Tencent's ambitious attempt to create a cyberpunk open-world game in the vein of Grand Theft Auto has encountered significant difficulties, with developer Lightspeed LA reportedly laying off 80 employees following a loss of confidence from the publisher.
The project, known as Last Sentinel, has been in development for six years and was officially revealed at The Game Awards in 2023. However, doubts about its progress surfaced last year when promotional videos failed to showcase actual gameplay. According to a report from Bloomberg, Tencent has decided not to continue with the project, leading to substantial staff reductions at Lightspeed Entertainment.
Last Sentinel was envisioned as a glossy open-world experience set in a vertical city in a cyberpunk Japan, featuring destructible environments and a mix of driving and shooting mechanics. The game was being developed by a team smaller than those used by Rockstar Games for its recent open-world titles. Anonymous sources within Lightspeed have indicated that the development was hampered by an unclear creative vision and what they described as polarizing management practices under former Rockstar San Diego studio director Steve Martin.
Following a poorly received playtest and an unconvincing demonstration to Tencent executives earlier this year, Lightspeed reportedly made efforts to improve the game. Despite these attempts, Tencent apparently found the results insufficient and has withdrawn its support.
While Last Sentinel has not been officially canceled, Lightspeed is continuing development without Tencent's backing. The studio plans to "shift the creative and development direction" of the game in an effort to meet player expectations. Given the initial promise of a Grand Theft Auto-style cyberpunk rival, the path forward for Lightspeed appears challenging.