Sony has cancelled Fairgames, the PvP heist shooter Haven Studios had been making since before its 2023 reveal. An internal memo first reported by Bloomberg on November 10, 2026 says a recent playtest showed “mixed” player feedback and retention that “fell short of the goals we had set”. Unusually, nobody is being laid off: Haven’s team will support other PlayStation studios. Here is what happened, why, and where it leaves PlayStation’s live-service plans.
Last checked on November 11, 2026. Reported The cancellation and memo quotes come from Bloomberg’s report as relayed by The Verge, GameSpot, Polygon, Game Informer and Insider Gaming. Insider Gaming says Sony confirmed there will be no job cuts. We could not find a public PlayStation Blog post about the cancellation at the time of writing.
What Sony said
Reported PlayStation executives Sean Decker and John Doyle wrote to staff: “While the test demonstrated strong operational excellence, live ops readiness and community engagement, player feedback and retention results were mixed and fell short of the goals we had set. Combined with challenging market conditions in the PVP shooter genre, we have made the difficult decision to cease development on the game.”
Fairgames timeline
| Date | Event | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Haven Studios founded in Montreal by Jade Raymond | Official |
| 2022 | Sony acquires Haven | Official |
| 2023 | Fairgames revealed with a CGI trailer as a PvP heist game | Official |
| After 2023 | Jade Raymond leaves Haven; game reworked several times | Reported |
| April 2026 | Insider Gaming reports pre-alpha tests struggling to “find the fun” | Reported |
| 2026 | Shift toward extraction shooter, possible new name “Break In” and a planned re-reveal | Reported |
| Weeks before cancellation | Playtest with “thousands of players” | Reported |
| November 10, 2026 | Development stopped; no layoffs | Reported |
PlayStation’s live-service record so far
Sony once planned more than ten live-service games. This is how the publicly known projects have gone.
| Game | Studio | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Helldivers 2 | Arrowhead | Hit; also on Xbox |
| Concord | Firewalk | Shut down about two weeks after its 2024 launch |
| The Last of Us multiplayer | Naughty Dog | Cancelled |
| God of War live-service project | Bluepoint | Cancelled |
| Marathon | Bungie | Launched in 2026 to a rough start; December update adds a co-op PvE mode and deathmatch |
| Horizon multiplayer spin-off | Guerrilla | Reportedly rebooted after playtests |
| Fairgames | Haven | Cancelled November 2026, no layoffs |
Our math Of the seven projects above, one is a clear hit, two are live but under pressure or rebooting, and four were cancelled or shut down. Sources for the status of each are The Verge and Game Informer’s November 10 reports. Sony is also closing Destruction AllStars on November 25.
Why it matters
- Our math Keeping staff after a cancellation is rare this year. Compare Bandai Namco closing Reflector Entertainment this week.
- Reported The memo names the PvP shooter market as a reason. Free-to-play shooters compete with Fortnite and Call of Duty, and GTA 6 arrives on November 19 (see games most at risk from GTA 6).
- Our math For PS5 owners nothing changes. Fairgames never had a release date, a price or a pre-order.
FAQ
Is Fairgames cancelled?
Yes. Sony stopped development on Fairgames, Haven Studios’ PvP heist shooter, according to an internal memo reported by Bloomberg on November 10, 2026.
Why did Sony cancel Fairgames?
The memo says a recent playtest showed mixed player feedback and retention below Sony’s goals, combined with challenging market conditions for PvP shooters.
Were there layoffs at Haven Studios?
No. Reports say there are no job cuts tied to the cancellation. Haven’s staff will support other PlayStation Studios teams and explore new projects.
Could I pre-order Fairgames?
No. Fairgames never had a release date, price or pre-order, so there is nothing to refund.
Who founded Haven Studios?
Jade Raymond, a former Assassin’s Creed producer, founded Haven in Montreal in 2021. Sony bought the studio in 2022, and Raymond has since left.