Another Sony live service shooter may be in trouble as Jade Raymond exits the studio making PvP heist sandbox Fairgames

Sony’s Live Service Gamble Falters: Jade Raymond’s Exit Shakes Fairgame$ Future
Sony’s ambitious push into live service gaming hit another roadblock on May 16, 2025, as industry veteran Jade Raymond abruptly left Haven Studios, the Sony-owned developer behind the upcoming PvP heist shooter Fairgame$. The departure, coupled with a reported delay of the game to spring 2026, has sparked concerns about the project’s viability and Sony’s broader strategy to dominate the live service market. With Fairgame$ struggling after poorly received playtests, Noyzy News unpacks the drama, the stakes, and what this means for PlayStation’s future.
A High-Profile Exit Amid Development Woes
Jade Raymond, a prominent figure known for her work on Assassin’s Creed and Watch Dogs at Ubisoft, founded Haven Studios in 2021 after a stint at Google’s ill-fated Stadia. Sony acquired the Montreal-based studio in 2022, banking on Raymond’s vision to deliver Fairgame$, a competitive heist shooter blending PvP sandbox mechanics with a “rob-the-rich” narrative. Announced at the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, the game promised emergent gameplay and high-tech heists but has yet to reveal substantial gameplay footage.
Raymond’s exit, first reported by Bloomberg, came weeks after an external playtest that left developers worried about the game’s reception and progress. Sony has not disclosed a reason for her departure, leaving Haven staff in the dark. The studio is now led by co-heads Marie-Eve Danis and Pierre-François Sapinski, with Sony pledging continued support. However, the timing—paired with a delay from fall 2025 to spring 2026—has fueled speculation about Fairgame$’s troubled development.
Why the Delay and Departure?
Several factors appear to be at play:

Playtest Fallout: External testers reportedly gave negative feedback, raising doubts about Fairgame$’s readiness and appeal.
Sony’s Live Service Struggles: The failure of Concord, which was pulled from sale two weeks after launch in 2023, and cancellations of other live service projects have heightened scrutiny on Fairgame$.
Leadership Vacuum: Raymond’s departure, following her track record of leaving projects before completion (e.g., EA’s Project Ragtag and Stadia), has sparked concerns about Haven’s direction.

Sony’s statement to Bloomberg praised Raymond’s “visionary force” but offered little clarity, amplifying unease among fans and developers.
Fairgame$: A Risky Bet in a Crowded Genre
Fairgame$ was pitched as a fresh take on the heist genre, with players forming crews to rob billionaire tycoons using gadgets, stealth, and creative strategies. Creative director Mathieu Leduc described it as a PvP sandbox with “emergent gameplay,” drawing comparisons to Payday or Hood: Outlaws and Legends but with a modern, high-tech twist. The game’s cinematic 2023 trailer, heavy on style but light on gameplay, hinted at a mix of extraction shooter and class-warfare themes.
Yet, the live service shooter market is brutal. Extraction shooters like Hunt: Showdown and Warzone’s DMZ mode have set high bars, and Fairgame$ faces competition from upcoming titles like Payday 3 and GTA 6. Posts on X reflect skepticism, with users calling the game “Concord 2.0” and predicting another flop. “Sony’s live service dreams are crumbling,” tweeted @nib95_, pointing to Helldivers 2 as the exception in a string of failures.
Sony’s Live Service Ambitions: A Rocky Road
Sony’s pivot to live service games, spearheaded under former CEO Jim Ryan, aimed to capitalize on the lucrative model of ongoing revenue from titles like Fortnite and Destiny 2. The plan was to launch over 10 live service titles, but the strategy has faltered:

Concord’s Collapse: Firewalk Studios’ hero shooter was shut down shortly after release, costing Sony millions and leading to the studio’s closure.
Canceled Projects: Sony axed live service games from Bend Studio (Days Gone) and Bluepoint Games (Demon’s Souls), plus a God of War spin-off and The Last of Us multiplayer.
Helldivers 2 Success: Arrowhead’s co-op shooter, a rare win, was developed externally, not by a Sony-owned studio.

Fairgame$ and Bungie’s Marathon (slated for September 2025) are among Sony’s last major live service bets, but both face uphill battles.
What’s Next for Haven and Fairgame$?
The delay to spring 2026 places Fairgame$ in direct competition with GTA 6, a risky move given Rockstar’s dominance. Haven’s new leadership must address playtest concerns, refine gameplay, and deliver a compelling experience to avoid Concord’s fate. Some developers fear the studio could face closure if Fairgame$ flops, a sentiment echoed on X: “I hope the devs are reassigned instead of losing their jobs,” one user posted.
Sony’s commitment to Haven suggests Fairgame$ will see release, but the lack of transparency about Raymond’s exit and the game’s state has eroded confidence. A gameplay reveal, possibly at Summer Game Fest 2025, could restore faith, but Haven must prove the game’s sandbox mechanics and heist fantasy resonate with players.
A Cautionary Tale for Sony
Raymond’s departure underscores the challenges of Sony’s live service pivot. While Helldivers 2 proved the model can work, Sony’s owned studios have struggled to replicate that magic. The gaming community on X is vocal, with users like @Grummz speculating that Fairgame$’s troubled playtest signals deeper issues. For players, the stakes are clear: they want innovative, polished games, not rushed cash grabs.
As Haven Studios regroups, Sony faces a critical juncture. Can it salvage Fairgame$ and rebuild trust in its live service vision? Or will this be another costly misstep in a genre that’s proving harder to crack than anticipated? For now, Fairgame$’s fate hangs in the balance, and gamers are watching closely.