Sony Delays Six of Its Planned 12 PlayStation Live Service Games Due to Quality Concerns

Sony's new approach looks to ensure better quality live service games, expressed by delays in six of its development projects, including anticipated titles from Bungie and Naughty Dog.

Sony's CFO Hiroki Totoki announces that Sony will delay six out of its planned 12 PlayStation Live service games to post-March 2026, citing quality concerns and the desire to meet gamers' expectations.
The six delayed titles, which include anticipated deliveries from Bungie and Naughty Dog, were originally planned to be launched by the end of Fiscal Year 2025.
Despite the delays, Sony remains committed to its live service model and does not prioritize specific titles, emphasizing that game quality is the most important factor.
Sony's acquisitions of Destiny 2 maker Bungie and Firewalk Studios were strategic initiatives towards building their live service portfolio, these acquisitions and partnerships were expected to help with development and direction.
Various reports point to the lack of success and saturation in the live service gaming market, with Player's time constraint cited as core challenge and the unpredictability and high risks associated with the live service gaming model.
The trend of other live service games struggling or being discontinued in 2023, including Babylon’s Fall, Crossfire X, Sega’s Hyenas, Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodhunt, Rumbleverse, and Knockout City raises questions on the future and sustainability of live service games.