Jade Raymond quitte Fairgames alors que le service en direct de Sony peine

This development marks a pivotal moment in Sony’s evolving live-service strategy, underscoring both the ambitious aspirations and growing pains behind its push to dominate the multiplayer gaming landscape.

Jade Raymond’s departure from Haven Studios—a studio she founded and built with a clear vision for a bold, player-driven online shooter in Fairgames—is a significant blow. Her exit, though not officially explained by Sony leadership, arrives amid a reported negative external playtest, casting doubt on the game’s core mechanics, pacing, or player engagement. The subsequent delay of Fairgames from fall 2025 to spring 2026 signals a rare but telling pause in Sony’s aggressive rollout of live-service titles.

This isn’t an isolated incident. Sony’s live-service ambitions, once fueled by grand promises and major acquisitions (including Bungie, Haven Studios, and Firewalk Studios), are now facing a stark reality check:

• Concord’s collapse remains a cautionary tale: a $100M+ project that failed to retain players and was shuttered within weeks, marking one of the most expensive flops in PlayStation history.
• Naughty Dog’s cancellation of The Last of Us multiplayer, despite strong IP loyalty, reflects Sony’s willingness to cut even beloved franchises if they don’t fit the live-service mold.
• The cancellation of two unannounced live-service titles—one from Bluepoint Games (likely a God of War spinoff) and another from Bend Studio (Days Gone sequel)—reveals internal strategic pruning.
• The 2023 reevaluation under President Hiroki Totoki, which slashed the projected 12 live-service games down to just six by 2026, confirms that Sony is no longer chasing volume at all costs.

Yet, some light remains:

• Bungie’s Destiny 2 continues to thrive, proving that long-term live-service success is possible with strong community management, regular content, and a proven engine.
• Marathon, Bungie’s upcoming new IP, is still in development and could serve as a fresh flagship for Sony’s long-term vision.
• teamLFG, Sony’s newly formed studio, is explicitly positioned as a live-service incubator, suggesting a more focused, experimental, and agile approach moving forward.
• Guerrilla Games’ Horizon multiplayer title (likely a Horizon Zero Dawn spinoff) still represents a major bet on narrative-driven live-service experiences.

What This Means Moving Forward:

1. Quality Over Quantity: Sony’s shift from "launch 10+ live-service games" to "only 6 by 2026" signals a hard pivot. Quality is now the priority, even if it means slower growth.
2. Studio Autonomy vs. Central Control: Jade Raymond’s exit raises concerns about whether Sony is stifling creative freedom. Studios like Bungie and Guerrilla have retained more independence, while others—like Haven—may have faced pressure to conform to Sony’s broader live-service playbook.
3. The Rise of the "Incubation" Model: With teamLFG and internal experimentation, Sony may be adopting a more startup-like approach, testing ideas rapidly and killing underperformers early—learning from Concord’s missteps.
4. Faith in the Formula, Not the Franchise: The fact that Sony still funds Fairgames and Horizon multiplayer despite these setbacks suggests the company still believes in live-service as a core pillar, but only when executed with care.

Final Takeaway:

Sony’s live-service journey has been a rollercoaster—full of hype, investment, and spectacular failures. But the current moment isn’t one of retreat. It’s a strategic recalibration. The company is learning that success in live service isn’t just about monetization or scale—it’s about player trust, long-term vision, and creative ownership.

Jade Raymond’s exit may mark the end of one era for Haven Studios—but it could also be the catalyst for a more sustainable, thoughtful approach to live-service gaming at Sony. The next few years will reveal whether this shift is real, or just another pause before the next burst of ambition.