Media Molecule, the studio behind LittleBigPlanet and Dreams, is developing a new open-world PS5 exclusive featuring resource gathering and objective-based exploration. A designer’s portfolio leak reveals the studio’s dramatic shift away from user-generated content tools.
Media Molecule, the British PlayStation studio behind LittleBigPlanet and Dreams, is developing a new open-world game exclusively for PlayStation 5. The leak, first reported by MP1st on May 25, 2026, comes from the online portfolio of a Senior Environment Designer who has been working at the studio since April 2025. The portfolio describes an “unannounced project, New IP” that includes “open-world content,” marking a dramatic departure from the sandbox creation tools the studio has been known for since 2008.
What Did the Leak Reveal?
The portfolio belongs to a Senior Environment Designer currently employed at Media Molecule. According to the resume, the designer serves as “feature owner, main contact/vision holder of various open-world content” on the unannounced project. Their responsibilities include “level blocking out main POIs (Points of Interest), moment-to-moment gameplay,” and notably, “forage design.”
The mention of forage design strongly suggests the game will feature resource-gathering mechanics. Combined with the structured POI system and moment-to-moment gameplay design, the leak paints a picture of a curated, developer-crafted world built around objective-based exploration rather than the user-generated sandbox environments that defined Media Molecule’s previous releases. As VGC noted, these terms are hallmarks of open-world game development, though the exact genre classification remains uncertain.
How Does This Compare to LittleBigPlanet and Dreams?
Media Molecule built its reputation on the “play, create, share” philosophy. LittleBigPlanet launched on PlayStation 3 in 2008, won multiple awards, and spawned a franchise that encouraged players to design and share their own levels. The studio followed up with LittleBigPlanet 2 in 2011, the BAFTA-winning Tearaway for PS Vita in 2013, and Dreams in 2020.
Dreams was intended as a comprehensive game-creation platform with a promised 10 years of support. However, adoption fell short of expectations, and Media Molecule announced the end of live support in September 2023, just three years after launch. Planned PC and PS5 versions of Dreams were also reportedly cancelled. The studio then laid off 15 to 20 percent of its staff in October 2023, citing “significant strategic changes” and a full pivot to the new project.
The shift from user-generated content tools to a traditional open-world adventure represents the most significant creative redirection in the studio’s history. Instead of giving players tools to build their own worlds, Media Molecule is now constructing a proprietary world filled with developer-designed landmarks and gameplay systems.
What Mark Healey Said About the Project
Media Molecule co-founder Mark Healey, who left the studio in 2023, shared some insight in a May 2024 interview with MinnMax. “I don’t know exactly what state their project is in now,” Healey said. “I don’t think it’s secret news that they’re working on a new IP. I would dare to go as far as saying it’s more of a game than a creative tool, from what I understand about it.”
This statement directly confirmed two key points: the project is a brand-new intellectual property, not LittleBigPlanet 4, and it represents a return to a more conventional game structure rather than another creation suite. John Beech has since taken over as creative director at the studio.
Could It Feature Survival or Crafting Mechanics?
The “forage design” responsibility listed in the portfolio is the strongest indicator that some form of survival or crafting system will be present. As GamingBolt and AllKeyShop both noted in their analyses, forage design implies players will gather resources dynamically from the game environment, a core loop found in survival and crafting games like Valheim, Palworld, and Subnautica.
Combined with the structured POI system, this could point to a narrative-driven action-adventure game with exploration and resource-gathering elements woven into a highly structured map. However, it is also worth noting, as GamingBolt pointed out, that “open-world content” does not necessarily mean a full open-world genre game. Media Molecule could be implementing open-world elements within a different framework, perhaps even a 3D platformer with larger environments.
Is It a PS5 Exclusive?
Yes. As a first-party Sony studio, Media Molecule develops exclusively for PlayStation hardware. All available evidence points to the new project being built solely for PS5, leveraging the console’s processing capabilities without backward compatibility for PS4. No PC or multiplatform release has been mentioned or hinted at in any of the leaked information.
When Could It Be Announced?
PlayStation has confirmed a State of Play showcase for June 2, 2026, running over 60 minutes and featuring Marvel’s Wolverine ahead of its September 15 launch. However, VGC stated there is “no reason to believe” Media Molecule’s next game will appear at this event. GamingBolt was slightly more optimistic, noting that insider NateTheHate hinted at additional unannounced PS5 exclusives being present at the showcase.
Separately, job postings from 2025 showed contract end dates clustering around January 2027. ComicBook.com reported this could point to a late 2026 or early 2027 reveal window, though contract lengths do not necessarily correlate directly with project completion dates. The designer in the leaked portfolio has been at the studio since April 2025, which some outlets interpreted as a possible indicator of the project’s development timeline reaching a more active production phase.
Media Molecule’s Full Game History
To understand the significance of this shift, here is a complete timeline of Media Molecule’s releases since the studio was founded in Guildford, UK, in 2006:
- LittleBigPlanet (2008): PS3 debut. Multiple award winner. Established the “play, create, share” brand identity.
- LittleBigPlanet 2 (2011): Expanded sequel on PS3 with more powerful creation tools.
- Tearaway (2013): PS Vita platformer. BAFTA award winner. Showcased innovative use of handheld hardware.
- Tearaway Unfolded (2015): PS4 reimagining of Tearaway with expanded content.
- Dreams (2020): PS4 game creation platform. Live support ended September 2023.
LittleBigPlanet 3 (2014) was developed by Sumo Digital, not Media Molecule, though it used the same IP. Its PS4 servers were permanently shut down in April 2024, and the game was delisted from the PlayStation Store in October 2024.
What Fans Are Hoping For
Many long-time Media Molecule fans were hoping the studio’s next project would be LittleBigPlanet 4. With Healey’s confirmation that it is a new IP and the portfolio leak pointing to open-world mechanics, a Sackboy return appears unlikely in the near term. Still, the studio’s creative heritage suggests that whatever form the new game takes, it will carry a distinctive artistic identity.
The open-world genre is competitive, with major PS5 titles like GTA VI (launching November 19, 2026), Fable, and Crimson Desert all fighting for player attention. How Media Molecule differentiates its approach, potentially through the kind of charm and inventiveness that defined LittleBigPlanet, could determine whether this new IP stands out in a crowded field.
Key Questions About the Leak
Is Media Molecule’s new game LittleBigPlanet 4?
No. Former co-founder Mark Healey confirmed in 2024 that the studio is working on a completely new IP. It will not be a LittleBigPlanet sequel or a Dreams follow-up.
What platforms will it release on?
Based on all available information, the game is being developed exclusively for PlayStation 5. No PC, Xbox, or previous-generation PlayStation versions have been mentioned.
When will it be officially revealed?
No official reveal date has been announced. Job posting analysis suggests a possible late 2026 or early 2027 window, but this remains speculative. The June 2, 2026 State of Play is not expected to feature the game, though surprises cannot be ruled out.
Will it have multiplayer?
The leaked portfolio does not mention multiplayer features. Earlier job listings from 2021 referenced a “senior producer” role that hinted at multiplayer elements, but it is unclear whether those listings relate to the current project.
How reliable is this leak?
The source is a real portfolio from a verified Media Molecule employee, first spotted by MP1st and subsequently corroborated by VGC, GamingBolt, CGMagazine, and AllKeyShop. However, as MP1st cautioned, games in pre-production can shift drastically in scope and design. Nothing is final until PlayStation and Media Molecule make an official announcement.
Media Molecule’s pivot from creative sandbox tools to a structured open-world experience represents one of the most intriguing studio transformations in recent PlayStation history. Whether the final product retains the studio’s signature warmth and inventiveness while embracing a completely new genre will be the defining question when the game is eventually revealed.
