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

Jade Raymond has departed from Haven Studios, the Sony-owned developer behind the online multiplayer shooter Fairgames. This departure comes after an external test of the game reportedly did not meet expectations, leading to a delay from its planned fall 2025 release to spring 2026. This development represents another setback for PlayStation's live service initiatives.

According to Bloomberg, Raymond's exit occurred several weeks following the external test of Fairgames. The reasons for her departure were not disclosed to Haven's staff, but it coincided with concerns among some developers about the game's reception and progress.

Despite these challenges, Sony remains committed to Haven and Fairgames, with new co-studio heads Marie-Eve Danis and Pierre-François Sapinski taking the helm.

This news adds to the difficulties Sony has faced with its live service ambitions. While Arrowhead's Helldivers 2 achieved significant 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, for instance, was a notable failure, lasting only a few weeks before being taken offline due to extremely low player numbers. Eventually, Sony decided to cancel the game entirely and shut down its developer.

Sony's troubles with live service games extend further. The company canceled Naughty Dog's The Last of Us multiplayer game and, earlier this year, reportedly canceled two other unannounced live service projects: one a God of War title from Bluepoint and another from the Days Gone developer, Bend.

In February 2022, Sony announced plans to launch over 10 live service games by March 2026, aiming to cater to different genres and audiences. To support this initiative, Sony acquired several studios, including Destiny developer Bungie, Jade Raymond's Haven Studios, and the now-closed Firewalk Studios.

However, 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, which concludes in March 2026. Totoki emphasized that Sony would prioritize quality over adhering strictly to certain titles, stating, "It's not that we stick to certain titles, but for the gamers quality should be the most important."

Bungie continues to uphold Sony's live service efforts with the ongoing Destiny 2 and the upcoming full launch of Marathon later this year. Additionally, Sony recently announced a new PlayStation studio, teamLFG, and teased its debut live service incubation project. Guerrilla's Horizon multiplayer game is also in the works, indicating that Sony's commitment to live service games persists despite recent setbacks.