Sony Interactive Entertainment has canceled Fairgame$, the multiplayer heist shooter in development at Haven Studios for PlayStation 5 and PC. The decision follows a large-scale player test that failed to meet Sony’s expectations for player feedback and retention. Haven Studios will remain open and transition into a support role within PlayStation Studios, with no layoffs resulting from the cancellation.
The cancellation was first reported by Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier on November 10, 2026, citing an internal email distributed to PlayStation employees. A Sony spokesperson confirmed the decision to Bloomberg, including the company’s plans to retain Haven Studios and its workforce.
The internal message, written by Sony Interactive Entertainment executives Sean Decker and John Doyle, revealed that the game had recently undergone testing involving thousands of players. Although the project demonstrated operational readiness and community engagement, its performance in areas critical to a successful live-service game fell below expectations.
According to the executives, player feedback and retention results were mixed and did not achieve the targets Sony had established. The company also cited difficult market conditions for competitive player-versus-player shooters as a contributing factor in its decision to discontinue development.
The findings suggest that Fairgame$ faced difficulties demonstrating the sustained player engagement necessary to support its planned live-service model. Sony did not disclose specific retention figures, player satisfaction scores or other performance metrics from the test.
Fairgame$ was originally announced in May 2023 as a competitive multiplayer heist game developed by Haven Studios, the Montreal-based developer founded by industry veteran Jade Raymond. The project was designed around teams of players competing to infiltrate locations, steal valuable items and outmaneuver rival crews.
Its original concept emphasized a modern Robin Hood-inspired setting, with players targeting wealthy individuals and corporations. Sony planned to release the game on both PS5 and PC, expanding its multiplayer offerings beyond traditional single-player PlayStation exclusives.
However, Fairgame$ remained largely absent from PlayStation’s public presentations following its announcement. Development difficulties and delays had previously been reported, while Raymond’s departure from Haven Studios in 2025 raised additional questions about the project’s direction.
In September 2026, footage and details reportedly connected to Fairgame$ emerged from a closed playtest operating under the codename Project Espresso. The testing materials appeared to offer an early look at the project’s gameplay, although Sony had not publicly confirmed a release date.
The latest internal communication establishes that a substantial player test took place before the cancellation. However, Sony has not confirmed whether the test described by its executives was the same Project Espresso playtest reported in September.
Despite the project’s termination, Haven Studios will not be shut down. Sony confirmed that its employees will instead support development efforts elsewhere within PlayStation Studios. The company has not specified which projects Haven will assist or whether the studio will eventually return to developing its own games.
The decision represents another change to Sony’s first-party development plans as the publisher reassesses its investment in competitive multiplayer experiences. Fairgame$ had been one of the projects intended to expand PlayStation’s presence in the live-service market, making its cancellation a notable setback for that strategy.
The restructuring also comes amid broader changes across major game development studios. Other publishers have recently reorganized established teams, including Turn 10 Studios becoming Playground Games Redmond, while Auroch Digital has faced proposed workforce reductions affecting its development operations.
Unlike those workforce-related changes, Sony says Fairgame$’s cancellation will not result in job cuts at Haven Studios.
For PS5 and PC players, the announcement means Fairgame$ will no longer receive its previously planned release. Sony has not announced a replacement project from Haven Studios or provided further details about the team’s future responsibilities.
