PlayStation is adjusting its strategy in response to the contrasting outcomes of Astro Bot’s success and Concord’s failure, with CEO Hermen Hulst emphasizing a new focus on fewer live service games and stricter oversight.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Hulst highlighted the company’s aim to reduce significant financial risks associated with game development, stating, “I don’t want teams to always play it safe, but I would like for us, when we fail, to fail early and cheaply.” This approach underscores the importance of identifying potential issues early in the development process to mitigate costly failures.
The failure of Concord, which cost Sony around $250 million and led to the closure of its developer, Firewalk Studios, starkly contrasts with Astro Bot’s success, having sold 2.3 million copies as of March 2025 and receiving critical acclaim. Hulst acknowledged the need for enhanced supervision of Sony’s owned studios to prevent similar costly failures in the future.
To address this, PlayStation has implemented “much more rigorous and more frequent testing in very many different ways,” according to Hulst. The increased oversight involves greater emphasis on group testing, enhanced communication between internal Sony studios, and closer collaboration among studio executives. Jason Connell, art director at Sucker Punch, noted the importance of information sharing to avoid redundant development efforts, stating, “If we’re heading towards a giant landmine, like there’s another studio making exactly the same game, that’s good information.”
The failure of Concord has also prompted PlayStation to reassess its focus on live service games, a genre that has seen oversaturation, particularly with multiplayer shooters. While Bungie’s Marathon remains in development for release before March 2026, Hulst indicated a shift away from churning out live service games. The game has faced concerns among Bungie fans due to delays, staff layoffs, and a lack of detailed information.
In addition to refining its approach to live service games, Hulst is focusing on developing more significant Sony IP, using Astro Bot as a model for building enduring franchises. Hulst is encouraging studios to consider how their IP can evolve into larger franchises, similar to The Last of Us and Uncharted, stating, “We take a very intentional approach to IP creation . . . understanding how a new concept can turn into an iconic franchise for PlayStation, that can then again become a franchise for people beyond gaming.”
PlayStation’s upcoming releases include Ghost of Yōtei and Lost Soul Aside this year, followed by Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls and Housemarque’s Saros in 2026. Other projects in development include Fairgames, Marvel’s Wolverine, Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and Marathon.
