Key Takeaways
- Sony has cancelled Haven Studios’ Fairgames following a recent playtest involving thousands of players.
- Internal feedback reportedly showed mixed player responses and retention results below the company’s targets.
- The multiplayer shooter had been in development since its announcement in May 2023 for PS5 and PC.
- Haven Studios employees will support other PlayStation teams, with Sony confirming there will be no layoffs.
Sony has cancelled Fairgame$, the multiplayer shooter in development at Haven Studios, following a recent playtest involving thousands of players. The decision ends work on a game first announced in 2023 for PlayStation 5 and PC. According to an internal message sent to staff, the test showed that the project was technically prepared to operate as a live game, but player feedback and retention did not reach the targets set by the company.
Sony also pointed to difficult market conditions in the player-versus-player shooter genre. A PlayStation spokesperson confirmed that the cancellation will not result in job cuts at Haven. The studio will instead assist other development teams across PlayStation Studios.
Sony Cancels Fairgames After Recent Playtest Falls Short Of Targets
Executives Sean Decker and John Doyle said a recent test involving thousands of players had not delivered the results Sony expected. They said the test demonstrated strong operational performance, live-operations readiness and community engagement. However, player feedback and retention results were mixed and fell short of the goals set for the project. The executives also cited difficult market conditions in the PvP shooter genre as another reason behind the decision.
Sony has not released player numbers, retention figures or a breakdown of the feedback. This leaves the extent of the game’s performance issues unclear. The reported comments suggest that technical preparation was not the main concern, but the game’s ability to keep players engaged remained an issue.
The decision follows several years of development and changes to the project. Reports indicate that Sony had considered revealing the game again under a different name after multiple reworks. However, the company has not shared details about how close the project was to its planned re-reveal or whether it had reached a stage where a release date was being considered.
Fairgames Had Been In Development Since Its 2023 Announcement
Fairgame$ was introduced by Haven creative director Mathieu Leduc during the May 2023 PlayStation Showcase. It was described as a competitive heist game in which players would work in teams to break into locations and steal from wealthy targets. The original announcement confirmed plans for a release on PS5 and PC. Sony acquired Haven Studios in 2022, before the game was revealed, as part of its investment in new PlayStation projects. However, Fairgame$ received limited public coverage after its announcement, with no release date or regular gameplay updates shared over the following years.
In September 2026, footage connected to a playtest appeared online under the name Project Espresso. It offered a look at gameplay after a long period without major updates. Some people who participated in the recent test have also shared their experiences online.
Sony has confirmed that Haven Studios will not face layoffs as a result of the decision. Instead, the developer will shift its focus towards supporting other teams within PlayStation Studios while exploring new creative opportunities.
The company has not identified which development teams Haven will assist or whether any technology and work from Fairgames will be used in other projects. For now, the cancellation ends Haven’s work on the multiplayer shooter, while the studio itself will continue working within PlayStation’s development network. Amid the massive studio shutdown wave in the gaming industry right now, there’s also a possibility that Haven might face layoffs in the coming months.
