PlayStation's Fairgames Reportedly Resurfaces with First Gameplay, New Codename, and Private Playtest

PlayStation's online heist game, Fairgames, appears to have quietly reemerged under a codename, complete with the first gameplay footage and invitations to a playtest.

Three years ago, PlayStation announced a new online shooter called Fairgames. It's a competitive heist game, a concept that sounds unique on paper, but it has reportedly faced numerous development issues, including the departures of studio founder Jade Raymond and creative director Daniel Drapeau. Their exits followed internal concerns about the game after negative playtests. Since its announcement, PlayStation has largely stayed silent about the game, though development has continued.

Now, the game seems to have quietly resurfaced under the codename Project Espresso. It was added to Player.gg, a website that connects developers with players for playtesting. Although it's listed under a codename and the developer remains anonymous, the listing includes a sizable gameplay trailer that looks strikingly similar to Fairgames. It features a similar art style, concept, and a disclaimer that the game is in development for PS5 and PC.

Looks like this is the first official look at gameplay for FAIRGAME$ aka Break In https://t.co/kuphMNor1Y pic.twitter.com/W5KE8nEO9b

Additionally, the game requires a PlayStation account to play, which is unusual for a third-party title. It's all a bit strange, but it's hard to imagine it being anything else. If you're interested in checking it out, you can sign up for a playtest on Player.gg.

Earlier this year, PlayStation also filed a trademark for a new game called Break In, which some speculated might be the new title for Fairgames. IGN has reached out to PlayStation for comment and will update the story if we hear back.

Although Fairgames has been largely shrouded in secrecy, that hasn't stopped gamers from doubting it. PlayStation's other big live service offering, Concord, was a catastrophic flop. Additionally, Marathon failed to impress, The Last of Us Online was canceled, Destiny 2 is no longer supported, and there's a general disdain for live-service games lately. Outside of PlayStation's first-party offerings, Highguard was meant to be another big live-service title but was dead within two months.

Whether Fairgames (or whatever its final name ends up being) can buck trends and get people interested remains to be seen. It's an interesting time for Sony, as it's navigating nonstop chaos; last night, it was confirmed Hideo Kojima was parting ways with PlayStation after the platform planned to cancel Kojima's ambitious next-gen game, Physint. Xbox stepped in and offered to save it, strengthening the company's relationship with the auteur. Kojima is also developing a new horror game with Xbox known as OD.

PlayStation has also been in hot water with players after its decisions to kill support for physical media in 2028, shut down Bluepoint a few years after acquiring it, and end support for single-player games on PC. Another live service bomb would be a big hit to PlayStation's PR right now, so hopefully these playtests can shape it into something appealing to a broad audience.