Sony Interactive Entertainment has made headlines for all the wrong reasons, announcing the cancellation of two anticipated live-service games developed by Bend Studio and Bluepoint Games. The news, confirmed to Bloomberg, comes in the wake of a recent review that aims to reassess the company's project lineup. Fortunately for the studios involved, Sony has assured their employees that job security is a priority, declaring in an internal email that “we plan to do everything we can to ensure there is minimal business impact.”

Reports indicate that the game in progress at Bluepoint Games was a live-service spin-off of the iconic God of War franchise. Bluepoint is renowned for its exceptional work in remastering titles such as Shadow of the Colossus and Demon’s Souls, and fans had high hopes for its transition to original game development. Bend Studio, best known for its action-adventure titles like the beloved Syphon Filter series and the 2019 hit Days Gone, faced equally oversized expectations in this new venture.

The cancellation comes amid an uphill battle for Sony in the live-service gaming arena. While they experienced a modest success with Helldivers 2 in 2024, the company is also grappling with troubled launches, including the untimely deletion of Concord, which lasted just two weeks before its demise, alongside the shuttering of its developer Firewalk Studios.

The initial grand vision for live-service games emerged in 2022 after Sony acquired Bungie, a former key player behind the Destiny franchise. The ambitious plan aimed for no fewer than 12 new live-service games by March 2026, but as the industry continues to evolve and trends shift, that number has been slashed by half, now standing at just six new titles.

In a bid to stay competitive in a market fiercely dominated by juggernauts like Fortnite, Sony has found itself reassessing its strategies. In addition to the recent cancellations, the company has previously scrapped a multiplayer adaptation of The Last of Us and reportedly shelved an online Spider-Man game titled The Great Web. In an attempt to regain its footing, Bungie is hard at work on its upcoming extraction shooter, Marathon, which is expected to be available for expanded playtests by 2025.

As Sony navigates this turbulent phase in its gaming strategy, the question remains: can the tech giant reinvent its approach to live-service games, or will it continue to struggle against the odds? Fans and industry insiders alike are watching closely to see how Sony will respond to these challenges. Stay tuned for more updates!