PlayStation has canceled two live-service games, and one of them was reportedly based in the God of War universe.
In a statement to Bloomberg, Sony confirmed the cancellation of the two live-service games–one from Bend Studio and another from Bluepoint Games. The one that Bluepoint Games was working on was reportedly a live-service God of War game.
Sony also confirmed that while the studios won’t be shutting down, it wouldn’t confirm whether these cancellations will result in layoffs. However, Sony is working with the studios to determine their next projects.
Last year, Bend Studio confirmed that it was working on a new IP, but it’s unclear whether it’s the now-canceled project. Sony acquired Bluepoint Games, which worked on the PS5 exclusive Demon’s Souls remake, back in 2021. The studio reportedly helped out with God of War Ragnarok from 2020 to 2022 prior to the cancellation of its next project.
PlayStation’s live-service initiative has so far produced mixed results. While Helldivers 2 experienced massive success and won many awards, Concord was a monumental failure, ultimately culminating in its permanent shut down and the closure of developer Firewalk Studios.
Sony also canceled its multiplayer The Last of Us game in December 2023, months after Destiny developer Bungie (which Sony acquired) reportedly evaluated its ability to engage players in the long-term.
