Haven Studio’s Fairgames Is Reportedly Exploring an Extraction Shooter Direction

A new report claims that Fairgames may be shifting further away from its originally pitched identity as a competitive heist game and moving closer to the extraction shooter space. According to Insider Gaming, Haven Studios’ upcoming multiplayer title is now experimenting with a mode called Cargo Heist, which reportedly revolves around breaking into a vault, grabbing cash and gear, and then successfully escaping with the haul while competing teams interfere along the way.

That framing matters because it suggests a notable evolution from how the project was first presented. When PlayStation formally introduced Fairgames in May 2023, it described the game as a “competitive heist experience” coming to PS5 and PC, with no direct positioning around the extraction genre at the time. The official pitch focused on players joining an underground movement to rob the ultra rich, which gave the project a more stylized heist identity rather than a survival driven extraction loop.

The new reporting indicates that at least one of the game’s main modes now fits much more closely with the structure players associate with extraction games. Insider Gaming says the flow includes breaking in, drilling the vault, securing the cargo, and reaching an extraction point, with the match hinging on whether teams can escape successfully. Based on that description, the game appears to be borrowing heavily from the same high tension risk and reward structure that has become increasingly attractive across the shooter market.

That said, an important part of the extraction formula is still unclear. The report does not confirm whether players lose the gear they entered with if they fail to escape, which is one of the genre’s core design pillars. Without that element, Fairgames could still end up feeling more like a competitive heist shooter with extraction style objectives rather than a full commitment to the extraction model. That distinction will matter, because genre labeling shapes player expectations, especially in a live service market where audiences are already highly sensitive to trends and copycat positioning.

The context around the project makes this report even more significant. Haven Studios was founded in 2021 by Jade Raymond, and Sony later acquired the studio before Fairgames was revealed in 2023. In May 2025, multiple outlets reported that Raymond had left Haven, adding another layer of uncertainty to a title that has already faced prolonged silence and recurring questions about its direction.

Insider Gaming also says Fairgames is still struggling with internal perception, reporting that some playtesters have found the game “not fun”, and that this has remained a concern during development. The same report claims the project is currently expected to be free to play, which, if accurate, would place it even more directly into a fiercely competitive service game environment where retention, monetization, and strong first impressions are everything.

From a strategic perspective, the rumored pivot is not difficult to understand. Extraction shooters have become one of the most closely watched spaces in multiplayer gaming, and publishers continue to look for the next breakout format that can drive long term engagement. But that also means the bar is higher than ever. Players are no longer interested in trend chasing alone. They want a game with a clear identity, a compelling risk loop, and enough originality to justify the time investment. If Fairgames is indeed moving in this direction, then Haven and PlayStation will need to prove that the project is more than a late market reaction.

Right now, the key takeaway is that this remains a reported shift rather than a formally announced one. PlayStation has not publicly confirmed that Fairgames is becoming an extraction shooter, and the final shape of the game could still evolve before release. Even so, the report paints a picture of a project still searching for the right formula at a time when Sony can least afford another live service stumble. In that sense, Fairgames may be one of the more important titles to watch inside PlayStation’s multiplayer portfolio, not because of what it has shown so far, but because of what its eventual release could say about Sony’s broader strategy.

Do you think Fairgames can still carve out its own identity, or does this reported extraction pivot make it feel even more like a trend driven gamble?