Overview
- Layden told The Ringer that live-service titles are a “repetitive action engagement device” rather than games, which he defines as requiring a story, a character, and a world.
- He said live-service was not his skillset and linked that stance to his 2019 PlayStation exit, while noting he greenlit Helldivers 2, one of Sony’s few clear live-service wins.
- Sony once targeted roughly a dozen live-service launches by 2026 but later cut that ambition about in half after mixed outcomes that included Concord’s poor performance.
- Current leadership has signaled process changes, with SIE CEO Hermen Hulst pointing to more rigorous and frequent testing for live-service projects.
- Sony continues to spend in the space through a reported $1.45 billion investment in Epic and ongoing titles such as Bungie’s Marathon, which was delayed indefinitely, as other efforts like The Last of Us Online were halted.