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

Jade Raymond's departure from Haven Studios, a Sony-owned developer, marks another setback for PlayStation's live service ambitions. Haven Studios, founded by Raymond and responsible for the online multiplayer shooter Fairgames, faced a delay following an external test that didn't meet expectations. Originally slated for a fall 2025 release, Fairgames is now postponed to spring 2026.

According to Bloomberg, Raymond left the studio several weeks after the external test, with PlayStation leadership not providing a specific reason for her exit. The test raised concerns among some Haven developers about the game's reception and progress. Despite this, Sony remains committed to Haven and Fairgames, appointing Marie-Eve Danis and Pierre-François Sapinski as new co-studio heads.

Sony's live service strategy has encountered significant challenges. 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 titles have struggled. Sony's Concord was a notable failure, lasting only a few weeks due to low player numbers before being discontinued and its developer shut down. Additionally, Sony canceled Naughty Dog's The Last of Us multiplayer game and two other unannounced live service titles, one from Bluepoint and another from Bend Studio.

In February 2022, Sony announced plans to launch over 10 live service games by March 2026, aiming to diversify its offerings across different genres and audiences. The company made significant investments in studio acquisitions, including Destiny developer Bungie, Haven Studios, and Firewalk Studios, which has since been closed.

In 2023, Sony president Hiroki Totoki announced a review of the 12 live service games in development, committing to launch only six by the end of the financial year 2025. Totoki emphasized the importance of quality over quantity, indicating flexibility in the release schedule of the remaining six titles.

Despite these setbacks, Bungie continues to support Sony's live service efforts with Destiny 2 and the upcoming Marathon. Sony also recently announced a new PlayStation studio, teamLFG, with a live service incubation project in the works, alongside Guerrilla's Horizon multiplayer game.