Three-year-old developer Deviation Games has shut down without shipping a single title, including the AAA PS5 exclusive that it was working on. The studio made this announcement following a year of rumors and speculations about its status.
Deviation Games partnered with Sony for a PS5 game in 2021
Deviation was unveiled in 2021 by founders Dave Anthony and Jason Blundell of Call of Duty fame. The same day, the studio announced a partnership with Sony to develop an unannounced new PS5 IP. Things seemed to have been going well until April 2022, when Deviation unveiled its flashy new office with PS5 themed wall decor. Just five months later, Blundell left.
Rumors of Deviation’s PS5 project being in trouble have been swirling since May 2023, following which insider Colin Moriarty claimed that the game has been canceled. Last December, fans discovered that a large number of Deviation developers were hired by Sony, further signalling that the studio may be in trouble.
Fast forward to last week, when Deviation’s HR officer Kriste Sull announced on LinkedIn that the studio has closed its doors and is hosting a networking event to find new opportunities for its staff.
Sull didn’t say anything further so we have no official confirmation about the status of Deviation’s PS5 game, but it’s probably safe to assume that it might never see the light of day.
