Sony Interactive Entertainment's CEO and CFO, Lin Tao, discussed challenges in the company's live-service gaming strategy, acknowledging difficulties in transitioning to a service-oriented portfolio. This includes the cancellation of the game Concord shortly after its release and the postponement of Bungie's title, Marathon, along with several other shelved projects. Tao noted that live-service games were almost non-existent for PlayStation Studios five years ago, but now contribute significantly to sales and profit through titles like Helldivers 2, MLB, Gran Turismo 7, and Destiny 2. The live-service ratio for Q1 was approximately 40 percent, with projections for the full year estimating between 20 to 30 percent. He recognized ongoing issues that need addressing to improve the introduction of live service content. Regarding Marathon, Tao mentioned it was delayed from its original September release due to an unsatisfactory alpha test, with an optimistic aim for completion by March 2026, though no official launch date has been set. He also discussed Bungie's integration into PlayStation Studios, indicating a shift from its initial independent operation towards becoming more integrated into the studio's structure.
Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate has launched, and players have noticed a change in the voice of Ikora Rey due to some voice talent being unavailable for recordings since a May update. Bungie has confirmed that characters like Ikora, Orin, and Chioma will have different voices in the new content and are working on future updates to address this. In the meantime, some characters may have temporary voice casting or remain silent in certain languages, with subtitles enabled by default to ensure players do not miss important story elements. Debra Wilson is the new voice actor for Ikora, known for her role as Savathun in Destiny 2: The Witch Queen.