Sony remains committed to live service games despite high-profile setbacks like Concord, while confirming Marathon's launch before April 2026 despite mixed alpha feedback.
Sony's hero shooter Concord has become PlayStation's most infamous flop. After disastrous player counts, Sony removed Concord just two weeks post-launch, with reports suggesting barely 25,000 copies sold. The failure cost hundreds of millions and led to Firewalk Studios' closure.
When asked about lessons learned regarding Marathon during an investor interview, PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst acknowledged "varied" alpha feedback but confirmed Marathon's fiscal year 2026 release, promising to avoid Concord's mistakes.
"Live services present tremendous opportunities paired with unique challenges," Hulst stated. "While Helldivers 2 succeeded, Concord entered an oversaturated market without sufficient differentiation."
The executive detailed Sony's revamped validation processes for creative and commercial assumptions: "We've implemented rigorous ongoing evaluations to invest strategically while maintaining predictable timelines."
Regarding Marathon: "As Bungie's first new IP in over a decade, we're crafting an innovative, deeply engaging experience. Alpha feedback varied considerably - exactly why we test extensively. This iterative process is crucial for launch success and long-term live service viability."
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Hulst notably avoided addressing Marathon's recent plagiarism controversy, where Bungie apologized after independent artist Fern Hook accused them of using her work without credit.
Sony's live service strategy has yielded both triumphs and disasters. Following Concord's failure and Naughty Dog's canceled Last of Us multiplayer, Sony reportedly axed two unannounced live service titles - including a Bluepoint-developed God of War game.
The company originally planned 10+ live service releases by March 2026, acquiring studios like Bungie and Firewalk. However, they've since scaled back expectations, now targeting six launches by the deadline while emphasizing quality over quantity.
Recent developments include Sony announcing new studio teamLFG and continuing development on Guerrilla's Horizon multiplayer and Haven's Fairgame$.
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"We remain deeply committed to building a diverse live service portfolio," Hulst emphasized, citing MLB The Show, Destiny 2, and Helldivers 2 as successful models. He highlighted Helldivers 2's monetization success, where microtransactions now generate over half the revenue.
The executive concluded by reconfirming Marathon's release window: "We're very excited about Marathon launching this fiscal year."
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