Jade Raymond Leaves Fairgames Amid Sony's Ongoing Live Service Challenges

Jade Raymond has departed from Haven Studios, the Sony-owned developer behind the online multiplayer shooter Fairgames. This exit follows an external test of the game that reportedly did not meet expectations, leading to a delay from its planned fall 2025 release to spring 2026. This development marks another setback for PlayStation's ambitions in the live service gaming sector.

According to Bloomberg, Raymond's departure came several weeks after the disappointing external test of Fairgames. PlayStation leadership did not provide Haven staff with a specific reason for her exit, but some developers at Haven expressed concerns about the game's reception and progress. Despite this, Sony is continuing to support Haven and Fairgames, with Marie-Eve Danis and Pierre-François Sapinski stepping in as new co-studio heads.

Sony's live service strategy has faced significant challenges. While Helldivers 2 from Arrowhead was a massive success, selling 12 million copies in just 12 weeks and becoming the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game ever, other live service titles have struggled. Concord was a notable failure, lasting only a few weeks before being taken offline due to low player numbers and eventually canceled along with its developer. Additionally, Sony canceled Naughty Dog's The Last of Us multiplayer game and two other unannounced live service projects, including a God of War title from Bluepoint and a game from Bend Studio.

In February 2022, Sony announced plans to launch over 10 live service games by March 2026, aiming to cater to different genres and audiences. The company made significant investments in studio acquisitions, including Destiny developer Bungie, 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. Totoki emphasized that quality should be the top priority for gamers.

Bungie continues to support Sony's live service efforts with Destiny 2 and the upcoming Marathon. Sony also recently announced a new studio, teamLFG, working on a live service incubation project, and Guerrilla is developing a Horizon multiplayer game.