Dark Outlaw Games Founder Expresses Disappointment Over PlayStation Studio Shutdown: “It Really Hurt”

Earlier this week, it was revealed that Sony is shutting down Dark Outlaw Games, a PlayStation studio recently established by former Call of Duty lead Jason Blundell. Just a day later, Blundell and streamer JCbackfire, who served as a level designer at the studio, went live on Twitch to process the surprising news. “You’re gonna mourn what could have been because we were making a hell of a game,” Blundell shared.

The seasoned developer emphasized that there were no hard feelings toward Sony, describing them as excellent partners throughout the journey. However, a strategic shift ultimately led to the closure of Dark Outlaw Games. “It fucking sucked,” both Blundell and JCbackfire expressed regarding the disappointing news.

“We have to respect confidentiality, so we can’t dive into every detail,” Blundell explained. “Long story short, we are unemployed,” JCbackfire added. While they didn’t reveal specifics about the game they were developing, JCbackfire confirmed it wasn’t a live service title.

Dark Outlaw Games was announced last spring, with Blundell assembling a team for a new first-party project. Sony’s decision to back Blundell’s latest endeavor followed a previous project at Deviation Games that ultimately fell through and was canceled in 2024. This move was seen as a sign that, despite struggles with other live-service initiatives, Sony had faith in Blundell’s vision and his ability to cultivate a new IP and studio from the ground up.

“I can reassure you—and it’s been reassured to me—it’s just that times change, focus changes, but the project we were working on would have excited fans,” Blundell stated during the stream. He attributed Sony’s decision to the unpredictable nature of the industry and the challenges that come with game development.

JCbackfire reflected on his five years in game development, noting that all his work has been on projects that will never see the light of day. “The sentiment is definitely we’re down but not out,” he said, as the two discussed the tough state of the industry and the mindset needed to keep pushing forward.