There are few developers out there who’re better at delivering single player narrative-driven action-adventure titles better than the developers in the PlayStation Studios banner, and while that is obviously going to continue to be something that Sony invests in over the coming years, the company has also made its plans to expand into the live service space abundantly clear over the last couple of years.
Of course, live service games have had a very spotty track record over the years, and though there have obviously been a number of extremely successful games (many of which are still going strong), many have also tried and failed to make a mark. Sony, however, is looking to go about things a little differently, it seems.
In a recent interview with GamesIndustry, PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst said that Sony is casting a very wide net with its live service games, and is looking to deliver variety in genres and experiences across all of its titles.
“We understand the competitive environment that is out there, and the time investment from players that live services offer,” he said. “And we want to deliver the highest quality games.
“There is a risk that we talk about ‘live service’ in generic terms – as if it is a single genre, or even a single business model. PlayStation Studios are making a variety of games that could be referred to as ‘live services’, targeting different genres, different release schedules, and at different scales. We are also creating games for different audiences, and I take confidence from our track record in creating worlds and stories that PlayStation fans love.”
The last couple of years have seen Sony making a number of acquisitions that have significantly bolstered its strengths and knowhow in the live service arena, including the likes of Bungie, Haven, and most recently, Firewalk.
In February of 2022, Sony revealed that it intended to release as many as 10 live service games by March 2026. With Naughty Dog’s standalone The Last of Us multiplayer project and Guerrilla’s co-op multiplayer Horizon game, only two have been officially confirmed to be in development so far- though there’s no shortage of rumours and speculation regarding many others.