"Canceled Twisted Metal Game Blended Vehicular Combat, Shooting, and Battle Royale, Developer Reveals"

Exciting yet disappointing news has emerged for fans of the iconic vehicular combat series, Twisted Metal. Recently, brand new images from a canceled game project have surfaced online, revealing that Sony's developer, Firesprite, was working on a live service game that combined the series' signature vehicular combat with battle royale elements. These images, shared by a former UI developer at Firesprite on their online portfolio, are blurred and marked "Under NDA" but are clearly labeled under the codename Project Copper. This project was reportedly the internal name for the unannounced live-service iteration of Twisted Metal.

Twisted Metal, a beloved franchise that originated on the PSone and last saw a new release during the PlayStation 3 era, was envisioned by Firesprite as a "third-person vehicular action combat game" rooted in a classic PlayStation IP. According to the developer, Project Copper integrated third-person shooter mechanics with vehicular combat, aiming to create a thrilling last-man-standing experience (credit: MP1st).

Unfortunately, Sony canceled the Twisted Metal project amid significant layoffs announced in February 2024. At the time of cancellation, the game had not yet been greenlit, but development was underway at the UK-based Firesprite studio, which was affected by the layoffs.

The cancellation of Twisted Metal is part of a broader shift at Sony away from live service games. This strategic pivot follows an earlier internal drive to increase the production of such titles. For instance, Naughty Dog halted development on The Last of Us Online in December 2023, citing the need to allocate all resources to post-launch content, which would have hindered their ability to create future single-player games.

Despite some successes, like Arrowhead’s Helldivers 2, which sold 12 million copies in just 12 weeks, Sony has faced challenges in the live service arena. The hero shooter Concord, developed by Sony, was a notable flop, surviving only a couple of weeks before being taken offline due to dismal player engagement. Sony eventually decided to terminate the game and close its developer. Additionally, in January, Sony canceled two other unannounced live service games: one from Bluepoint working on a God of War title, and another from Bend, the studio behind Days Gone.

While the future of the Twisted Metal game series looks uncertain, fans can still look forward to the Twisted Metal TV series on Peacock, which stars Anthony Mackie and is set to return for a second season. IGN's review of Season 1 awarded it an 8/10, praising it as "a miraculously enjoyable blend of comedy, violence, and thoughtfulness," despite its occasionally excessive humor.

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