The PlayStation universe is a vast and ever-evolving landscape, and as we approach the halfway mark of 2026, it's time to take a deep dive into the state of Sony's first-party studios. The gaming industry is a dynamic and competitive space, and the PlayStation ecosystem is no exception. With the console having received many great third-party releases so far this year, it's only natural to turn our attention to the highly anticipated first-party titles that are on the horizon. But amidst the excitement, there are also whispers of change and uncertainty, particularly regarding the future of physical game discs. So, what can we expect from Sony's studios in the coming months and years? Let's explore the current state of affairs and the potential implications for the future of gaming.
The Future of Physical Games: A Question Mark?
One of the most significant pieces of news to emerge in recent months is Sony's decision to end the production of physical game discs for new releases starting in January 2028. This move has left many gamers and industry observers wondering whether we'll ever see physical editions of some of the highly anticipated games on the horizon. The implications of this decision are far-reaching, and it's a development that many are still trying to wrap their heads around. Personally, I think this is a fascinating development, and it raises a host of questions about the future of gaming. What does this mean for the physical collector's edition market? Will digital-only releases become the norm? And what does it mean for the gaming experience as a whole?
The State of PlayStation Studios
As we approach the halfway mark of 2026, it's worth taking a moment to reflect on the state of Sony's PlayStation Studios. The list of studios is a couple of entries shorter than it was this time last year, with the surprising closure of Demon's Souls and Shadow of the Colossus remake developer Bluepoint Games. The acquisition of Bluepoint Games by Sony has been described as a 'PlayStation acquisition horror story', and it's a development that has left many gamers and industry experts alike scratching their heads. Another studio that is reportedly no more is Dark Outlaw Games, formed by Call of Duty veteran Jason Blundell in 2025, but supposedly already having been shuttered earlier this year.
So, which studios are still in the game? Let's take a closer look at some of the key players and their upcoming projects.
Naughty Dog: Intergalactic and Beyond
Naughty Dog, the legendary studio behind the Uncharted and The Last of Us franchises, is currently focused on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, a space-faring game with retro '80s vibes. The studio head and creative director, Neil Druckmann, is working full steam ahead on this new IP, but aside from a cinematic-heavy trailer at 2024's Game Awards, we've seen very little of this sci-fi story. The trailer gave us a glimpse of the game's lightsaber-esque gameplay, and the music is being composed by Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Could this be Sony's big 2027 PS5 game? It's a possibility, but we would love to see some gameplay before making any assumptions. What's more, Druckmann has teased that the studio has a second, unannounced game in development. Could this be The Last of Us Part 3, Uncharted 5, or something completely different? It's a question that many are asking, and one that will likely be answered in the coming months.
Santa Monica Studio: Kratos' Wife Takes Center Stage
Santa Monica Studio has finally revealed its next game, God of War Laufey, which places Kratos' wife, Faye, centre stage. The game looks to expand the Norse saga beyond its nine realms and into the afterlife, with Faye battling gods from many different mythologies. The combat is promised to blend the more modern, heavy-hitting action with the speed and agility of the original Greek games. We still don't know when we'll be playing it, but hopefully, it won't be too much longer to wait, given that the studio's last AAA effort, God of War Ragnarok, was released in late 2022.
Insomniac Games: Wolverine and Beyond
Marvel's Wolverine is the next PlayStation Studios exclusive to hit the PS5, launching on September 15, 2026. The game looks set to be more linear than the open-world Spidey games we've recently seen from Insomniac, but from the gameplay we've seen, it shares the same slick action style. The wait for a new Insomniac game has been three years, and while that may not seem like a long time compared to most AAA games, it's a notable duration given the studio's productivity over the past decade. The massive data breach in 2024, which saw much of Insomniac's future plans stolen and released to the public, may have contributed to the delay. Included in that theft was the notion that a Venom game was also in development at the studio, and could have come out before Wolverine. That has been proven untrue as of now.
Sucker Punch Productions: Ghost of Yotei and Beyond
Sucker Punch followed up 2020's Ghost of Tsushima with Ghost of Yotei on October 2, 2025. The game was well-received and is one of the finest showcases of the power of the PS5 to date. The studio has also followed it up with Legends, the co-op multiplayer component of the Ghost series. Given the studio's recent focus on VR games, it's not surprising that there have been reports suggesting that Sucker Punch was working on a live-service Twisted Metal game. However, at June's State of Play, it was revealed that the team is working on Until Dawn 2, a follow-up to Supermassive's horror hit. This time taking place on a tropical island, let's see if it can capture the magic of the original when it releases in 2027.
Guerrilla Games: Aloy's Story Continues
Guerrilla followed up 2022's Horizon: Forbidden West with the Burning Shores DLC one year later as it continued to build out Aloy's story. With the West Coast-set sequel ending on a cliffhanger, it's not a stretch to expect the Amsterdam-based studio to currently be working on the third part of the trilogy. The development time between Zero Dawn and Forbidden West was five years, so we may be getting close to hearing something about the series' next chapter. Before that, though, Guerrilla will release its multiplayer spin-off, Horizon: Hunters Gathering, which takes the post-apocalyptic world of Horizon and paints it with a cartoon-like art style. No release date has been given as of yet.
Housemarque: Post-Launch Support for Saros
Housemarque's latest looper shooter, Saros, only just arrived in April, but if its predecessor, Returnal, is anything to go by, we can expect post-launch support for the Finnish studio's latest game for some time yet. Returnal saw a challenge tower mode added, as well as co-op support introduced in the months following its 2021 release. If reports are to be believed, though, don't expect Saros to come to PC, as Sony is believed to have reverted to its original console-only exclusive approach. So far, Saros is believed to have got off to a 'lukewarm start', when it comes to sales, but we'll see how that develops throughout 2026.
Haven Studios: Fairgames and Beyond
Haven Studios' multiplayer shooter Fairgames was originally due for release in 2025, but it's nowhere to be seen. The project has been impacted by the departure of industry veteran Jade Raymond, who only founded the studio in 2021. Work is still ongoing on the online heist game, but little to nothing has been seen of it since the 2023 cinematic trailer reveal. We're currently left waiting to see what its gameplay actually looks like. Rumours were abound earlier this summer of a potential rebrand after Sony patented the title 'Break In', though this still remains to be seen.
Bend Studio: Days Gone and Beyond
Bend has been pretty quiet since the release of Days Gone way back in 2019, aside from giving us a remaster last year. But in 2022, a few slithers of detail were revealed about what the Oregon studio was currently working on – it shared that its new game will 'build upon the open-world systems of Days Gone', but won't be announced until 'the time is right'. Apart from knowing it won't be a continuation of Deacon St. John's story, we really know nothing. And it's been a rocky year for the developer so far, with reports that a live-service game it had been working on had been scrapped by Sony, as well as layoffs impacting 30% of the team as it transitions to its next project. Whether this new game the reduced headcount is working on has anything to do with those details revealed four years ago, or if the studio is starting again from scratch, is unknown. Either way, we wouldn't expect to hear anything soon.
Media Molecule: Dreams and Beyond
Media Molecule spent most of the past decade working on Dreams, the game creation and curation project that was released in 2020. But as a result of significant layoffs at the studio in 2024, live support for the game has now ended, with MM's current aim being to ensure 'Dreams transitions into a self-sustaining platform'. There has since been no news on what the developer's next project will be.
Team Asobi: Astro Bot and Beyond
Team Asobi gave us one of 2024's biggest games with the charmingly creative platformer Astro Bot. An ode to PlayStation history, it won many awards and cemented itself as one of the PS5's very best offerings. Since then, the Japanese studio has continued to support Astro Bot with regular updates and levels as recently as this summer. But what next? Well, we wouldn't be surprised to see another Astro game on the way, given the critical and commercial success of the 2024 Game of the Year winner. There's certainly no shortage of obscure PlayStation characters left to sprinkle through more of those colourful levels.
Polyphony Digital: Gran Turismo and Beyond
Polyphony has been making Gran Turismo for over 25 years now, so it would certainly be a shock to see it veer from that racing line in the near future. GT7 came out around four and a half years ago now, meaning maybe the time is approaching for the reveal of the studio's next racing sim.
San Diego Studio: MLB The Show and Beyond
San Diego Studio is well established as the MLB The Show developer. This year's entry only dropped in March, so we can expect to see another next Spring if history is anything to go by.
Firesprite: Horizon: Call of the Mountain and Beyond
Firesprite most recently developed Horizon: Call of the Mountain for PSVR 2, following the studio's new-found focus on VR games. There have been reports suggesting that Firesprite was working on a live-service Twisted Metal game, which has since been canceled. Instead, at June's State of Play, it was revealed that the team is working on Until Dawn 2, a follow-up to Supermassive's horror hit. This time taking place on a tropical island, let's see if it can capture the magic of the original when it releases in 2027.
teamLFG: A New Team-Based Action Game
Formed in 2025 as part of PlayStation Studios, teamLFG was spun out of Bungie to create a new team-based action game that draws inspiration from fighting games, platformers, MOBAs, life sims, and 'frog-type games'. As to what a frog-type game is, your guess is as good as ours, but the project has been described as letting players 'inhabit a lighthearted, comedic world set in a brand-new, mythic, science-fantasy universe'. This one doesn't seem too far along the production pipeline, though, so we aren't expecting to hear more anytime soon.
The Future of PlayStation: A Time of Change and Uncertainty
As we approach the end of 2026, it's clear that the future of PlayStation is a time of change and uncertainty. The decision to end the production of physical game discs is a significant development that has left many gamers and industry experts alike wondering what the future holds. The list of PlayStation Studios is a couple of entries shorter than it was this time last year, and the future of some of these studios is uncertain. But amidst the uncertainty, there are also exciting new projects on the horizon, and the future of gaming looks bright for those who are willing to embrace the changes that are coming.
In my opinion, the future of gaming is a fascinating and unpredictable landscape, and the decisions made by Sony and its studios will shape the industry for years to come. As we approach the end of 2026, it's a time of both change and opportunity, and I'm excited to see what the future holds for PlayStation and the gaming industry as a whole.
