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Report: Live-service removed from Horizon Hunters Gathering following negative player feedback
Guerrilla Games is reportedly removing live-service elements from its upcoming co-op title, Horizon Hunters Gathering, due to negative player feedback. The game is being redesigned as a traditional multiplayer experience with a story mode and a reduced scope. This change follows PlayStation's broader challenges with live-service games, including cancellations and studio closures.
Report: PlayStation scales back live service ambitions for Horizon Hunters Gathering, reassigns devs
PlayStation-owned Guerrilla Games is reportedly scaling back its live-service ambitions for Horizon Hunters Gathering due to negative playtest feedback. The game is being reworked to be a smaller-scope multiplayer experience with a story mode, and many developers will be reassigned. This follows Sony's broader struggles with live-service titles and recent layoffs across PlayStation Studios.
'I honestly thought Highguard looked pretty good' — Gears of War creator laments internet culture where…
Gears of War creator Cliff Bleszinski laments the current internet culture where players form negative opinions about games like Concord, Highguard, and Horizon Hunters Gathering before release, leading to "dogpiling." He notes that this trend makes it difficult for developers, as the public's minds are often made up before they even have a chance to play the game. Bleszinski believes it's no longer "cool to like something" and that games face intense scrutiny, impacting their reception.
Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO hasn't given up on live-service games just yet
Despite numerous cancellations and underperforming titles, Sony Interactive Entertainment president Hideaki Nishino has reaffirmed the company's commitment to live-service games. Nishino stated that the genre is still relatively new and that Sony wants to continue taking on challenges within it, aiming to revitalize the market with both first-party and third-party content. Sony plans to release its own live-service title, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, this year.
After Years of Live-Service Chasing, Single-Player Games Are Winning Again
The article discusses the shift in the gaming industry from a strong focus on live-service games back towards single-player experiences. While live-service games can be highly lucrative, many publishers struggled to implement them successfully, leading to a resurgence in demand for complete, finished single-player titles. This trend is evident in recent showcases from Sony and Xbox, which highlight promising single-player games as key platform definers.
What the heck are you playing at, games industry?
The article criticizes the recent surge in video game studio closures and layoffs, highlighting numerous studios shut down by major publishers like Ubisoft, EA, Embracer, Sony, and Microsoft. It questions the business strategies of these publishers, particularly Microsoft's handling of Ninja Theory and the high development cost of Xbox exclusives like Gears of War E-Day, while also pointing to the industry's pursuit of live services and infinite growth over sustainable development.
"It's a slippery slope to try and build a game for an audience": Marathon, Arc Raiders, and Last Flag devs dig into the trend-bucking evolution of multiplayer shooters
Developers from Bungie, Embark Studios, and Night Street Games discuss the evolving landscape of multiplayer shooters, particularly the rise of extraction shooters like Arc Raiders and Marathon. They emphasize the importance of creative vision over trend-chasing and the challenges of launching live service games in a competitive market.
Sony's MIA Live-Service Game Is Going In The Exact Direction You'd Expect
New details have emerged regarding Sony's upcoming live-service game, Fairgame$, including its 'Cargo Heist' game mode and free-to-play business model with microtransactions. The game, which focuses on players acting as modern-day Robin Hoods against billionaires, has seen several key developers depart its studio, Haven. Sony has faced challenges with its live-service strategy, with cancellations and failures like Concord following initial investments, though Helldivers 2 achieved significant success.
Jason Blundell announces his new-new studio, Magic Fractal
Jason Blundell, formerly of Activision Blizzard's Call of Duty: Black Ops series, has announced the formation of his new studio, Magic Fractal Studios. This marks Blundell's third studio since leaving Activision in 2020, following the closures of Deviation Games and Dark Outlaw Games. Little is known about Magic Fractal's projects, but it is confirmed not to be a live-service game.
Sony is reportedly shutting down Dark Outlaw Games, run by former Call of Duty director
Sony is reportedly shutting down Dark Outlaw Games, a studio led by former Call of Duty director Jason Blundell. This closure is part of broader staff cuts at PlayStation focused on mobile development, signaling a retreat from live-service multiplayer games. Several other studios and projects have also been affected or canceled recently.