Former PlayStation Boss Slams Sony’s Live-Service Focus

Shawn Layden, the former head of PlayStation in America, isn’t holding back when it comes to Sony’s new direction. In a chat with The Ringer, he called live-service games “repetitive action engagement devices,” saying they’re missing the heart of what makes a real game worth playing.

Layden believes that too many studios are chasing games that focus only on keeping players hooked with endless loops, rather than offering something meaningful. “A live-service game to me isn’t really a game,” he said. “It’s a repetitive action engagement device.”

He explained that real games need three simple things: a story, a character, and a world. Live-service titles, on the other hand, often just ask players to repeat the same tasks and chat with others. They keep people coming back, but without much real creativity behind them.

Layden compared Sony’s obsession with live-service games to chasing something that’s not really there. “It’s like a mirage on top of a sand dune,” he said. “You go after it, but never quite reach it. And even if you do, what you end up with isn’t what people want.”

He added that this pursuit has “ensorceled” gaming executives for years, tempting them with the promise of steady income from games that never end. Ironically, during his time leading PlayStation Studios, Layden approved Helldivers 2. It’s a live-service style game that turned into a huge success when it launched on PlayStation and PC. Still, he made it clear that he’s not a fan of where things are heading.

The live-service push started under former CEO Jim Ryan, who, back in 2022, announced plans for 12 new live-service titles by 2026. That plan didn’t go well. So far, Sony has cancelled eight of them, including The Last of Us Online, a live-service God of War project, a Horizon MMO, Twisted Metal, and new games from Bend Studio and Bluepoint Games.

The biggest flop so far was Concord from Firewalk Studios. It reportedly cost around $400 million to make, but it barely reached 700 players on Steam before Sony pulled the plug just two weeks after launch.

The one major success story is Helldivers 2, which Layden helped greenlight before he left. It’s now one of PlayStation’s most played games ever, selling over 19 million copies across PlayStation, PC, and Xbox.

Even with that win, Layden’s message is clear: chasing endless engagement might bring short-term profits, but it risks losing the soul of gaming. “Games should make you feel something,” he said, “not just keep you busy.”