PlayStation Reportedly Shuts Down Jason Blundell's Studio in Latest Round of Cuts
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
PlayStation has reportedly closed Dark Outlaw Games, a first-party studio founded last year by Call of Duty veteran Jason Blundell, alongside cutting around 50 jobs in its mobile division.
Sony is once again reshaping its internal development landscape, with industry reporter Jason Schreier revealing that PlayStation has shuttered Dark Outlaw Games. The studio was founded just last year by Call of Duty veteran Jason Blundell, whose previous venture, Deviation Games, was also closed by PlayStation in 2024. While the exact headcount remains unconfirmed, the closure marks another abrupt end for a high profile first party team before they could even reveal their debut project. Given Blundell's legendary background leading Treyarch and shaping the iconic Call of Duty Zombies mode, expectations were high for whatever live service or multiplayer experience they were cooking up.
Alongside the closure of Dark Outlaw Games, reports indicate that PlayStation is trimming its mobile development division, resulting in roughly 50 layoffs. This move reportedly points toward a broader scaling back of mobile initiatives outside of titles already deep in production. It follows a turbulent period for Sony's internal studios, including the recent shutdown of Bluepoint Games earlier this year. The ongoing turbulence highlights the immense pressure facing traditional publishers as they try, and frequently struggle, to find a stable foothold in the modern live service and cross platform landscape.
For the broader community, these recurring restructurings are a stark reminder of the human cost behind corporate shifting priorities. Talented developers are continually caught in the crossfire of volatile market strategies and shifting executive visions. As publishers reevaluate where to place their bets across console, PC, and mobile ecosystems, our thoughts go out to everyone affected by these layoffs. You can read the original report over at Rock Paper Shotgun.
Tags: PlayStation, Industry News, Game Development, Sony, Layoffs
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun