Brand new images of Sony's canceled Twisted Metal game have surfaced online, offering a tantalizing glimpse into what could have been a groundbreaking addition to the series. Developer Firesprite was reportedly working on a live service game that fused the franchise's iconic vehicular combat with battle royale elements, a project that went by the codename Project Copper.

A former UI developer at Sony-owned Firesprite shared a few screenshots in their online portfolio. Although the images are deliberately blurred and marked "Under NDA," they clearly fall under the Project Copper umbrella, believed to be the internal moniker for this unannounced Twisted Metal live-service game.

Twisted Metal, a beloved vehicle combat series that debuted on the PSone and last saw a new entry during the PlayStation 3 era, was set to evolve with Project Copper. The developer described it as a "third-person vehicular action combat game based on a classic IP owned by PlayStation and developed by Firesprite." They further elaborated that the game included "third-person shooter mechanics wrapped with third-person vehicle combat with the objective of being the last one standing" (thanks, MP1st).

Sony's decision to cancel Twisted Metal was part of broader layoffs announced in February 2024. At that point, the game "wasn't yet greenlit" but was being developed at the UK-based Firesprite studio, which Sony confirmed was affected by the cuts.

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The cancellation of Twisted Metal reflects a broader shift at Sony away from live service games, following an aggressive push into this genre. Naughty Dog, for example, halted work on The Last of Us Online in December 2023, citing the need to devote all resources to post-launch content, which would have severely impacted their ability to create new single-player experiences.

While Arrowhead’s Helldivers 2 achieved remarkable success, selling 12 million copies in just 12 weeks and becoming the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game ever, Sony's live service hero shooter Concord turned out to be a significant disappointment. It was taken offline after only a few weeks due to dismal player engagement, and Sony eventually decided to terminate the game and shutter its developer.

In January, Sony also canceled two other unannounced live service games: one being a God of War title developed by Bluepoint, and another from the team behind Days Gone at Bend Studio.

Although a new Twisted Metal game seems unlikely in the near future, fans can look forward to the continuation of the Twisted Metal TV series starring Anthony Mackie. Season 2 is slated to air on Peacock. IGN's review of Season 1 awarded it an 8/10, praising it as "a miraculously enjoyable blend of comedy, violence, and thoughtfulness," despite its occasionally overwhelming humor.