The recent closure of Bluepoint Games, the studio celebrated for its meticulous remakes of classics like Demon’s Souls and Shadow of the Colossus, has ignited a debate about PlayStation’s direction and its reliance on live-service games. The shutdown, impacting approximately 70 employees, comes after the cancellation of a God of War live-service project and raises questions about the sustainability of Sony’s current gaming strategy.
The discussion gained momentum when Michael Douse, publishing director at Larian Studios – the team behind the critically acclaimed Baldur’s Gate 3 – publicly commented on the situation. Douse suggested that the traditional distinction between single-player and multiplayer games is becoming increasingly obsolete in an era defined by social connectivity. He argued that even solitary gaming experiences are inherently shared through online communities and social media, rendering the push for always-online games unnecessary.
Douse posited that the gap between players who prefer single-player experiences and those who gravitate towards multiplayer is shrinking. Instead of focusing on complex systems designed to maintain player engagement through constant connectivity, he believes publishers should prioritize creating games with strong “social resonance” – titles that naturally inspire conversation, sharing, and community building. Sony’s investments in projects like the ill-fated Concord, multiplayer elements within The Last of Us 2, and the now-canceled live-service God of War game, appear to disregard this principle, according to Douse.
The core of Douse’s argument centers on profitability. He contends that developers can achieve financial success simply by creating high-quality games, a point underscored by the commercial and critical triumph of Baldur’s Gate 3. This success challenges the prevailing industry narrative that games require microtransactions and ongoing live-service elements to be monetarily viable.
The closure of Bluepoint Games, acquired by Sony in 2021, is particularly poignant. Prior to the acquisition, the studio had a long history of successful PlayStation collaborations, including the God of War Collection, Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, and Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection. According to GameSpot, Bluepoint spent last year pitching latest projects after the God of War live-service game was canceled, but ultimately failed to secure funding for a new venture.
Sony’s decision to shutter Bluepoint follows a broader pattern of reassessing its live-service ambitions. The company recently shut down the servers for multiplayer shooter Concord just two weeks after its release and also closed Firewalk Studios, the developer behind the game. Beebom reports that a Sony spokesperson cited a “challenging industry environment” as a contributing factor to Bluepoint’s closure.
The situation highlights a potential disconnect between corporate decision-making and the creative vision of developers. Douse suggests that executives often operate under the assumption that a game cannot be “objectively good,” leading to risk-averse business decisions and, the closure of talented studios like Bluepoint.
The future remains uncertain for PlayStation’s strategy. While Sony continues to explore live-service options – Guerilla Games recently announced an online co-op game set in the Horizon universe, and Bungie is preparing to release Marathon – the fate of Bluepoint Games serves as a cautionary tale. The industry will be watching closely to see if Sony can strike a better balance between innovation and respecting the strengths of its diverse development teams.
What comes next for Sony’s first-party studios remains to be seen, but the closure of Bluepoint Games underscores the require for a more nuanced approach to game development and a greater appreciation for the value of well-crafted, engaging experiences. Share your thoughts on PlayStation’s strategy in the comments below.
