Three years after its initial reveal, the PlayStation heist shooter Fairgame$ appears to have resurfaced under the codename Project Espresso. A new playtest posted on Player.gg describes an "unannounced competitive action shooter" for PlayStation 5 and Windows PC that bears a strong resemblance to the original game.
Project Espresso is detailed as a third-person PvPvE competitive action game where teams compete to infiltrate secure locations, steal cargo, and escape before rivals. This description aligns closely with the 2023 PlayStation Blog post that characterized Fairgame$ as a competitive heist game focused on robbing the ultra-rich. Further visual parallels can be drawn from the Project Espresso trailer, which features elements like a gold vault and character designs reminiscent of Fairgame$, including a character wearing a white ski mask in both trailers.
Individuals interested in participating can sign up for the playtest via a Player.gg account. Polygon has reached out to Sony Interactive Entertainment for official confirmation regarding Project Espresso's identity and will provide updates upon receiving a response.
Fairgame$, or whatever its final title may be, represents the debut project from Haven Studios. Founded in 2021 by Jade Raymond, former head of Google Stadia Games and Entertainment and Assassin's Creed producer, the Montreal-based developer was acquired by Sony in 2022. The game was first showcased in 2023 at the PlayStation Showcase. Raymond has since departed the studio.
When the game was first announced, its creative director Mathieu Leduc stated that Fairgame$ would offer players a chance to "break the rules as a modern-day Robin Hood, a thrill seeker, or just someone who wants to collect cool loot." He also noted that the game originated from a desire to create a new type of player-versus-player experience with emergent sandbox gameplay.
Fairgame$/Project Espresso is slated for release on PlayStation 5 and Windows PC. A release date has not yet been announced.