Tencent has reportedly decided not to move forward with the development of "Last Sentinel," an open-world action game that aimed to rival Grand Theft Auto. The project, spearheaded by Lightspeed LA, a studio featuring veterans from Rockstar Games, has been in development for six years and incurred costs of hundreds of millions of dollars, according to a report by Bloomberg.
The game, which received a cinematic reveal at The Game Awards in 2023, never showcased gameplay. Its development fate was sealed after a critical playtest earlier this year reportedly did not meet expectations. Following this, Lightspeed LA was given a final opportunity to improve the game's quality, but a subsequent review led Tencent to abandon the project in its current form.
This decision has led to mass layoffs, with 80 developers reportedly being let go from the studio. The reasons cited for the project's stalled development include a lack of clear direction and management, with issues attributed partly to project head Steve Martin, a former manager at Rockstar Games' San Diego office. The ambition of creating a GTA-quality cyberpunk open-world with a team of a few hundred was also noted as a significant challenge for a new studio.
Despite the setback, a spokesperson for Lightspeed LA told Bloomberg that the studio remains operational and continues to develop games, suggesting that some iteration of the project may still be pursued. However, the apparent shelving of "Last Sentinel" follows a pattern for Tencent, which also closed its TiMi Montreal studio earlier this year after years of funding without shipping a product. Another Tencent-funded studio, Team Kaiju, which attracted former leads from major franchises, shut down in 2023.
The struggles of "Last Sentinel" also echo broader trends in the gaming industry, where several ambitious projects incubated during the pandemic-era boom have quietly disappeared or failed. Notably, MindsEye, another title pitched as a potential GTA competitor, faced significant criticism and was reportedly embroiled in workplace controversies. The news highlights the considerable risks and high failure rates associated with developing large-scale, AAA titles, particularly for new studios attempting to break into a competitive market.