PlayStation is getting back to what it’s good at

# PlayStation is getting back to what it’s good at Source: [https://www.theverge.com/games/942520/playstation-wolverine-god-of-war-laufey-state-of-play-june-2026](https://www.theverge.com/games/942520/playstation-wolverine-god-of-war-laufey-state-of-play-june-2026) PlayStation used its most recent State of Play showcase to make it clear where its focus is\. After a series of costly live\-service stumbles, it’s getting back to focusing on premium, narrative\-driven, single\-player games\. That statement was made clear with how it started and ended the hourlong show\. The showcase began with an extended look at gameplay[from*Marvel’s Wolverine*](https://www.theverge.com/games/939378/marvels-wolverine-playstation-trailer-state-of-play-june-2026), the new superhero title from Insomniac Games\. Over seven minutes of bloody action, Logan sliced and diced his way through a bunch of baddies as he tried to rescue some captured mutants, briefly teaming up with Jean Grey for some help taking them down\. Insomniac is well\-known for its excellent single\-player adventures, like*Ratchet & Clank*and the recent*Spider\-Man*games, and*Wolverine*seems poised to keep up the tradition when it launches in September\. The show ended with a major reveal:[*God of War Laufey*](https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/941516/god-of-war-laufey-ps5-trailer), the next mainline, single\-player entry in the*God of War*series from Santa Monica Studio\.*Laufey*stars Faye, Kratos’ wife, and based on the extensive 23\-minute trailer shown during the showcase, it looks to have all of the hallmarks of the recent*God of War*games: gripping combat, a magical world to explore, and charming, chatty companions\. In this case, it’s a gelatinous cube voiced by Jack Quaid and sentient ribbons attached to Faye’s sword\. Sandwiched between those showcase titles was a number of third\-party games that were similarly single\-player focused\. Many are launching over the next few months, like[Remedy Entertainment’s*Control Resonant*](https://www.theverge.com/games/942113/remedy-control-resonant-release-date-trailer)and[Konami’s*Silent Hill: Townfall*](https://www.theverge.com/games/942179/a-different-take-on-silent-hill)on September 24th and Capcom’s[*Onimusha: Way of the Sword*](https://www.theverge.com/games/942183/onimusha-way-of-the-sword-release-date-trailer-demo-playstation-state-of-play-2026)on September 25th\. Some were farther out, like Crystal Dynamics’*Tomb Raider*reboot[in February](https://www.theverge.com/games/942155/tomb-raider-legacy-of-atlantis-trailer-release-date-playstation-state-of-play-2026)\. PlayStation also showed off its own slasher sequel with*Until Dawn 2*, which launches[sometime next year](https://www.theverge.com/games/942210/until-dawn-gets-a-little-sun)\. What wasn’t present at State of Play was much in the way of live\-service or multiplayer games\. The main exception was a look at season 2 of*Marathon*,[the struggling extraction shooter from*Destiny*developer Bungie](https://www.theverge.com/games/940214/marathon-bungie-season-two-turnaround-destiny-changes)\. But there was nothing[about*Fairgames*](https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/24/23732791/fairgames-playstation-showcase-ps5-sony-haven-studios),[*Horizon*’s co\-op spinoff](https://www.theverge.com/games/874434/playstation-sony-horizon-hunters-gathering-live-service-ps5-pc), or any brand\-new live\-service title from Sony\. This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise\. Sony’s live\-service push, for the most part, hasn’t worked out, despite the company[making it a key pillar of its strategy](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-projects-launching-12-live-service-games-by-2025/1100-6503924/)\. Much like[the rest of the industry](https://www.theverge.com/column/893294/live-service-games-mess), it has had more misses than hits\.*Helldivers 2*[is a big success](https://www.theverge.com/news/770311/playstation-game-helldivers-2-best-selling-game-on-xbox)and*Gran Turismo 7*is[chugging along](https://www.gran-turismo.com/us/gt7/news/00_4137336.html)\. But other games haven’t been so lucky, with[rounds of layoffs](https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/31/24210476/bungie-to-layoff-220-employees-new-project)at*Marathon*and*Destiny 2*developer Bungie,[the abrupt shutdown of the very expensive*Concord*](https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/4/24235163/concord-cancellation-live-service-games), the cancellation of a[*The Last of Us*multiplayer game](https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/14/24002141/naughty-dog-the-last-of-us-online-multiplayer-canceled)and an[unannounced live\-service*God of War*game](https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/16/24345575/sony-god-of-war-bluepoint-games-bend-games-canceled), and no*Fairgames*in sight despite being revealed nearly three years ago\. This doesn’t mean that Sony is completely retreating from live\-service games\. There are likely some unannounced projects, and[new titles have been announced as recently as February](https://www.theverge.com/games/874434/playstation-sony-horizon-hunters-gathering-live-service-ps5-pc)\. It’s also worth noting that[past State of Plays](https://www.theverge.com/games/877875/playstation-state-of-play-february-2026-ps5-news-trailers)have had a similar focus on single\-player titles, albeit with few major first\-party Sony releases\. But at a time when[the console space is struggling](https://www.theverge.com/games/926772/nintendo-switch-2-price-hike-console-gaming-future), and Sony in particular has seen[a significant drop in first\-party game sales](https://www.gamefile.news/p/playstation-first-party-sales-decline)\(not to mention[hardware sales](https://www.theverge.com/news/926609/sonys-ps5-sales-plummet-memory-costs-price-hikes)\), getting back to basics makes a lot of sense\. The PlayStation brand is closely associated with single\-player epics like*The Last of Us*and*God of War*, and the State of Play was a chance to show that they’re still a priority for Sony\. And while the rest of this year seems largely sorted for PlayStation, there are still a lot of question marks about its future:*Laufey*, the remakes of the[original*God of War*trilogy](https://www.theverge.com/games/878375/god-of-war-sons-of-sparta-trilogy-sony-playstation-ps5-release-date-trailer), and Naughty Dog’s[*Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet*](https://www.theverge.com/24320197/intergalactic-the-heretic-prophet-naughty-dog-trailer-game-awards-2024)are all without release dates\. Actually*playing*those games is a[more expensive proposition than ever](https://www.theverge.com/games/902224/sony-ps5-playstation-price-hike)\. But in stepping back from live\-service games, Sony has a much clearer path to convincing people to do that: make memorable, expansive single\-player games that you can’t play anywhere else\. **Follow topics and authors**from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates\. - Jay Peters