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

Jade Raymond's departure from Haven Studios, the Sony-owned developer behind the online multiplayer shooter Fairgames, marks another setback for PlayStation's live service ambitions. According to Bloomberg, Raymond left the studio she founded shortly after an external test of Fairgames, which reportedly did not meet expectations. Originally slated for a fall 2025 release, the game's launch has now been postponed to spring 2026.

PlayStation leadership did not provide a specific reason for Raymond's exit, but it occurred weeks after the external test of Fairgames. Some developers at Haven expressed concerns about the game's reception and its development progress, as reported by Bloomberg's sources who wished to remain anonymous.

Despite the leadership change, Sony remains committed to Haven and Fairgames. Marie-Eve Danis and Pierre-François Sapinski have been appointed as the new co-studio heads to steer the project forward.

This development adds to the challenges Sony faces in its push for live service games. While Arrowhead's Helldivers 2 achieved remarkable success, selling 12 million copies in just 12 weeks and becoming the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game ever, other live service efforts have struggled. Sony's Concord, for instance, was a major disappointment, lasting only a few weeks before being taken offline due to low player engagement and eventually being canceled along with its developer.

Sony's difficulties in the live service space were further compounded by the cancellation of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us multiplayer game and two other unannounced live service projects—one from Bluepoint, which was working on a God of War title, and another from Bend Studio, known for Days Gone.

In February 2022, Sony announced plans to launch over 10 live service games by March 2026, aiming to cater to diverse audiences with varied genres. The company invested heavily in studio acquisitions, including Destiny developer Bungie, Haven Studios, and Firewalk Studios, which has since been closed. However, in 2023, Sony president Hiroki Totoki revealed a reassessment of these plans, committing to launch only six of the 12 live service games by the end of the financial year 2025. Totoki emphasized that quality should be the top priority for gamers, indicating flexibility in the lineup.

Bungie continues to support Sony's live service strategy with the ongoing Destiny 2 and the upcoming full launch of Marathon later this year. Additionally, Sony recently introduced a new PlayStation studio called teamLFG, which is working on a live service incubation project, and Guerrilla is developing a multiplayer game set in the Horizon universe.