PlayStation just killed off a huge number of games

In what might be relieving news to many, Sony is re-evaluating its focus on live-service games, quietly cutting six titles from its upcoming release schedule.

Live-service games can be incredibly popular thus making them lucrative too. You need only look at Fortnite which recently launched its stratospherically successful OG season. It’s not easy to latch onto that live-service magic though. Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League has a tough battle ahead of it. The game was shown off during a State of Play event in early 2023 but was subsequently delayed to 2024 after receiving such a lacklustre reception. Given that Rocksteady had just wrapped up the incredible Arkham trilogy, it certainly feels as if Warner Bros. forced Rocksteady’s hand into creating a live-service title.

Take a look at Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League in action below.

PlayStation looked set to join in on this push. When you think of PlayStation, single-player narrative-driven titles probably spring to mind. The company has utilised its first-party studios to create some real powerhouse IPs in recent years, so it seemed a somewhat unexpected move when Sony announced they were looking to pivot and release 12 live-service games by March 2026. That number has now been drastically cut down to six.

In a shareholders meeting, Sony senior executive vice president Hiroki Totoki confirmed that the company now plans to release six live-service games by FY2025, adding that the company wants to focus on releasing games that meet players’ expectations. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the other six games are cancelled. Some may be, others may release at a later date. That decision is still up in the air.

I think this is a sensible move. You need only look at the struggles of Naughty Dog. Both Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and The Last of Us Part II were critical and commercial bangers, followed up by the once-again critically acclaimed remake The Last of Us Part I. Now, the studio is stuck in development hell with nothing to show after attempting to create a live-service TLOU entry as a part of Sony’s push. While it is exciting to try something new, there’s also something to be said in playing to your strengths.