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| Convallaria PlayStation China Hero Project banner is shown |
Sony’s PlayStation 5 continues to command a dominant position in a fiercely competitive global market, with its first-party studios and external partnerships delivering hit after hit. A key part of its growth strategy has been the China Hero Project, an initiative designed to cultivate and publish games from talented Chinese developers for a worldwide audience. While the project has yielded notable titles like Ai Limit, its path has been far from smooth. The latest and perhaps most serious controversy involves the promising co-op shooter Convallaria and its developer, Loongforce, who now publicly accuse Sony of systemic obstruction and bad faith.
The Convallaria Saga: A Partnership Sours
In an exclusive report detailed by MP1st, representatives from Loongforce have come forward with a timeline of frustration and alleged mismanagement that has stalled their game for years. Initially selected for the China Hero Project in 2018, the studio's relationship with PlayStation quickly grew strained.
The developers describe a cycle of delayed critical funding, poor communication, and increasing pressure from Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE). One particularly contentious claim involves being forced to pay for an "IT security restructuring" mandated by SIE, even as their own development funds were reportedly withheld.
The situation allegedly escalated in 2022 when Bao Bo, Director of Game Production for SIE China, took a more direct role in managing the PS5 title. According to Loongforce, this led to an ultimatum in mid-2025: either cede full creative and developmental control of Convallaria to the SIE Global Team, or see the game canceled entirely. Internal emails shared with media outlets appear to document these drastic demands.
For a deeper dive into the specific allegations and communications, the full report from MP1st is essential reading.
A Silent Exit: Convallaria Vanish from Promotion
The friction extended beyond development meetings. Loongforce claims Convallaria was conspicuously absent from China Hero Project marketing, a critical tool for building anticipation. The studio expected a feature in a February 2025 showcase video, but every other project in the initiative appeared—except theirs.
This silent treatment seems to have been a precursor to a more formal removal. Visitors to the official PlayStation China Hero Project website will now find no mention of Convallaria, signaling a likely end to the partnership. The game, once showcased in early trailers that hinted at its potential, has been effectively erased from Sony's narrative.
You can see the kind of promise the game held in its earlier reveals: Gameplay Trailer for Convallaria and China Hero Project sizzle reel featuring the title.
A Pattern of Problems for Sony's Chinese Initiative?
PlayStation has not yet issued a formal response to these specific allegations. In one email cited by Loongforce, Bao Bo stated that Convallaria had "failed evaluations from multiple business divisions." However, this explanation does little to address the claims of financial delays and strong-arm tactics.
This incident raises broader questions about the stability of Sony's partnerships under the China Hero Project banner. The long, troubled development of the anticipated Lost Soul Aside has already fueled skepticism. While successes exist, critics argue that the program's high-profile struggles may be outweighing its wins.
For now, Loongforce is left with significant debt and an uncertain future, while PlayStation moves forward. The official page for the initiative, now without Convallaria, continues to promote its other ventures. You can view the current state of the project here: Official China Hero Project Page.
The gaming community and industry watchers are now left to ponder: Is this a case of a project failing to meet quality standards, as Sony suggests, or a sign of deeper issues within a flagship global outreach program? Until Sony addresses the allegations directly, the controversy surrounding Convallaria will cast a long shadow over the China Hero Project's promise.