As you may recall, Sony planned to enter the live service games market with Concord, released for PlayStation 5 and PC, but it hit a wall almost immediately. The game couldn’t last even a week before servers shut down, leading many to believe we would never see ‘Sony’ and ‘live service’ in the same sentence again. Yet, the Japanese console giant surprised everyone by announcing they would continue developing games of this type.
Sony to Develop Another Live Service Game
The reasons behind Sony’s surprising decision can be found in statements from PlayStation Studios CEO Hermen Hulst. Hulst argues that, alongside single-player games, focusing on online experiences and expanding beyond the PlayStation ecosystem is crucial for diversifying revenue streams.
Given the challenging economic conditions in the industry, it’s no wonder Sony is determined to follow in the footsteps of highly lucrative examples like Fortnite and Genshin Impact. While these games require high maintenance costs, the sustained revenue they generate offers a much longer-term profit than a single-player game with only a story mode.
However, Sony’s past experiences in this area haven’t been great. The closure of mobile game developer Neon Koi and the shelving of a multi-platform action game project indicate that the company has struggled with decisions related to online games. Perhaps the only success that’s kept Sony’s appetite for this area alive is Helldrivers 2 and its massive success on both PS5 and PC…
In the coming period, Sony is expected to release ambitious projects like Marathon and Fairgame$. Hulst emphasizes that they will not abandon creative experiences but that sustainable financial growth must also remain a priority.
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