New images of Sony's canceled Twisted Metal game have surfaced online, suggesting developer Firesprite was creating a live-service title blending the series' signature vehicular combat with battle royale elements. A former Firesprite UI developer posted blurred screenshots to their online portfolio, labeled "Under NDA" but identified under the codename "Project Copper," believed to be the internal name for the unannounced game.

Firesprite described Project Copper as a "third-person vehicular action combat game based on a classic PlayStation IP," featuring "third-person shooter mechanics wrapped with third-person vehicle combat with the objective of being the last one standing." This confirms the blend of vehicular combat and battle royale mechanics hinted at by the leaked images.

Sony's cancellation of Twisted Metal, reportedly part of February 2024 layoffs, occurred while the game was still in development and "wasn't yet greenlit." The UK studio Firesprite was impacted by these cuts.

The cancellation aligns with Sony's apparent shift away from live-service games following a period of significant investment. This strategic retreat is evidenced by the cancellation of other live-service projects, including The Last of Us Online at Naughty Dog, and two unannounced titles at Bluepoint and Bend Studio. While Helldivers 2 proved a massive success, Concord, a PlayStation Studios hero shooter, quickly failed, resulting in its closure and the shuttering of its development studio.

Despite the game's cancellation, fans can still look forward to the Twisted Metal TV series on Peacock, with Season 2 already in the works. IGN's review of Season 1 awarded it an 8/10, praising its "miraculously enjoyable blend of comedy, violence, and thoughtfulness," despite noting an occasional overload of jokes.

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