Sony Shuts Down Dark Outlaw Games and Scales Back Mobile Division in Latest Industry Cutbacks
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Sony has closed Dark Outlaw Games and downsized its mobile development division, affecting roughly 50 jobs as PlayStation pivots away from its live service and mobile expansion efforts.
The hits keep coming for the games industry as Sony Interactive Entertainment pulls the plug on Dark Outlaw Games just one year after its founding. Led by Call of Duty veteran Jason Blundell, the incubation studio was working on an early-stage project before PlayStation officially withdrew its funding. Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier confirmed the closure alongside additional cuts affecting around 50 employees in PlayStation's mobile development sector. This marks the second studio led by Blundell to close in recent years, following the shuttering of Deviation Games in 2024.
These cutbacks point to a broader strategic retreat for PlayStation as the company reevaluates its goals for the current generation and beyond. Following the expensive stumble of Concord and a brutally overcrowded live service market where even giants like Fortnite are seeing slower growth, Sony appears to be shifting away from its ambitious mobile expansion and online-first bets. Industry observers note that this pivot likely signals a return to a heavier focus on traditional, single-player blockbuster exclusives, which may also result in a more conservative PC port strategy moving forward.
For players and creators alike, these ongoing corporate restructurings highlight the volatile nature of modern game development. While live service fatigue is real and the market needed a course correction, the human cost of these sudden closures continues to weigh heavily on the community. As PlayStation recalibrates its roadmap, players are left wondering how these structural changes will shape the lineup of future hardware generations. Original reporting on these layoffs and strategic shifts comes via Eurogamer.
Tags: Sony, PlayStation, Industry News, Mobile Gaming, PlayStation 5
Original article: Eurogamer