Sony Cancels Nine Games, Faces Fan Backlash

Sony is currently facing significant challenges following the failure of its ambitious plan to launch 12 game services by 2025. The company recently made the abrupt decision to cancel nine of these projects, a move that has left many players feeling frustrated and disappointed.

In 2022, Jim Ryan, who was the president of Sony Interactive Entertainment at the time, unveiled Sony's strategy to introduce 12 game services by 2025. This initiative was intended to adapt to the evolving dynamics of the gaming industry. However, the announcement was met with skepticism from many gamers who were concerned that Sony was shifting its focus away from beloved single-player games. In response to these concerns, Sony reassured its community that it would continue to develop single-player titles, but recent developments have proven otherwise.

It has now been revealed that 9 out of the 12 planned projects have been canceled. While the successful launch of Helldivers 2 has drawn millions of players, other projects such as Concord and Payback have been shut down. Moreover, highly anticipated titles like The Last of Us: Factions, Spider-Man: The Great Web, and a game set in the God of War universe, which was being developed by Bluepoint Games, have also been canceled.

Here's Sony's list of canceled games:

• Concord (didn't live up to expectations)
• God of War by Bluepoint Games
• Bend Studio's multiplayer game
• The Last of Us: Factions
• Spider-Man: The Great Web by Insomniac Games
• Twisted Metal by Firesprite
• Unannounced fantasy game from London Studio
• Payback by Bungie
• Networking project from Deviation Games

Almost all of the canceled projects were integral to Sony's bold strategy to penetrate the games-as-a-service market. The gaming community has voiced its dissatisfaction, arguing that Sony became too engrossed in following industry trends and lost sight of its core strengths. As a result, projects from Bend Studio and Bluepoint Games are now expected to be delayed by at least a few years.