PlayStation's highly anticipated live-service title Fairgames appears to be facing significant development challenges, according to recent reports. The game, developed by Haven Studios, has reportedly struggled to impress during closed playtesting sessions. These concerns come just weeks after the surprise departure of studio founder Jade Raymond, a veteran game designer known for her work on the Assassin's Creed franchise.

Originally unveiled during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, Fairgames is a live-service heist shooter being developed under Sony's first-party umbrella. The project represents part of PlayStation's ambitious expansion into the live-service market, following Sony's acquisition of Haven Studios in 2022. However, after the commercial failure of Concord in 2024, the stakes for Fairgames' success have risen dramatically.

The game's development has been shrouded in mystery since its initial reveal, with no new footage or gameplay demonstrations since 2023. The situation became more concerning when Jade Raymond announced her departure from Haven Studios on May 16, 2025. While Sony maintains its commitment to the project, recent reports from Last Stand Media's Sacred Symbols podcast (episode 360) suggest the pre-alpha version distributed to testers under the codename Project Hearts received largely negative feedback.

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Early reports describe Fairgames as attempting to blend elements from Fortnite and The Division, creating a unique hybrid experience. The game reportedly features teams of three to four players infiltrating heavily guarded vaults in urban environments, competing against rival teams in real-time. This creates a gameplay loop that merges extraction shooter mechanics with battle royale elements, set against a stylized "Robin Hood" narrative backdrop.

However, playtesters consistently described the current build as "super clunky" and lacking polish. These reports emerge amidst growing skepticism about PlayStation's live-service strategy, following the failure of Concord and the cancellation of several other planned live-service projects from studios like Naughty Dog and Bend Studio.

It's important to note that the tested version represented very early pre-alpha development, and Haven Studios may have already addressed many of the reported issues. With an internal target release window of 2026, the development team still has time to refine the experience. Whether they can transform Fairgames into a compelling live-service offering remains to be seen.