PlayStation CEO aims to ‘revitalize the market’ with live service games following Bungie layoffs

PlayStation CEO and President Hideaki Nishino has reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the live service model, a stance that has struck many as remarkably ill-timed. His public doubling-down arrived during the exact same week that Sony implemented widespread layoffs at Bungie, the studio behind Destiny 2 and Marathon, resulting in the loss of hundreds of jobs.

In an interview with Famitsu (as translated by Wccftech), Nishino articulated his strategic vision: “We believe that live service games are content that attracts users on a global level, so we want to continue to revitalize the market through both first-party and third-party content.” He further emphasized a dual-pronged approach, balancing the maintenance of established titles with the introduction of fresh projects like Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls.

“With live service games, it’s essential to offer a constant stream of engagement,” Nishino added. “The genre remains relatively nascent, and as many developers are still experimenting with various frameworks, we are eager to continue embracing those challenges.”

Sony’s history with the live service model has been undeniably volatile. While Helldivers 2 stands as a rare, breakout success, the company’s broader efforts have frequently faltered. Most notably, the sci-fi hero shooter Concord was pulled from shelves only two weeks after its debut, while highly anticipated live service iterations of major franchises—including God of War and The Last of Us—were scrapped entirely during their production phases.

The 2022 acquisition of Bungie was intended to shore up Sony’s live service expertise; however, the reality has been far more complicated. Destiny 2 has faced significant player attrition in recent years, and while Marathon shows promise, it has yet to prove its viability. The recent closure of support for specific Destiny 2 initiatives and the subsequent mass layoffs have only served to highlight the friction between corporate strategy and studio reality.

Given this rocky track record, Nishino’s optimism feels profoundly disconnected from the current state of the industry. Sony remains determined to secure a long-term “hit” in this space, with a pipeline that includes Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, the co-op Horizon Hunters Gathering, the competitive shooter Fairgame$, and an unannounced project currently being developed by the fledgling studio, Team LFG.

Source: Polygon