The mass games industry layoffs continue, with Sony laying off around 900 staff at PlayStation. Around 8% of Sony’s global workforce is affected, with layoffs at first-party PlayStation studios including Naughty Dog, Insomniac, Naughty Dog, Guerrilla, and Firesprite.
In a blog post, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s president and C&O Jim Ryan described the situation as a “difficult day at our company.”
As part of the layoffs, several PS5 projects have been cancelled. According to Bloomberg, one of these projects was an unannounced Twisted Metal PS5 reboot.
Twisted Metal live service game reportedly cancelled
Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier reports that a new game in the beloved Twisted Metal car combat series was early in development by Sony’s Firesprite studio, which co-developed the Horizon: Call of the Mountain PSVR2 spin-off. Schreier added that the project hadn't been greenlit.
Rumours that a Twisted Metal reboot was in the works have been circulating for years. Sadly, the unannounced project has reportedly been cancelled as part of the layoffs.
"We looked at our studios and our portfolio, evaluating projects in various stages of development, and have decided that some of those projects will not move forward," Head of PlayStation Studios Hermen Hulst wrote in a blog post. The new Twisted Metal was reportedly going to be a live-service game, but no other details are known about the project.
"I want to be clear that the decision to stop work on these projects is not a reflection on the talent or passion of team members. Our philosophy has always been to allow creative experimentation. Sometimes, great ideas don’t become great games. Sometimes, a project is started with the best intentions before shifts within the market or industry result in a change of plan."
A car combat series in which drivers try to destroy each other in a deadly tournament, Twisted Metal is one of PlayStation’s longest running franchises. Launched in 1995, the first Twisted Metal was a launch title for the original PlayStation, but we haven’t had a new entry since 2012’s Twisted Metal on PS3. W
ith the popular live-action TV series starring Antony Mackie recently being renewed for a second series, the time seemed right for Twisted Metal to make a comeback on PS5.
The Getaway’s PlayStation London Studio closing
PlayStation’s London Studio is the biggest casualty. In addition to the layoffs, the London Studio will "close in its entirety" after 22 years.
Founded in 2002 after Sony merged Studio Camden and Team Soho, London Studio was working on an online co-op game set in a fantasy version of London, which has been cancelled. As Team Soho, the studio was best known for The Getaway, an open-world crime game set on the streets of London that capitalised on the success of Rockstar Games' GTA.
Although they weren't strictly racing games, driving was a core element of The Getaway games, as you could speed around an accurate recreation of London in a variety of licensed cars. We can't think of any other game that lets you drive everything from a Ford Transit van to a Fiat Multipla.
Before the merger, Team Soho made its first and only driving game, with 1997's Porsche Challenge on the original PlayStation promoting the first-generation Porsche Boxster.
Our thoughts go out to all staff affected during this difficult time.
Are you sad to see a new Twisted Metal game get cancelled? Let us know in the comments below.
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