PlayStation Shuts Down Another Game Studio as It Moves Away from Mobile Gaming
Sony has closed a studio before it launched a single game, as the company moves away from the mobile market. PlayStation might be riding high in terms of console sales this generation, but it has had a disastrous run when it comes to managing first-party studios.
Many of Sony's recently acquired studios have been shut down over recent years, including Bluepoint Games and Concord developer Firewalk Studios, but now it seems another has been quietly scrubbed from existence.
Dark Outlaw Games Closure Confirmed
According to J-Soul on ResetEra, and later corroborated by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, Dark Outlaw Games has been closed down, after only being founded a year ago. Dark Outlaw Games was led by Call of Duty Zombies creator Jason Blundell and, as confirmed in an interview with journalist Jeff Gerstmann last year, his team were 'working away in the shadows' on an unknown project.
The closure was confirmed by Sony in a statement: 'Sony Interactive Entertainment's Studio Business Group has made several strategic adjustments to support long-term sustainability,' a spokesperson told PC Gamer. 'As part of this process, there were limited workforce reductions across select teams. We greatly appreciate the contributions of all those impacted.'
A Brutal Pattern of Studio Failures
The studio's shutdown feels particularly brutal because Blundell's last game was another PlayStation title which never saw the light of day. Prior to Dark Outlaw Games, Blundell co-founded Deviation Games in 2021, which had partnered with Sony on an unknown project, but the studio (not owned by PlayStation) was shut down in 2024, after Blundell left in 2022.
Dark Outlaw Games was established as a first-party PlayStation studio, following that turmoil, so this closure is the second time a partnership between the two has failed.
Strategic Shift Away from Mobile Gaming
According to Schreier, PlayStation has also made several cuts elsewhere, including its mobile division, with 'around 50 people laid off' in total. These cuts represent a concerted shift by PlayStation to retreat from the mobile market, according to J-Soul.
It is claimed that while it will continue to support games like MLB The Show Mobile, NCSOFT titles, and Ratchet & Clank: Ranger Rumble, Sony is 'scaling back' its presence in the space to focus efforts 'on a few select high impact projects'.
Behind-the-Scenes Strategy Pivots
Sony has not explicitly announced these layoffs or the shift in policy, but it comes after reports that the company is similarly moving away from launching its single-player games on PC. In other words, there is clearly some notable pivots in strategy going on behind-the-scenes.
It is difficult to gauge what this means at this point, but with the PlayStation 6 supposedly not too far away, it is a sign that Sony might be shifting its priorities for the next generation. The company appears to be consolidating resources and focusing on core console experiences rather than expanding into mobile and PC markets.
This move raises questions about Sony's long-term strategy in the gaming industry, especially as competitors continue to diversify their portfolios. The closure of Dark Outlaw Games highlights the challenges faced by even established players in managing studio acquisitions and partnerships effectively.
