
Sony’s cautious approach makes sense. The live-service market is brutal, and failing to deliver could hurt PlayStation’s hard-earned reputation. But if they strike the right balance between blockbuster single-player hits and engaging multiplayer experiences, they could have the best of both worlds.
Final Thoughts
Sony’s decision to cancel two major live-service games is a clear sign that they’re listening—to both the market and their fans. While it’s disappointing to think about what could’ve been (seriously, a live-service God of War?), it also means we’re likely to see more of what Sony does best: high-quality, story-driven experiences.
And hey, if they manage to get live service right with projects like Marathon or a Horizon MMO, we might still be in for something special.
For now, all eyes are on Sony’s next move—because whatever they do next, it’s bound to make waves.
