PlayStation Exec Jade Raymond Leaves Fairgames Amid Sony's Live Service Challenges

Jade Raymond, the founder of Haven Studios, has left the Sony-owned developer following a reportedly unsuccessful external test of their online multiplayer shooter, Fairgames. This departure has led to a delay in the game's release from fall 2025 to spring 2026, marking another setback for PlayStation's live service ambitions.

According to Bloomberg, Raymond's exit came several weeks after the external test, and PlayStation leadership did not provide Haven staff with a reason for her departure. Some developers at Haven expressed concerns about the game's reception and progress, though they chose to remain anonymous as they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Despite Raymond's departure, Sony remains committed to Haven and Fairgames, with new co-studio heads Marie-Eve Danis and Pierre-François Sapinski taking over.

This development adds to the challenges Sony faces with its live service strategy. While Arrowhead's Helldivers 2 achieved significant success, selling 12 million copies in just 12 weeks and becoming the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game, other live service titles have struggled. Sony's Concord, for example, was a notable failure, lasting only a few weeks before being taken offline due to low player numbers and eventually being canceled along with its developer.

Sony had also canceled Naughty Dog's The Last of Us multiplayer game and two unannounced live service projects earlier this year—one a God of War title from Bluepoint and another from Bend Studio, the developers of Days Gone.

In February 2022, Sony announced plans to launch over 10 live service games by March 2026, aiming to cater to different genres and audiences. The company invested heavily in studio acquisitions, including Destiny developer Bungie, Haven Studios, and the now-closed Firewalk Studios.

However, in 2023, Sony president Hiroki Totoki announced a review of the 12 live service games in development, committing to launch only six by the end of the financial year 2025. Totoki emphasized that quality should be the top priority for gamers, indicating a flexible approach to the remaining six titles.

Bungie continues to support Sony's live service efforts with ongoing development of Destiny 2 and the upcoming full launch of Marathon later this year. Additionally, Sony recently announced a new PlayStation studio, teamLFG, which is working on a live service incubation project, and Guerrilla is developing a Horizon multiplayer game.