Sony's Latest Setback with Fairgames

In a major blow to PlayStation’s anticipated live-service game Fairgames, its creative director Daniel Drapeau has officially departed Haven Studios to join forces with Warner Bros. Games Montreal. This surprising shift has sparked fresh concerns about the game's future.

An Exiting Trend Amidst Uncertainty

Drapeau's exit marks the second significant departure this summer, coming just months after studio founder Jade Raymond stepped down following a mixed reception during an external playtest.

In a LinkedIn announcement, Drapeau expressed his excitement for his new role at WB Games Montreal, thanking his former colleagues for their support. However, his upbeat message stands in stark contrast to the troubling news surrounding Fairgames.

Mixed Signals and False Rumors

The turmoil doesn’t stop there. Recently, industry analyst Michael Pachter made headlines by falsely claiming that Fairgames was canceled. After facing backlash, he quickly retracted his statement, admitting he had no real insights about the game's status.

A Pattern of Failures?

This latest development brings to mind Sony’s recent string of missteps in the live-service arena. You may recall the disastrous launch of Concord, which ended in Sony scrapping the project and shutting down its development team shortly after its unimpressive debut.

In addition to Concord, Sony has pulled the plug on other high-profile endeavors, including Naughty Dog's multiplayer installment of The Last of Us, and two unannounced live-service titles believed to be in the works at Bluepoint and Bend Studios.

A Glimmer of Hope amidst the Chaos

On a brighter note, not all is lost for Sony. Arrowhead’s Helldivers 2 has taken the gaming world by storm, emerging as PlayStation Studios' fastest-selling game ever, with a staggering 12 million copies sold in just 12 weeks.

What is Fairgames?

Fairgames, stylized as Fairgame$, is a competitive heist game where players collaborate to infiltrate exotic locations and steal valuable cargo. The challenge intensifies as they must navigate not only security systems and guards but also rival teams aiming for the same loot. As of now, no official release date has been announced, leaving fans eager for updates.