Tencent cancels Last Sentinel open‑world game after $100 M investment

Tencent has terminated development of the ambitious open‑world title Last Sentinel, a project that had been in production for six years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The game, created by Lightspeed LA and unveiled at The Game Awards 2023 with a futuristic Tokyo setting, was intended to compete with Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series. Internal playtests in early 2026 reportedly fell far short of expectations, leading Tencent to halt further funding and lay off about 80 staff members at the studio.

The development team included industry veterans such as former Rockstar executive Steve Martin and actor Troy Baker, who recorded promotional videos for the game. Despite attempts to restructure the project, the prototype failed to meet the quality standards required for a major release, prompting the publisher to cancel the title and redirect resources elsewhere.