After Microsoft, it’s now Sony’s turn to make the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Earlier today, Sony just confirmed a wave of massive layoffs following an earlier leak, a decision that affects approximately 900 employees or about 8% of its global workforce. Among the repercussions of these layoffs is the cancellation of a Twisted Metal live-service game, which was reportedly in the early stages of development at Firesprite.
The reboot’s cancellation is accompanied by news of the closure of PlayStation’s London studio and impacts other major studios within the PlayStation portfolio, such as Naughty Dog, Guerrilla Games, and Insomniac Games.
NEW: As part of today's mass layoff, Sony has canceled a Twisted Metal live-service game that was in development at UK-based studio Firesprite, Bloomberg has learned.
Firesprite will also lay off an unspecified number of people. https://t.co/pvCDsS7yxe
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) February 27, 2024
The Twisted Metal series, known for its vehicular combat and distinct, dark humor, has not seen a new entry since the PlayStation 3 era. The cancellation of the reboot for this beloved franchise has disappointed fans, especially following the success of the Twisted Metal TV series on Peacock, which has been greenlit for a second season. The decision to cancel the game, as reported by Bloomberg’s Jason Schrier, stems from a strategic shift by Sony, which is currently reevaluating its approach to live-service games.
Despite the setbacks in Sony’s live-service game development, there are still upcoming projects that may be showing promise early on like Concord, Fairgame$, a pair of online Horizon games, Marathon, and a mobile game from Neon Koi.
If anything, Sony’s continued commitment to these projects suggests a more selective if measured approach to live-service games, focusing on titles with significant potential.
Widespread job cuts have become synonymous with the video game industry over the past two years. Several companies across the sector have made significant reductions in their workforce two months into the year. The writing was arguably on the wall already with Sony’s layoffs following recent statements made by SIE Chairman Hiroki Totoki regarding the company’s need to cut costs and explore other avenues for revenue.
The cancellation of the Twisted Metal reboot is particularly notable given the franchise’s historical significance to PlayStation and its fans. The original Twisted Metal game was a flagship title for the original PlayStation.
Despite its success throughout the 2000s, the Twisted Metal series has struggled to be a relevant name in modern times, with the 2012 reboot failing to meet expectations. Now, the franchise’s future is uncertain, leaving fans wondering what could have been.
