Fairgames Faces Uncertainty After Another Key Departure from Haven Studios

Fairgames

Fairgames, the upcoming live-service heist shooter from Haven Studios, is back in the spotlight — and not for the reasons fans were hoping. Game director Daniel Drapeau has officially left the studio to join WB Games Montreal as creative director.

This marks the second major exit from Haven in just a few months. Back in May, Jade Raymond, the studio’s founder and a well-known figure in the gaming world, also stepped away. For a project that’s already been hit with cancellation rumors, these departures aren’t exactly reassuring.

Fairgames — stylized as Fairgame$ — was first revealed during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase. It’s pitched as a competitive heist shooter where teams sneak into high-security locations, dodge guards, and battle rival crews to snatch valuable loot. The concept had buzz, but since that initial reveal, updates have been few and far between, leaving fans wondering what’s really going on behind the scenes.

Things got even murkier last month when analyst Michael Pachter claimed the game had been canceled. He later walked back the statement, admitting he had no solid info, but the damage was done, and speculation spread fast. Reports of mixed feedback from external playtests didn’t help either.

Now, with Drapeau heading to WB Games Montreal — the studio behind Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League — players are questioning what this means for Fairgames.

Since 2022, Sony’s been pushing hard to launch over 10 live-service titles by 2026, acquiring studios like Bungie, Firewalk, and Haven to make it happen. The results? Mixed at best. Firewalk’s Concord flopped shortly after launch, and Naughty Dog’s multiplayer Last of Us Online was scrapped. Reports even suggest Sony quietly canceled two more unannounced live-service games earlier this year.

That said, it’s not all doom and gloom. Helldivers 2, developed by Arrowhead Studios, turned out to be a massive win, selling over 12 million copies in just three months, making it the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game ever.

As for Fairgames, the big question is whether it can bounce back and deliver something truly compelling. Until Sony or Haven drops concrete updates like gameplay footage or a release window, fans are left watching and waiting, hoping this ambitious heist shooter doesn’t end up as another live-service casualty.

So far, neither Haven Studios nor PlayStation has commented on Drapeau’s departure.