Why PS5 Players Should Keep an Open Mind About Fairgames

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Why PS5 Players Should Keep an Open Mind About Fairgames

As a gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must admit that I was initially skeptical about Sony’s latest acquisition, Haven Studios, and their upcoming game, Fairgames. Having seen numerous newcomers struggle to make an impact in the crowded gaming landscape, I found it hard to get excited about yet another unknown title. However, with Sony’s recent focus on live service games and their commitment to learning from past mistakes, I find myself cautiously optimistic about Fairgames.

In the month of July, 2022, Sony, the proprietor of PlayStation, purchased Haven Studios, a game development company based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. This studio might not have been familiar to many gamers because they hadn’t launched any games prior to this acquisition. Interestingly, Haven Studios was established just a year before its purchase, in March 2021. Despite being a new entrant, Haven Studios boasted a team of highly skilled developers. The company was founded by Jade Raymond, who co-created popular franchises like “Assassin’s Creed” and “Watch Dogs,” and has worked for Ubisoft, EA, and Stadia in the past. As of 2022, Haven Studios employed over a hundred people, many of whom were seasoned creators behind successful titles such as “Rainbow Six: Siege.

After acquiring Haven Studios, Sony initially kept secret about their new live-service game, only revealing it as ‘Fairgames’ in 2023 during the PlayStation Showcase. This co-op heist shooter was designed exclusively for PS5 and PC. However, the announcement of Fairgames received mixed responses from PlayStation enthusiasts. Critics pointed out the limited gameplay shown in its CGI-centric reveal trailer, while others labeled it as a copycat of ‘Payday’. Despite these criticisms, Haven Studio’s first project didn’t exactly wow audiences initially. However, recent developments at Sony may give Fairgames another chance to prove itself.

Fairgames Could End Up Being Better than Some Gamers Expect

Fairgames is One of Several Live Service Games in Development at Sony

Sony is primarily recognized for its high-grossing single-player games; however, they have been striving to enter the prosperous realm of live services during recent years. Games like Fairgames, Bungie’s Marathon, and Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us: Online (which was later canceled), were among the titles Sony invested in as part of this endeavor. Despite the disappointing performance of their first-party hero shooter Concord, some analysts suggested that Sony might abandon its live service strategy altogether. However, Sony CFO Hiroki Totoki has indicated otherwise.

Sony is Learning a Lot from Its Recent LIve Service Releases

During a recent meeting with shareholders, Totoki revealed that PlayStation would continue making live service games alongside traditional singleplayer titles. He then added that PlayStation would hold more internal tests going forward in order to prevent a disaster like Concord from happening again. Totoki also stated that Sony learned a lot from the GAAS games it released this year. According to him, the company “intends to share the lessons learned from its successes and failures” across the many studios it owns “so as to strengthen its development management system.”

This year, Sony launched two live-action games developed by different studios: “Helldivers 2” from Arrowhead Game Studios and “Concord” by Firewalk Studios. While “Helldivers 2” turned out to be a significant hit, “Concord” unfortunately didn’t fare as well.

Sony’s Plans to Improve Its Future Live Service Titles Will Likely Benefit Fairgames

The strong commitment Sony shows towards ensuring their future live service games thrive could positively impact Fairgames. If PlayStation indeed learns from past mistakes, as suggested by Totoki, it’s probable that Haven Studio’s upcoming cooperative shooter will only be released once it meets a specific quality standard. The rigorous testing process Sony plans to implement for its future Game-as-a-Service (GAAS) games could significantly benefit Fairgames, potentially enhancing the overall quality of the game and ensuring it is packed with content at launch.

The specifics about when and how the game Fairgames will be played or launched are still uncertain, but there’s been a buzz that Sony has a favorable opinion of it behind closed doors. Here’s hoping this speculation is accurate, as if Fairgames delivers top-notch quality and manages to stand out from its peers in significant aspects, it could potentially draw a substantial following on both PlayStation consoles and PC platforms.

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2024-11-11 21:13