Two of the PlayStation Vita’s most acclaimed exclusives, Freedom Wars and Soul Sacrifice, were once set to receive full-fledged sequels — until Sony pulled the plug. According to former Sony Interactive Entertainment President Shuhei Yoshida, both projects were in active development before being scrapped in favor of supporting the PlayStation 4.
Sequels That Never Were
During a recent episode of the Sacred Symbols+ podcast by Last Stand Media, Yoshida revealed that Soul Sacrifice 2 and Freedom Wars 2 were officially in production at Sony before being canceled due to shifting priorities and budget constraints. At the time, the company was pivoting toward first-party support for the then-new PS4, leading to the abandonment of its handheld platform’s future.
“We were actually working on Soul Sacrifice 2 and Freedom Wars 2, but because of budget limitations, we had to stop and move on to PS4,” Yoshida said.
The PS Vita’s Early Exit
The PlayStation Vita launched between late 2011 and early 2012, depending on region, but struggled to maintain momentum in a mobile-first gaming era dominated by smartphones and the Nintendo 3DS. Sony ceased development of first-party Vita games in 2015, cutting short what was once an ambitious platform with strong technical capabilities.
Freedom Wars (2014), developed by Dimps and Japan Studio, and Soul Sacrifice (2013), produced in collaboration with legendary game designer Keiji Inafune, were among the last major titles in the Vita’s exclusive lineup. Both titles were praised for their intense action-RPG mechanics and unique aesthetics, garnering dedicated followings despite the system’s decline.
PS4 Took Center Stage
Yoshida indicated that the shift to the PS4 not only halted development of these sequels but also cut short potential spin-offs of PlayStation franchises for Vita, such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Killzone: Mercenary. Sony’s internal restructuring effectively sealed the Vita’s fate as the company reallocated resources to its burgeoning home console success.
Freedom Wars Gets Remastered — But Not Soul Sacrifice
Although Freedom Wars 2 was shelved, the original game received renewed attention in January 2025 with the release of Freedom Wars Remastered. Surprisingly, the remaster didn’t just arrive on PlayStation platforms (PS4 and PS5), but also on Nintendo Switch and PC, suggesting Sony’s increased openness toward cross-platform publishing.
Soul Sacrifice, however, remains a PS Vita exclusive. Despite years of fan requests for a remaster or port, Sony has yet to announce any plans to revive the title on modern platforms.
Vita’s Legacy Lives On — But Quietly
While the Vita may be long out of production, the revelation about Freedom Wars 2 and Soul Sacrifice 2 underscores the untapped potential the system still held when Sony pivoted away. With Yoshida confirming that these sequels were more than ideas on a whiteboard, their cancellation marks a significant “what-if” in the platform’s history — a history that continues to attract curiosity and nostalgia from dedicated fans of handheld gaming.
