Sony Shuts Down Dark Outlaw Games: Is Its Multiplayer Ambition on Shaky Ground?

This is giving a vibe that the team may have been developing a multiplayer game for PlayStation.

By Jose Enrico Coronel

Published: Mar 25 2026, 09:11 AM EDT

Jason Blundell's first-party studio, Dark Outlaw Games, was shut down recently by Sony. According to several reports, there's no word yet from the producer about any projects, but industry insiders speculate that it may have been working on a multiplayer-focused PlayStation title.

Jason Blundell's Legacy in Gaming

According to Bloomberg, Jason Blundell brings decades of experience from some of the industry's top studios. He began as a programmer and producer at Activision, later joining Treyarch for "Call of Duty 3." Blundell then directed the campaign and Zombies modes in "Call of Duty: Black Ops III" and "Black Ops 4."

Given his history, fans had high expectations for Dark Outlaw Games, anticipating innovative multiplayer experiences for PlayStation. The closure, therefore, is a big blow to those looking forward to a new online shooter or co-op title.

Sony's Retreat from Multiplayer Ambitions

Dark Outlaw's shutdown aligns with broader staff reductions in PlayStation's mobile and live-service divisions. Over the past year, Sony has increasingly stepped back from ambitious multiplayer projects:

Bluepoint Games closed in February after an attempted live-service God of War.
Firewalk Studios was shut down following the underperformance of Concord.
Naughty Dog's standalone multiplayer project for The Last of Us ended in December 2023.

Ongoing Multiplayer and Online Projects

Despite these setbacks, Sony continues to invest in online gaming. Current active multiplayer initiatives include the following, according to Engadget:

Two "Horizon Zero Dawn" spin-offs: a co-op game by Guerilla Games and an MMO in partnership with NCSoft.
Arrowhead Game Studios' "Helldivers 2."
Bungie's "Destiny 2" and "Marathon."
Continued support for "Gran Turismo 7."
The ongoing development of Fairgame$, despite the departure of Haven Studios' head, Jade Raymond.

Sony's Multiplayer Strategy Under Scrutiny

Some fans believe that there's a growing tension in Sony's approach that led to the closure of Dark Outlaw Games. While the company continues to fund multiplayer titles, its retreat from several high-profile live-service experiments reflects the difficulties of sustaining such projects in a competitive market.

Originally published on Player One