A high-ranking official at Sony acknowledged that their foray into the live service sector with some of their latest PS5 and PC game releases isn’t exactly running as smoothly as they had hoped.
During the most recent financial discussion, Sony’s Chief Financial Officer, Lin Tao, spoke about PlayStation’s current initiatives in the market. He mentioned that the cancellation of Concord following its launch and the delayed release of Marathon created a bit of unfavorable publicity.
Tao clarified that while PlayStation’s shift towards the live service sector isn’t perfect right now, if you examine the changes over a five-year span, it’s evident that there has indeed been significant evolution. She highlighted how games like Helldivers 2, MLB The Show, Gran Turismo 7, and Destiny 2 have all begun to generate consistent sales and profits during this period.
On a distinct slide in their presentation, Sony disclosed that their live service income is experiencing consistent growth. During Q1 of the 2025 fiscal year, their titles accounted for over 40% of their first-party revenue. Although they’ve made significant strides with these revenue gains, Sony’s executives remain concerned about the smoothness of their live service endeavors.
Afterward, Tao stated, “Naturally, we acknowledge that there are numerous challenges left to address. So, let us take away valuable insights from our errors, and strive to incorporate dynamic service content that minimizes excess and ensures a smoother experience instead.
Tao’s full comment reads:
Regarding Q1, the live-service ratio was approximately 40%. For the entire year, however, this figure is expected to be lower, ranging between 20% and 30%. The transformation process isn’t running entirely smoothly, but if you consider a longer timespan of five years, it’s clear that changes have indeed occurred. We acknowledge that there are numerous challenges still present, so it’s crucial for us to learn from our mistakes and strive to provide live service content that is less wasteful and more seamless.
It seems that both Concord and Marathon have contributed to this viewpoint, as Concord was permanently shut down shortly after launch, while Marathon has faced allegations of copied artwork. These problems at Bungie’s studio have led to them being absorbed into PlayStation Studios, giving Sony greater control over the company’s daily operations. In contrast to earlier times when the studio had more autonomy.
As a dedicated gaming enthusiast, I’ve noticed that over the past few years, Sony has had to make some tough decisions, including cancelling high-profile live service projects that I was looking forward to, such as The Last of Us Multiplayer and two others from Bend Studio and Bluepoint Games. Even more disappointing was hearing about the cancellation of a God of War title that Bluepoint Games was reportedly working on.
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2025-08-07 19:07