Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet Absent as Sony's September 2026 State of Play Leaves Fans Wanting More

Sony's September 2026 State of Play has wrapped up, and it was notably missing several highly anticipated first-party titles, including Naughty Dog's Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. The showcase also lacked updates on other major projects like God of War: Laufey, Horizon Hunters Gathering, Fairgames, and Bungie's Marathon.

The event disappointed fans hoping for news on various PlayStation Studios, including Media Molecule (known for Dreams) and Sony Bend (developer of Days Gone). Media Molecule hasn't shipped a game in six years, while Sony Bend's last release, Days Gone, came out seven years ago.

Before the showcase, expectations were high for Naughty Dog to make a splash, especially after the studio confirmed earlier this week that it had completed performance capture for Intergalactic. In retrospect, that news may have been a way to temper expectations, as no further updates were given. Naughty Dog's last new game was The Last of Us Part 2 in 2020, with subsequent efforts going into remakes and a now-canceled multiplayer project.

God of War: Laufey, which is slated for release in less than six months, seemed like a likely candidate for the show, but Sony had already given it substantial coverage in July. Meanwhile, the Horizon multiplayer spin-off's absence aligns with a recent Bloomberg report suggesting Sony was unhappy with playtest feedback, leading to a redesign from live-service to a co-op experience with a story mode.

Fairgames, developed by Haven Studios (founded by Assassin's Creed co-creator Jade Raymond), has been missing in action for years. Raymond left the studio last year, followed by the game's creative director. Her last shipped title remains Star Wars Battlefront 2 from 2017.

As for Marathon, Bungie's ongoing project, little is known about its future. With Destiny 2 winding down after a decade and numerous layoffs, Marathon's player base is shrinking, raising questions about its long-term support. Meanwhile, calls for Destiny 3 persist.

But does any of this truly matter? In just two months, Grand Theft Auto 6—the biggest game of this console generation—will launch, with marketing positioning the PS5 as the ideal platform. Today's State of Play may not have showcased Sony's first-party strength, but with GTA 6 on the horizon, there might be better opportunities for major reveals.

For a full recap of what was announced during the September 2026 State of Play, check out our comprehensive coverage.