Games-as-a-service offerings have increasingly become a source of friction for PlayStation. The recent wave of layoffs at Bungie underscores the growing risks associated with this strategy, and with Marathon now facing an uncertain road, it could soon join Concord and other shelved projects.

Yet despite these high-profile setbacks, PlayStation has made it clear that it has no intention of walking away from the live-service model. In a recent interview, company president Hideaki Nishino emphasized that these titles remain a cornerstone of the brand’s long-term vision, precisely because of their unique ability to onboard new players into the PlayStation ecosystem.

PlayStation Will Not Abandon Live Service Games Strategy

According to Nishino, the current crisis, including Bungie’s internal struggles, will not derail that strategy. Speaking with Famitsu (via GamingBolt), he insisted that the company intends to persevere with live-service productions, even as it grapples with the mixed results of recent releases.

Going forward, PlayStation’s approach involves evaluating how to extend the life of established success stories like Helldivers 2, while simultaneously exploring fresh concepts both within its own studios and alongside key external partners.

Nishino specifically highlighted the upcoming Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, a fighting title developed by Arc System Works and set to launch on August 6 for PS5 and PC. He views this release as a promising opportunity to attract a wider global audience.

“We believe that live service games are content that attracts users on a global level, so we want to continue to revitalize the market through both first-party and third-party content,” Nishino said. “We are not only focusing on promoting new releases, but also considering what we can do with older titles in the medium to long term.”

While he stopped short of addressing Marathon’s specific challenges or the risks it presently carries, Nishino made one thing abundantly clear: PlayStation aims to maintain a steady pipeline of live-service content for its users. He views continued experimentation as essential, noting that the genre itself is still “relatively new” and ripe for evolution.

Marathon

Games-As-A-Service Titles Will Be Only PlayStation Releases to Launch on Multiple Platforms

In the same interview, Nishino also settled lingering speculation regarding Sony’s exclusivity strategy. He confirmed that, moving forward, games-as-a-service titles will be the only PlayStation releases to launch on multiple platforms.

That means the company’s flagship single-player AAA productions will return to being PS5 exclusives. There are currently no plans to port Marvel’s Wolverine, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, or similar tentpole titles to PC, to preserve a compelling incentive for consumers to invest in PS5 hardware.

Upcoming multiplayer and live-service releases such as Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, clearly illustrate this new direction. These projects will continue to arrive on both console and PC, a necessity given that their online nature demands the broadest possible active player base to thrive.