Sony`s ventures into live-service video games haven`t all mirrored the success of titles like Helldivers 2, with Concord standing out as a notable disappointment. During a recent earnings briefing, Sony CFO Lin Tao admitted that their live-service journey “is not entirely going smoothly,” though he highlighted the significant progress made over the past five years.
Tao elaborated, stating that “If you look five years ago, live-service games were almost non-existent for PlayStation Studios.” He acknowledged that while the transformation isn`t without hurdles, looking at the changes over a five-year span clearly shows substantial evolution.
He further indicated that Sony is actively addressing “many issues” in its ongoing development of live-service titles. Tao emphasized the importance of “learning lessons from mistakes” to ensure future live-service content is launched more efficiently and with fewer missteps.
Currently, Tao cited games such as Helldivers 2, MLB The Show 26, Gran Turismo 7, and Destiny 2 as examples of live-service offerings that are consistently contributing to both sales and profits.
Regarding Bungie`s upcoming live-service title, Marathon, Tao recognized recent “somewhat negative news” surrounding it. Initial gameplay previews were not overwhelmingly positive, and a subsequent discovery of stolen artwork led to an indefinite delay. While the game is still tentatively slated for release by March 2026, Tao clarified that this remains “not a commitment.”
Previously, Sony boss Hermen Hulst had stated that the company had taken lessons from Concord`s failure, vowing that Marathon would not meet a similar fate. Concord, which launched in August 2024, was quickly shut down, and its developer, Firewalk, ceased operations.
In addition to Marathon, Sony also has another live-service game, Fairgame$, in the pipeline. However, its studio head recently departed, and the game itself was reportedly delayed following unfavorable feedback from a recent test.
Sony initially harbored ambitious plans for live-service games, at one point announcing a dozen projects in development before reducing that number by half. Among the scrapped initiatives were The Last of Us Online and a rumored live-service God of War title.
Sony`s live-service titles are being released across PC and PlayStation 5, reflecting the company`s broader strategy of expanding its presence on multiple platforms.