Live Service Games
Ongoing coverage on Live Service Games.
Latest coverage
Bungie's traditional launch woes made for a terrible first impression of Marathon's exciting second season and…
Bungie's extraction shooter Marathon launched its second season, Nightfall, with new content including a horror-themed map variant, a PvP-lite mode, new weapons, and a refined build system. However, the launch was marred by significant server instability and connection errors, leading to a poor first impression during a crucial free-play week.
The latest State of Play was big on spectacle but low on surprises
Sony's latest State of Play showcase featured impressive visuals for games like God of War Laufey and Marvel's Wolverine, but lacked significant surprises, leaning heavily on predictable reveals. The presentation highlighted a trend towards safe, high-budget titles in the current triple-A development landscape, with a focus on single-player experiences and limited new intellectual property.
New games in June 2026: It's a big month for Bungie and showcase reveals, but we're missing a key part of the…
June 2026 is shaping up to be a slow month for major new game releases, with a focus on updates for existing live service titles like Destiny 2 and Final Fantasy 14, alongside the start of Season 2 for Marathon. The month will also feature numerous industry events and showcases, including Summer Game Fest, the Xbox Games Showcase, and the PC Gaming Show, alongside various Steam sales and themed events.
Don’t Mourn Destiny 2, Be Grateful That It Existed
Following the announcement of Destiny 2's final major update on June 9, the article reflects on the game's impact and the community's desire for a sequel. Content creator Luckyy10p initiated a petition signed by over 330,000 people, urging Sony and Bungie to consider Destiny 3. Voice actors from the game have also shared messages of support for the franchise's future.
PlayStation’s First-Party Game Sales Have Been On Decline Since 2020, Data Shows
Data indicates that Sony's first-party game sales have been in a steady decline since the 2020 financial year, falling from 58.4 million units to 28.9 million in 2024, with a slight increase to 32.1 million in 2025. This trend coincides with challenges in the company's live-service game strategy and long development cycles for major titles, despite recent successes like Helldivers 2.
Bethesda Needs You to Test Its PS5 Version of Fallout 76 Before Launch
Bethesda is inviting Fallout 76 owners to participate in public tests for the upcoming native PlayStation 5 version of the game. This version will target 60 frames-per-second, feature VRR support, and offer improved draw distances and shadows, with resolutions varying between base PS5 and PS5 Pro.
Overwatch is changing the requirements for its rarest anniversary event reward after realising playing 240 games over 3…
Blizzard Entertainment is adjusting the requirements for a rare player title in the Overwatch anniversary event after player feedback indicated the grind was too demanding. Game director Aaron Keller announced that the requirements for the 'Table Flip' title have been lowered, and players who already earned it will receive a special 'Double Table Flip' title. The changes aim to make rewards more accessible and celebratory of the game's 10-year history.
It's wild that Destiny 2's biggest ever quality-of-life update is the one that ends the game
Bungie is releasing the Monument of Triumph update for Destiny 2 on June 9, which is described as the game's biggest quality-of-life update despite marking its end. The patch includes numerous improvements such as simplified portal mechanics, weapon buffs, increased vault and loadout slots, and the ability to save artifact mods to loadouts. The article expresses frustration that these beneficial changes are arriving only as the game concludes its nine-year run.
Game Preservation Matters: Why Classic Games Are Disappearing | TAG
A significant portion of classic video games, estimated at 87% released before 2010, are no longer commercially available due to delisting and lack of preservation efforts. The US Copyright Office's denial of a petition for remote access for researchers highlights a systemic issue, with the industry lobbying group ESA actively opposing preservation. Organizations like the Video Game History Foundation and GOG are working to combat this cultural catastrophe, advocating for legal reform and offering DRM-free options.
PS5 First-Party Sales Have Fallen Sharply, But It Doesn't Tell the Full Story
A report analyzing Sony's first-party game sales on PlayStation 5 reveals a significant drop in unit sales since FY20. However, the article argues this decline is influenced by factors such as increased game prices, fewer releases, the end of indie publishing, reduced discounting, the introduction of PS Plus Extra, and shifts in player behavior towards evergreen titles.
PlayStation first-party game sales drop by 50% since 2020
Sony's first-party PlayStation game sales have dropped by approximately 50% since their FY2020 peak, reaching a low of 28.9 million units in FY2024. While overall PlayStation software sales remain stable, this decline in exclusive titles suggests issues with output volume and fewer major hits, despite Sony's expansion into multi-platform releases and live-service experiments.
PS5 first-party game sales have been dropping for the last six years
Sony's first-party game sales on PlayStation 5 have seen a consistent decline over the past six years, despite strong console sales. This trend is attributed to a reduced output of major exclusive titles and a shift towards live service games, which has impacted overall sales figures compared to previous years.
PlayStation First-Party Game Sales Fell to 32 Million Copies in FY 2025
Sony's first-party PlayStation game sales have declined significantly, reaching 32.1 million copies in FY 2025, down from 58.4 million in FY 2020. This trend, despite critically acclaimed releases like Astro Bot, may be influenced by the end of pandemic-driven sales boosts and a shift away from PC releases for single-player titles. Sony is also facing increased development costs and has scaled back live-service ambitions, potentially needing to focus on releasing more games to reverse the sales downturn.
Summer Game Fest 2026 and State of Play - every PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo rumour
This article compiles numerous rumors and predictions for upcoming announcements at Summer Game Fest, State of Play, and other gaming showcases. It covers potential reveals for games across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch platforms, including new titles, sequels, remakes, and DLC from major publishers like Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Ubisoft, and Capcom.
California 'Protect Our Games' Act passes initial vote & moves to State Senate
The 'Protect Our Games' Act in California has passed its initial vote and will now proceed to the State Senate. This legislation, supported by the Stop Killing Games movement, aims to enhance consumer protections for discontinued live-service games.
Destiny 2 Had To Die For The Series To Ever Live Again
The author argues that Destiny 2's prolonged lifespan and evolving issues, including microtransactions and the Destiny Content Vault, necessitated its eventual end for the series to have a chance at future success. Despite the sadness of its conclusion and reported layoffs at Bungie, the article suggests that the game's over-scope and mismanagement led to a decline that made a fresh start for the Destiny franchise necessary. The piece also touches on the impact of Sony's ownership and the challenges of sustaining live-service games.
As Path of Exile 2 player numbers surge, Grinding Gear Games promises it won't forget about Path of Exile 1
Grinding Gear Games has assured players that Path of Exile 1 will continue to be supported indefinitely, even as Path of Exile 2's player numbers surge following its latest early access update. Co-founder Jonathan Rogers stated that the company has separate teams dedicated to both games and is capable of running them concurrently. Path of Exile 2's 'Return of the Ancients' update has significantly boosted player counts, with concurrent users on Steam alone exceeding 400,000.
Final Fantasy 14 fans celebrate a huge win: finally, we can kick Lalafells in the face and send them flying into the…
Final Fantasy XIV players are celebrating the addition of new emotes, particularly 'Blown Away,' which allows for humorous roleplaying scenarios involving characters being dramatically launched or kicked. The community has embraced these emotes, creating viral clips and engaging in playful interactions, often involving the Lalafell character race. This trend highlights the community's engagement with the game's live service elements and its capacity for creative expression.
Former Dragon Age lead says product placements could help combat "overreliance on microtransactions" and I agree because every game should make you pick a watch colour
Former Dragon Age director Mike Darrah suggests that product placement could offer an alternative revenue stream to combat the industry's overreliance on microtransactions. The article agrees, proposing that integrating branded items, like watches, could help fund single-player games and diversify monetization strategies beyond live-service models.
California lawmakers advance a bill to protect online games from forever deletion
California lawmakers have advanced AB 1921, also known as the Protect Our Games Act, which aims to protect live service games from permanent deletion. The bill passed a floor vote and now moves to the State Senate, requiring studios to provide 60 days' notice before ending support, offer an offline mode, or issue refunds.