Sony has reportedly scrapped a live service God of War project in development at Bluepoint Games, the studio best known for its high-quality remakes of Shadow of the Colossus and Demon’s Souls. The cancellation, first reported by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, also extends to another unannounced title from Days Gone developer Bend Studio. While Sony has confirmed that these projects are no longer in development, it reassured that neither studio is facing closure.
Bluepoint had been working on the God of War title for several years, though the studio had remained tight-lipped about the project. With the cancellation, Sony is now collaborating with the team to determine their next steps. Given Bluepoint’s pedigree for remakes and remasters, speculation has already begun regarding whether the studio might pivot back to revamping another PlayStation classic rather than attempting a new live service venture.
The details surrounding these cancellations remain vague, with no official word on what the God of War live service game would have entailed. However, the news highlights Sony’s ongoing struggle with its push into live service gaming. The company has been aggressively investing in multiplayer-focused experiences, acquiring studios and greenlighting numerous projects to compete with the industry’s biggest live-service titles. However, the results have been mixed.
While Helldivers 2 from Arrowhead Studios was a major success despite some controversy over PlayStation Network account requirements on PC, other live service efforts haven’t fared as well. Concord, a multiplayer shooter announced last year, failed spectacularly, shutting down just two weeks after launch. Meanwhile, Sony-owned Bungie is still testing the waters with its Destiny mobile project, with an uncertain future ahead.
The cancellation of the God of War project raises questions about Sony’s strategy moving forward. With the PlayStation brand long associated with high-quality single-player experiences like The Last of Us and Ghost of Tsushima, the transition to live service gaming was never going to be easy. While the financial appeal of games-as-a-service is undeniable, Sony’s struggles suggest that not every franchise is well-suited to this model. Given the God of War series’ deep narrative-driven roots, it’s not surprising that a live service adaptation may have struggled to find its footing.
As Sony reevaluates its approach, fans will be watching closely to see what Bluepoint and Bend Studio work on next. Whether the studio will return to its strength in remakes or attempt something new remains to be seen, but for now, another potential PlayStation live service experiment has come to an end.
