PlayStation plans to launch more than 10 live service games before March 2026
Bungie? Last of Us? Horizon?
Sony will launch more than 10 new live service games over the next four years, it has said - just days after announcing its $3.6bn Bungie buyout bid.
Speaking as part of an investor presentation transcribed by Eurogamer, Sony exec Hiroki Totoki said Bungie would aid PlayStation in this major expansion of live service game development.
"The strategic significance of this acquisition lies not only in obtaining the highly successful Destiny franchise, as well as major new IP Bungie is currently developing, but also incorporating into the Sony group the expertise and technologies Bungie has developed in the live game services space," Totoki said.
"We intend to utilise these strengths when developing game IP at PlayStation Studios as we expand into the live game services area.
"Through close collaboration between Bungie and PlayStation Studios we aim to launch more than 10 live service games by the fiscal year ending March 2026."
It's a bold statement from a first-party most often praised for its blockbuster single-player franchises: Uncharted, The Last of Us, God of War, Horizon.
So, what are those 10? Well, we can have a good guess.
First off, there's Bungie's new franchise, code-named Matter. We know this won't be PlayStation-exclusive, but will it turn up on Xbox as well - or just PC?
The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog has been building its new version of the series' multiplayer for years now, after separating it out from The Last of Us Part 2. That seems another likely bet.
Next, there's the Twisted Metal project reportedly in the works at UK developer Firesprite. Surely this will not be a one-and-done release, and will have some kind of live service and/or battle pass.
Horizon Zero Dawn developer Guerrilla has hired for roles relating to online game development - suggesting some kind of multiplayer spin-off of that popular franchise is on the cards.
Then there's Deviation Games, the 100-person team set up by former Call of Duty: Black Ops developers. The studio is currently in development on a new IP for PlayStation.
Most recently, we heard Sony's London Studio is also making an online game. And then, perhaps, there's whatever the Jade Raymond-founded Haven Studios is up to.
What else would you like to see? A Killzone battle royale? A Gran Turismo Rocket League? The return of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale?