Bloomberg in its article about massive layoffs in the PlayStation studios, noted a game that fell through amidst the reorganisation by the Japanese platform holder.
As a reminder, in addressing the layoffs, the head of PlayStation Studios Hermen Hulst mentioned that a number of games in development were scrapped as part of the reorganization.
According to Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier, one of the cancelled games was a reboot of the racing action series Twisted Metal, developed by the British studio Firesprite (Horizon Call of the Mountain).
Based on Schreier’s source, the new Twisted Metal was being conceived as a game service. The project was at an early stage of development and did not receive final approval from Sony’s management at the time of cancellation .
The portal Video Games Chronicle reported early in 2022 that Twisted Metal had been handed over to the Firesprite team. Initially, production of the game was reported to be in hands of Lucid Games studio, known for Destruction AllStars.
Sony allegedly planned to time the release of the Twisted Metal reboot with the premiere of a comedy series based on the franchise. In the end, the game was cancelled, while the show has been renewed for a second season.
Earlier Naughty Dog cancelled the multiplayer The Last of Us, and Sony itself pulled the plug on a co-op action game set in a fantastical London (and its developers). The online Horizon, according to Schreier, has survived PlayStation’s reorganization.
