"PlayStation Exec Jade Raymond Leaves Fairgames Amid Sony's Live Service Struggles"

Jade Raymond has departed Haven Studios, the Sony-owned developer responsible for the upcoming online multiplayer shooter Fairgames. The game, initially slated for release in fall 2025, has now been pushed back to spring 2026 following an underwhelming response during an external test.

Bloomberg reports that Raymond's exit occurred shortly after the test, though Sony has not disclosed specific reasons for her departure. Concerns were reportedly raised among Haven developers regarding the game's reception and development progress.

Despite the setback, Sony remains committed to Fairgames and Haven Studios, appointing Marie-Eve Danis and Pierre-François Sapinski as new co-studio heads.

This development marks another challenge for PlayStation's live service ambitions, which have faced setbacks in recent years. While Helldivers 2 by Arrowhead was a success, selling 12 million copies in just 12 weeks, other live service initiatives have struggled. Sony's Concord, for instance, lasted only a few weeks before being taken offline due to poor player engagement. The company later canceled the game entirely.

Sony previously canceled The Last of Us multiplayer game from Naughty Dog and two unannounced live service projects—one being a God of War title at Bluepoint Games and another from the Days Gone team at Bend Studio.

In early 2022, Sony announced plans to release over 10 live service games by March 2026. However, by 2023, President Hiroki Totoki stated that only six of these games would launch by the end of the fiscal year ending March 2026, with the timeline for the remaining titles still undecided. Totoki emphasized quality over quantity, stating, "It's not that we stick to certain titles, but for the gamers, quality should be the most important."

Bungie continues to lead Sony's live service efforts with Destiny 2 and the upcoming Marathon. Additionally, Sony recently unveiled a new studio, teamLFG, focused on live service projects, while Guerrilla Games is developing a Horizon multiplayer title.