Nothing is going as planned at PlayStation and clearly, a game in development has simply been canceled. We tell you everything you need to know.
Sony recently released an important statement to its community following a wave of layoffs affecting approximately 900 employees. We could still talk to you about it yesterday on Gameblog. It’s quite dramatic and affects many internal PlayStation studios. Beyond the directly impacted staff, to whom we send all our good vibes, PS5 games are also affected.
Canceling games on PS5
Hermen Hulst, head of the division, explained that this decision was the result of an evaluation of the projects underway at the various studios, leading to the conclusion that some of them would not be continued. Hulst stressed that the cancellation of these games did not call into question the talent or passion of the teams involved. He argued that despite good initial ideas, not all projects necessarily turn into successful games. Sometimes, changes in the market or industry may cause initial plans to be revised.
While specific details of the canceled projects remain undisclosed, Hulst’s comments suggest that some titles geared toward online services initiated in recent years may be affected. Notably, London Studio, which was completely closed following recent staff reductions, was working on a cooperative-based online game set in a fantasy universe in London; this project is likely canceled.
Details about the games
At the same time, journalist Jason Schreier, known for his numerous revelations, spoke out to provide further details. In particular, we can learn that as part of the massive layoffs, Sony canceled the live-service Twisted Metal game which was under development in the British studio Firesprite. A very popular license.
Studios Naughty Dog, Insomniac Games, Firesprite and Guerrilla Games were also affected by the layoffs. It remains unclear whether these studios also had to cancel unannounced projects as a result. Hermen Hulst says PlayStation Studios will remain a creator-centric organization, striving to evolve their beloved franchises and deliver new gaming experiences.