Saros is Incredible, But Housemarque Has a Lot Riding On It

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Have you ever played a game that wasn’t flawless, but still felt incredibly satisfying? A game with a story that left you wanting more, not because it was bad, but because you were so invested and didn’t want it to end? Maybe it wasn’t a game everyone would enjoy, and you anticipated some criticism because it didn’t quite fit the usual expectations for its genre?

I don’t want to keep going on about this, but after spending a lot of time with Saros, I truly am impressed. Housemarque‘s newest game is a fast-paced, third-person shooter filled with intense action and a creepy, cosmic horror atmosphere. It’s already one of the highest-rated games of the year, and for good reason. I’ve kept returning to it even after writing my review – to find more helpful tips and tricks – and I’m still amazed by how great it feels to control, how quickly it responds, the satisfying gunplay, and how the game constantly surprises you with new areas during each playthrough.

It’s amusing, because I had the same feelings about Returnal back in 2021. I even thought a sequel was impossible, and that was before I knew how well the game sold – despite it being critically acclaimed that year. It’s ironic, then, that almost five years later, a sequel actually exists, and it’s even better and more exciting than the first. But now, people are still worried about what happens next.

The data breach at Insomniac Games in December 2023 uncovered sales figures for several PlayStation games. It showed that Bloodborne sold millions of copies, strengthening the argument for a remake or remaster—which was later announced. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart was profitable, but significantly less so than the Marvel’s Spider-Man games. Also, as of February 2022, Returnal had shipped over a million copies and sold nearly 866,000.

We don’t have the most recent sales numbers, and it’s very unlikely Sony will release them – about as likely as the show Fairgame$ continuing to air. However, it confirms that even though many people enjoyed Returnal, it didn’t reach the broad appeal typically expected of a major, high-budget game.

Saros offers a noticeably different experience, feeling more like a traditional, high-budget game. It emphasizes storytelling with impressive cinematic cutscenes. Players have more control over their experience thanks to features like pausing runs or quickly returning to the hub area after completing a level. Unlike Returnal, which many found too difficult, Saros allows for a more adjustable difficulty level.

Saros lets you tailor the difficulty to your liking – you can massively increase damage output, reduce incoming damage to almost nothing, or even eliminate negative effects from corrupted items. Compared to the brutal challenge of Returnal, it almost feels relaxing! While this level of customization is fantastic, especially for players who enjoy tough games, it’s likely a response to Returnal’s limited appeal – it seems like the developers learned from that experience.

But don’t just take my opinion – the creative and design directors, Gregory Louden and Matti Häkli, recently told Polygon they aimed to make these games accessible to a wider audience. They weren’t trying to make the games easier with simple difficulty settings that players might not like. Instead, they’re letting you control the challenge and decide how difficult the experience is, and whether you succeed or fail. I think that’s a great approach.

But will this success actually lead to increased sales? If the reports that Returnal sold two million copies are accurate, that’s a solid achievement, particularly considering its $70 price tag. For a brand new, highly specialized game with a challenging difficulty – and developed by an independent studio – that’s a pretty impressive result.

However, Housemarque’s situation is very different with their upcoming game, Saros. It’s a much larger project than Returnal, featuring more diverse environments, a bigger cast of characters, and high-quality cinematic cutscenes. Considering development likely started in 2022, the costs are substantial. The real concern isn’t simply making money, but whether the game will satisfy Sony executives, especially given recent layoffs and cancellations within PlayStation Studios, particularly regarding their live service games. If Sony was willing to shut down a respected studio like Bluepoint, there’s worry they might do the same to Housemarque.

It’s important not to jump to conclusions. We don’t know the exact production and sales costs for Saros, or what Sony was hoping to achieve with it. However, after shifting focus back to big, single-player games – something players and investors appreciate – receiving such positive feedback is a good sign. This success is valuable not just now, but for the future, helping to establish a strong lineup of exclusive PlayStation games, especially if rumors are true that these games won’t be released on PC.

There’s been talk about Bluepoint Games closing because Sony couldn’t find a project for them, but let’s move past that. It’s good that Sony felt confident enough in Saros to release it, and they did give it some marketing, though not as much as their major games. However, that doesn’t mean the future is secure for the project.

The core issue is this: it’s incredibly frustrating to be a fan of games right now. Even fantastic, popular games aren’t guaranteed success, and success doesn’t even protect the developers from layoffs. Even if a studio survives, it might struggle to stay afloat, constantly pitching ideas that are rejected or cancelled before they’re finished.

While Saros is fantastic and definitely something to celebrate – especially for PS5 players eager for a new game – it’s natural to still have some worries about what comes next. I feel like I might be repeating the same pattern as with Returnal, hoping for a sequel that proves me wrong and allows Housemarque to show off their skill at single-player games again. However, the games industry has taught us that nothing lasts forever, and opportunities don’t come around endlessly.

Please be aware that the opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and don’t reflect the official stance of GamingBolt.

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2026-05-04 18:26