As the X post points out, while characters like Astro Boy, Ratchet, Clank, Nathan Drake, and Aloy are present, among others, Sackboy is missing. For contrast, a screenshot of the same part was posted from the 2023 movie Gran Turismo, which still included Sackboy among the other mascots.

Sony itself hasn’t made any statement about the matter. However, considering the age of the LittleBigPlanet franchise, as well as the fact that we haven’t gotten a new mainline game in the series since the PS3 days, it looks like the company is ready to leave the classic mascot behind. The last major release that featured Sackboy as a playable character was 2020 platformer Sackboy: A Big Adventure.

One of PlayStation’s most notable mascots in recent times has been Astro Bot, thanks in large part to the critical and commercial success of the 2024 platforming game. The character wasn’t successful overnight, however, as Astro Bot had also been in a pair of critically-acclaimed games before that: PlayStationVR title Astro Bot Rescue Mission, and PS5 pack-in title and technical showcase Astro’s Playroom.

Since the success of Astro Bot, head of developer Team Asobi, Nicolas Doucet, spoke about how other developers should not be scared of making smaller-scaled titles. In a talk during GDC 2025, Doucet mentioned that players these days often tend to have several games in their backlogs owing to digital distribution, and discounts provided by stores like Steam and offers like Humble Bundle.

“From the start, we were in the mindset that it’s OK to make a compact game… it’s OK to make a small game,” said Doucet. “So for us, it means that we’re making something of such scale that we can control it fully. That’s from a development standpoint. But not only that. For the players, we all know that players today have a backlog of games and cannot complete their games, so the prospect of a game you can actually complete is a really persuasive argument.”

At the same event, Doucet also spoke about some of the earlier iterations of the game Astro Bot, one of which even featured the now-iconic character getting dismembered. Ultimately, according to Doucet, the game went through 23 iterations before it was shown to top-level management.

“So, at the end of the game, Astro sacrificed himself for the team, and as the credits roll, we wanted to make a very grieving moment of rebuilding Astro,” Doucet said about an early iteration, which would require the idea of a “completely dismembered Astro, so you gained the torso without the head.”

Astro Bot is available exclusively on the PS5. Check out our review for more details. Also check out our review of the PC release of Sackboy: A Big Adventure while you’re at it for more details about the classic mascot.

“I don’t think it’s secret news they’re working on a new IP, for example,” said Healey in the interview. “I would go as far as to say that it’s more of a game than a creative tool from what I understand about it.”

“I think that Sony has still got a lot of faith in Media Molecule, so I’m sure at the very least they’re going to get to make this game, and hopefully, get back into the money-making books again.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Healey also spoke about Media Molecule’s last major project, Dreams. He spoke about how Dreams would have likely been more of a success if it had integrated online multiplayer from launch, as well as a PC version.

“We were so lucky to be allowed to be indulged in such a crazy project,” said Healey speaking about Dreams in retrospect. “It’s amazing that we made it happen at all really. For that thing to exist on a console, I can’t have any frustration or bitterness about it if I’m honest.”

Support for Dreams was brought to an end back in September 2023, and developer Media Molecule has been working on a new IP in the meantime. This means that the new game will won’t be a sequel to Dreams or LittleBigPlanet, and will instead be a completely new title.

The studio is yet to officially unveil the new title, however.

Thankfully, it looks like those questions have been conclusively answered. Media Molecule recently put up a job listing for the position of Principal Programmer – Art Technology, which confirms that the project the studio is working now is indeed a new IP. “Partner closely with the wider programming team to define and champion technical requirements and standards for Mm’s new IP,” reads one of the points in the listing’s “responsibilities” section.

Though not much else is mentioned about the game itself, the listing does suggest that Media Molecule is once again using its in-house engine for its development- which, given the studio’s expertise with creation toolsets, comes as no surprise.

How long it’ll be before we get an idea of what it is that Media Molecule is conjuring up next is anyone’s best guess at this point, but given that development only started in earnest last year, it’s safe to assume that it’ll probably be a while.

In fact, another UK-based first-party PlayStation studio was also considered for closure, according to journalist Ethan Gach, who has claimed in his Substack newsletter Dead Game that alongside SIE London Studio, Sony was also looking at LittleBigPlanet and Dreams studio Media Molecule as a candidate for closure, before deciding to shut down the latter.

According to Gach, London Studio ended up being shuttered due to the slow progress it was making on its PS5 live service fantasy game. Switching from VR to console development and treading into an entirely different genre, progress on the project was apparently not satisfactory to Sony, and London Studio allegedly not expecting the game to “see the light of day anytime soon” seemingly contributed to the studio’s shuttering.

Media Molecule’s last project was Dreams, which was a critical success – sitting at a Metacritic score of 89 – but failed to attract a large enough audience to remain relevant for too long. Support for Dreams ended in September last year, with Media Molecule confirming that it was working on its next game, and that it wouldn’t be a Dreams sequel.

Media Molecule co-founder Mark Healy – who also directed LittleBigPlanet, LittleBigPlanet 2, and Dreams – left the studio last year. In October, Media Molecule laid off around 20 of its employees.

According to McDonald, the PC and PS5 versions of Dreams would have supported new advanced features, including mouse and keyboard support for the PC, and ray-tracing on the PS5. In the livestream, McDonald states that the project was cancelled around the same time as Media Molecule suffered from layoffs back in October.

At the time of writing, the livestream’s clip is no longer available.

The studio, however, has seemingly been busy at work on a new project. Back in April, the studio revealed that, while it couldn’t give out any details about new project, the game would not be a sequel to Dreams.

Dreams was released exclusively on the PS4 back in 2020.

A message from Media Molecule. pic.twitter.com/tV4ZNkdgAF

— Media Molecule (@mediamolecule) October 24, 2023

Original story follows:

Media Molecule, the developer behind LittleBigPlanet and Dreams, is apparently planning to lay off dozens of staff members and reduce its headcount by around 15 to 20%. As reported by Videogames.si, Media Molecule will be laying off roughly 20 employees to make its headcount from 135 to 115 which has already been discussed internally through meetings.

It hasn’t been mentioned which departments will be seeing the most reduction, and what the actual purpose is behind these layoffs.

Media Molecule recently ended support for Dreams, and confirmed earlier in the year that it had started working on a next game, which won’t be a sequel to the 2020 PS4 title.

The gameplay involves traversing from one end of the track to the other, which is easier said than done. Tren was revealed in 2021 as part of DreamsCom but has become something far greater. “Tren began life as the brainchild of our creative director John Beech, who saw the potential of using Dreams to create an ode to his childhood.

“At its heart, Tren is a game all about the joy of play – after all, while we all have to grow up eventually, you don’t have to lose that spark of childlike wonder.”

Players can expect several Easter eggs and references from those who worked on it, but that’s not all. Its launch includes a kit of more than 550 elements to customize tracks. You can even change the developer’s tracks to make them more challenging.

Regardless of the response, this is likely the last major update for Dreams. Support ends on September 1st with Media Molecule working on a new project (which isn’t a sequel). Stay tuned for more details in the future.

Acid Nerve’s Death’s Door is playable on PS4 and PS5 and features a Crow, acting as a Grim Reaper, who harvests souls. After venturing to a realm where death doesn’t exist, you must gather several Great Souls to open Death’s Door. The isometric action-adventure title combines aspects of The Legend of Zelda and Dark Souls for a challenging but fan experience.

Media Molecule’s Dreams is part video game and part creation suite, with tools for creating music, animations, cinematics and games. It’s only playable on PS4 but has received significant support, including new single-player campaigns. If that weren’t enough, the developer’s newest game, Tren, is also available.

Finally, there’s PGA Tour 2K23 for PS4 and PS5, which offers pro golf. It features the usual 2K Games tropes like MyPLAYER, but you can also learn Skills and use Archetypes to customize them. With Casual Mode, a Course Designer, and more, there’s a lot for fans to dive into.

Media Molecule has announced that under the new terms of use, players will now be able to export any music, animation, films, and art created they’ve created in Dreams and use it for either personal or commercial purposes outside of the game. A new update will have to be downloaded, and players will be asked to go through and agree to the new terms of use after logging into the game again.

Meanwhile, patch notes for the aforementioned new update have also been revealed, bringing a number of fixes and tweeks. You can check them out below.

Support for Dreams will be ending on September 1, though players will still be able to play, create, and share in the game past that date. Media Molecule has also confirmed that its next project won’t be a Dreams sequel- read more on that through here.

PATCH NOTES:

• Fixed several issues related to Playlist performance in-game.
• Fixed an issue where only 8 scoreboards were being presented per creation, and scores were not being posted as expected.
• Made improvements to search result speed and performance, both in-situ and while in DreamShaping.
• Fixed an issue where local saves of Dreams and/or Collections would take longer than expected to load in creations.
• Fixed several issues that caused search results to refresh while viewing Genealogy, Versions and Search.
• Updated wording to be more informative when deleting local versions of Collections and Dreams.
• Improved Update Mode. This will now highlight the canvas that a chip is stamped on, helping the user identify Elements/objects that may need updating.
  • Update Mode will now also highlight instruments when replacing a previously stamped instrument.
• Fixed an issue where searching in a Dream or Collection would not return any results.
• Several photo management issue fixes.
• Fixed an issue where reconnecting to the server after internet connection drops would result in Version Limits incorrectly displaying as 0/0.
• Fixed several rare issues that would result in crashes.
• Various other fixes and improvements.

Some are fine with that. Others are probably angry. You can make up your mind. However, it does raise the question: What are Sony’s first-party studios doing?

Let’s start with the confirmed titles. First is Insomniac Games, which finally showcased gameplay for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Not only did it introduce Kraven as one of the new villains, but also Dr Curt Connors in his Lizard incarnation, tearing through the East River as Kraven’s Hunters chased him. The Symbiote suit was also revealed, but on Peter Parker, who has some new brutal abilities to go with it. Miles Morales was no slouch, showcasing new gadgets and enhanced Venom Blast powers that can chain lightning.

It was a lot to dissect, and we’re left with many questions about the story (like the state of Harry Osborne). A release date isn’t confirmed, but Insomniac said it would share the same soon with other details like the pre-order date, accessibility features and more.

Haven Studios, founded by Jade Raymond of Assassin’s Creed, Watch Dogs and EA Motive fame, also showcased its brand-new title, Fairgame$. Coming to PS5 and PC, it’s an online heist game with competitive elements. No gameplay was showcased, but the various scenarios of its CG trailer did reinforce the emergent sandbox moments that Haven is going for.

Heisters had a grappling hook which could, well, grapple onto the environment and hoist them up. However, it could also grapple a piece of metal to use as a shield or create a barrier against laser wires. It appears to support three-player teams, but not much else is known. A QR code led to a page that may be for pre-registering for an upcoming closed beta. It’s either that or Sony really wants to know which billionaire needs a spanking (seriously).

Firewalk Studios, founded in 2018 by Harold Ryan, former CEO of Bungie, unveiled its new title as well. It’s a PvP first-person shooter called Concord out in 2024 for PS5 and PC. That’s more or less it – yes, once again, no gameplay was showcased. It was touted as a “unique universe of vibrant worlds” and a “rich cast of colorful characters,” so maybe a hero shooter? It’s too early to say, but its director and executive producer have worked on Destiny, so we’ll see.

Odd as it sounds, that’s really all that was revealed on the first-party side. Bungie is owned by Sony and unveiled Marathon, but that’s coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC with crossplay and cross-save. It’s also a PvP extraction shooter, presumably one with live-service elements. Again, time will tell, but at least whenever gameplay debuts, it will be closer to the game’s release. So there’s that.

It’s understandable for some to be worried that this is all Sony has in the pipeline from its first-party studios. However, Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson reported that “a lot of the games we’re waiting on seeing are pretty much ready” and he was unsure why Sony chose to not reveal them. The Snitch further chimed in, stating that there some announcements weren’t revealed at the Showcase, and it’s unknown why.

One of those is a PC port for a triple-A title reportedly out in July. That would probably answer what Nixxes is up to, though your guess is as good as ours as what said title could be (update: It’s Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, out on July 26th for Steam and the Epic Games Store).

Some of the projects we know about that aren’t formally announced include Bend Studio’s next game. The Days Gone developer is working on a new IP with a “whole new world,” which builds on the open-world systems seen in its zombie survival title and incorporates multiplayer. It’s planning to reveal the title when the time is “right” – sadly, that time wouldn’t be at the recent PlayStation Showcase.

Firesprite, fresh off of releasing Horizon Call of the Mountain with Guerrilla Games, had job listings last year for a “triple-A narrative-driven horror adventure game.” However, later rumors indicated that it’s also working on a reboot of Twisted Metal, with a former Destruction AllStars director onboard. While Firesprite never officially announced it, several job listings emerged last February for a new triple-A multiplayer title that “aims to break new ground in multiplayer, blending gameplay mechanics in new ways and deeply embedding storytelling elements into a unique universe.”

The Principal Designer listing also mentioned “mechanics around vehicular and on-foot combat.” Even if Twisted Metal is in the works, perhaps to coincide with the upcoming show, it seems to be a ways off from release.

Guerrilla Games released Horizon Forbidden West last year to critical and commercial success and followed it up with the Burning Shores expansion this past April. It also worked on the PlayStation VR2 title Horizon Call of the Mountain. Given how Forbidden West and Burning Shores ended, we can safely assume Horizon 3 is on the way.

For its part, the developer confirmed that it would continue “to create epic solo adventures for Aloy.” However, it’s also working on an online Horizon game, developed by a “new internal team” and featuring a “new cast of characters” and a “unique stylized look.” Subsequent job listings have suggested that it will be open-world and feature new Machines, though, again, it may be a while before any gameplay is showcased.

There’s been a lot of talk about online titles and live service, so here’s some potentially good news for single-player fans – Ghost of Tsushima developer Sucker Punch Productions put up job listings last year for a new project. The Encounter Designer listing indicated this was “an open-world game, with a particular focus on melee combat and stealth.”

That sounds like a sequel to Ghost of Tsushima is in development. Whether it’s coming sooner than expected, especially since the first game was released in 2020, remains to be seen, but it would be incredibly hype. Will Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, the amazing four-player co-op experience, also return? It probably isn’t beyond Sony to already have a live-service spin-off based on the same in development, so we’ll see.

Amid all of Sony’s first-party studios, Bluepoint Games appears to be the most low-key. The Demon’s Souls remake developer revealed earlier this year that it was “hard at work on our next project” but also that it would showcase it “When the time is right. All good things take time.” What’s particularly interesting is that this project isn’t a remake but “original content,” according to Sony. A sequel to Bloodborne, as rumored by XboxEra in October 2021? One could hope, but the mill has run dry on reliable Bloodborne rumors over the years.

LittleBigPlanet developer Media Molecule confirmed that live support for Dreams would end on September 1st, 2023, as it focuses on its “exciting new project.” The developer has confirmed it’s not Dreams 2 or based on the IP. Studio co-founder Mark Healey, who served as the creative director of Dreams, left the studio shortly after the announcement.

Another co-founder, Kareem Ettouney, who also served as art director, also departed the studio earlier this year. While this doesn’t mean Media Molecule are in trouble, you have to wonder what it means for the future, especially since ending support for Dreams wasn’t an “easy decision.”

Another low-key first-party studio lately has been London Studio, which released VR shooter Blood and Truth in 2019. It confirmed last October that it’s working on a non-VR, online co-op title set in London but with a fantasy twist. Developed on the in-house Soho Engine, co-studio head Tara Saunders said it’s the studio’s “most ambitious game to date.” While it doesn’t use “all different bits of peripherals, it is still about taking that DNA of innovation and putting it into any game concept,” per Saunders.

Regarding the theme, co-studio head Stuart Whyte revealed, “Our overarching theme is about bringing fantastical and magical elements and intersecting that with familiar worlds, and you don’t get much more familiar to us than London.” Again, sounds interesting, but it may be a ways off from release.

Astro’s Playroom developer Team Asobi was one of the only teams to survive the end of Japan Studio and now exists as a standalone developer. Last we heard, it’s working on “a franchise for all ages with global appeal,” per PlayStation Studios head Herman Hulst. A job listing in July 2021 indicated the studio was hiring for a 3D action title and that creativity and humor would be a part of it. Again, no formal announcement made, so it’s a toss-up when we’ll hear about it.

Finally, there’s Naughty Dog, working on a standalone multiplayer title for The Last of Us. Unfortunately, it seems that development has run into some issues. The developer revealed it’s giving the project “more time,” while Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier said it’s being reassessed for “quality and long-term viability.”

The development team has reportedly been scaled back, with some going to work on other projects, but it’s not cancelled. Interestingly, Naughty Dog said it has “other games” in the works, including a “brand new single-player experience.” The Last of Us director Neil Druckmann confirmed he was working on a new project last year, while also saying it was “too early” to discuss. He’s open to developing The Last of Us Part 3, but that’s not exactly set in stone (yet).

There were rumors of an Uncharted reboot, developed by a different studio. A new recruiter was brought on last year to build teams for “new games” and the “legacy of Uncharted.” Sony would subsequently announce a new internal studio in San Diego with PlayStation Studios Visual Arts to work with Naughty Dog on a “new project in a beloved franchise.” A tease for what could be the next Uncharted was spotted in a live-action trailer for PS5 in January, but again, nothing official has been announced.

There are other first-party studios like Housemarque and Santa Monica Studio, but the former has not indicated its next project. The latter released God of War Ragnarok last November, and it may be a long while before its next project is unveiled. Polyphony Digital indicated in February that work has started on the next Gran Turismo, but it can’t talk about the same just yet. In the meantime, it continues to pump out content updates for Gran Turismo 7.

Given all the projects in development, it remains to be seen if Sony will have more State of Plays this year to showcase its other projects. It’s not odd to see a publisher hold back announcements to avoid bloating its shows (see Xbox). Sony may also be taking a page out of Nintendo’s book and keeping its completed projects under wraps before announcing and releasing them within the same time frame.

If nothing else, it could also be a lean year for triple-A exclusives on the PS5. Given Sony’s recently revealed strategy to have two or more major games yearly, it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise. As horrifying as that no doubt sounds for the PlayStation diehard, the company has released several high-profile exclusives since the PS5’s launch in November 2020. There’s bound to be some downtime in between.

Nevertheless, it should still be an interesting year for PS5 players. Final Fantasy 16 is out in June; Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is reportedly targeting a September release; Helldivers 2 is later this year; and we’re still awaiting news on Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the next chapter in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, still planned for Winter 2023. The near future is pretty bright, even if we still need more details on what’s coming in 2024 and beyond.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.