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In this generation, we’ve watched Sony lean into premium.
However, the strategy has had wildly mixed results.
On the one hand, you haveHelldivers 2.
It would seem to vindicate Sony’s pivot toward live service games.
But, then, that would be ignoring the elephant weighing down the other hand.
Since then, Sony has canceled at least one of those titles:The Last of Usmultiplayer game.
However, it’s pushing ahead with two big live service releases in 2025.
Bungie’s new PvPvE shooterMarathon, Haven Studio’s competitive heist gameFairgame$.
It’s worth highlighting the pressure on Bungie right now.
And, on the same day it closed Firewalk,Sony shuttered mobile developer Neon Koi.
Solo and smaller
It’s not all live service games on Sony’s 2025 docket.
Meanwhile,Sony also confirmed its plans to buyElden Ringdeveloper FromSoftware’s parent company, Kadokawa.
We’re seeing hints that Sony is trying to recreate the old AA market of smaller first-party games.
In 2024, one of Sony’s big successes was the comparatively pint-sizedAstro Bot.
In 2023, it released both thePSVR 2virtual reality headset and its streaming handheld, thePlayStation Portal.
We may also see previously enhanced games improve as Sony updates technology likePSSR, its AI-upscaling solution.
In thePlayStation Vitadays, Sony successfully identified small studios and supported them as they learned their craft.
For instance,Little Nightmares' creator, Tarsier, started out working onLittleBigPlanet’s handheld adaptations.
2025 will show if Sony has learned any lessons from this year.
