"Jim Ryan brought a significant change in strategy, shifting the focus from internal studio games to, let's say, working on a different scale.
Sony made significant investments, and since it didn't work out, they now have to adjust course. Closures and cancellations are an attempt to correct wrong decisions."
Initially, Sony planned to release 10 live-service games by 2026, but only a few were released. These include MLB The Show 26 and Helldivers 2. The latter became one of PlayStation's fastest-selling hits, with over 12 million copies sold in 3 months.
At the same time, the Concord project failed and led to the closure of Firewalk Studios. Projects including The Last of Us Online were also canceled, and some teams, including Bluepoint Games, underwent restructuring.
According to media reports, Sony lost hundreds of millions of dollars on such initiatives, including about $200 million on Marathon from Bungie.
Yoshida left PlayStation in 2025 after 31 years with the company. According to him, Sony is now returning to a model focused on large single-player releases, reducing the number of live-service games.