When it comes to big-budget, triple-A, narrative-driven gaming, few other names are as synonymous with the genre as PlayStation. For practically the entirety of the brand's history, the company has released single-player franchises that gave Nintendo a run for its money. Each generation of PlayStation introduced something special to players, from God of War and Ratchet Clank on PS2 to Uncharted and The Last of Us on PS3.
High-quality single-player adventures have been the bread and butter for PlayStation for years now, and fans have always come to expect more of this as the years have gone on. However, in the last few years the CEO of PlayStation, Jim Ryan, has encouraged a shift towards more live-service gaming, tasking many first-party studios with developing new multiplayer experiences to put on the platform. While it is always encouraged to venture into new ambitions and try something new, recent reports seem to indicate that the live-service model has taken center stage.
The Last of Us Multiplayer - Behind the Scenes Trouble
This past week, the PlayStation showcase caused some disappointment among fans who expected a little bit more to be in attendance, particularly from first-party studios. Naughty Dog's long-in-development The Last of Us multiplayer project was among the titles that seemed the most likely to show up, especially considering the numerous years it has been in production. It not being there was puzzling, to say the least, but concerns began to seep in when an official report from Naughty Dog explained that the game would need to be delayed, requiring more time to be the best it can be.
As to the exact reason for the delay, a report from Bloomberg claims that it's due to "quality and long-term viability" concerns. In other words, live-service titles are designed to be monetized and keep players coming back to play the game. It seems Sony's plan is to pivot more into this live-service game model as a means to ensure consistent revenue from a number of live-service games, as opposed to just relying on one lump sum from its exclusive games, of which only 2 or 3 normally launch in one year.
Bad News at Deviation Games
Meanwhile, another PlayStation first-party studio is also experiencing similar setbacks. Deviation Games was acquired to work on a brand-new first-person shooter for PS5. Similar to The Last of Us multiplayer, this game had also been in the works for some time, with no proper updates for fans to get a glimpse at what was being worked on. This past week, however, there was an update but not the kind that players would have liked to hear. Allegedly, according to insiders, Deviation Games' upcoming game could have been quietly canceled, weeks after reports of numerous layoffs within the studio.
This also follows the news story about Deviation Games co-founder Jason Blundell leaving the company in late 2022, without much explanation as to why. Now, with the rumors of the game being canceled, theories claim that Blundell didn't share the direction of the game's development and chose to depart, but there was no official statement regarding the game's alleged cancelation and its possible link with Blundell leaving. Coupled with the reports of PlayStation recently shutting down PixelOpus (the team behind the beloved Concrete Genie), it begins to paint the picture of a worrisome trend.
A Change in Direction at PlayStation
PlayStation used to be praised for how it allowed its studios to be creative and craft unique experiences. Ghost of Tsushima, Marvel's Spider-Man, and Sly Cooper are all symbolic of this track record for delivering story-driven games meant to be remembered for years due to their artistic merits. However, PlayStation's new direction is understandable, considering the popularity of live-service games. There is a reason why the company would want to dive into the genre so heavily, announcing multiple live-service games due to be released in the coming years.
Yet, it seems like PlayStation may have bitten off more than it can chew in this scenario, as all its eggs are in one basket in an attempt to catch lightning in a bottle with at least a handful of the planned live-service games in production. This could be a huge gamble for a company previously recognized for its single-player games, which some fans would rather see take center stage again.
Looking Ahead to the Future of PlayStation
The recent controversy regarding Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League's live-service elements may have scared PlayStation into not wanting to repeat the same mistakes. This has led to the company seemingly questioning the talent of Naughty Dog, a studio that has brought them countless critically-acclaimed games ever since the PS1 era of gaming.
Hopefully, this is just a bump in the road during the switch to more live-service titles, as PlayStation learns the many ins and outs of this kind of game development. Guerilla Games is also reportedly hard at work on a live-service multiplayer spin-off based on Horizon games.
The PlayStation brand still has plenty of high-profile releases like Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Death Stranding 2 in the works, however, and they seem to stray from the live-service model, which is a good sign that the future of the company is not exclusively tied to multiplayer titles.