Sony Drops PS5’s First Live Service

Flashy vehicular combat title Destruction AllStars was among the first PlayStation 5 exclusives, launching in February 2021 to a lukewarm reception just months after the console’s debut. Its lackluster performance quickly became a cautionary tale for Sony’s live‑service strategy on the new generation.

Sony confirmed today that the game will be permanently taken offline later this year. “From May 26, 2026 at 14:00 UTC, Destruction AllStars and all associated virtual currency (Destruction Points) will be removed from sale at PlayStation Store and will no longer be available for purchase,” the company announced. “Single‑player modes will remain accessible to existing users until Wednesday November 25, 2026 at 15:00 UTC when all server support for Destruction AllStars shall be shut down.”

Multiplayer servers have already been decommissioned, leaving only the single‑player Arcade Mode challenges for those who already own the game. Sony cautions that “functionality and player experience may be impacted due to the server shutdown,” and notes that any remaining virtual currency cannot be refunded—players must spend it before the servers go offline. The abrupt loss of online play is attributed to “ongoing technical issues.”

Initially priced at $70, the title was delayed and ultimately released for $20, with PlayStation Plus subscribers receiving it free of charge. By May, developers were already populating matches with bots. Despite over a year of updates, the game never fully resonated, foreshadowing challenges for Sony’s broader live‑service lineup. The studio behind the exclusive, Lucid Games, has since been acquired by Tencent subsidiary Lightspeed Studios.

When the game first launched, director Colin Berry admitted that the team faced a unique design dilemma: “We didn’t have a clear benchmark to follow,” he recalled. “Creating an arcade racer is deceptively simple—well, not exactly—but you can look to titles like Need for Speed or WipEout for inspiration. For us, it was a different beast. We wanted to blend a touch of GTA’s vehicular freedom with the fast‑paced arena combat of a racing title, yet keep the characters distinct. Merging those elements into a cohesive experience proved surprisingly tough, and conveying that vision to players was another hurdle.”

Destruction AllStars’ disappointing performance ultimately led to the removal of the Twisted Metal reboot from Lucid Games, a project that was later shelved entirely. With Destiny 2’s final update slated for next month, Bungie’s Marathon still struggling to capture a loyal fanbase, and Concord’s ghost lingering over Sony’s uneven live‑service legacy, the November shutdown of AllStars will stand as one of the most contentious and challenging moments in PlayStation’s recent history.