Live Service Games
Ongoing coverage on Live Service Games.
Latest coverage
Activision’s Halo Game: Everything We Know So Far
Microsoft is assigning Activision to develop the next mainline Halo game, a move that has resulted in significant layoffs at 343 Industries, now renamed Halo Studios. While the future of the Halo franchise is uncertain, Microsoft aims to revive its popularity, though some industry figures express skepticism about the cost and efficiency of such an endeavor.
Wardogs' rise proves hardcore shooters are back. Escape from Tarkov's Nikita Buyanov knows why.
Hardcore first-person shooter games are experiencing a resurgence, with titles like Wardogs and the 1.0 release of Escape from Tarkov topping sales charts. Nikita Buyanov, Game Director at Battlestate Games, attributes this trend to an aging gamer population seeking more intelligent and complex experiences that mirror real-life problem-solving. This shift indicates a potential move away from repetitive sequels and simple live-service models towards games that demand greater player investment and tactical depth.
Xbox lays off more jobs and consolidates its studios in massive restructure
Xbox announced further layoffs, cutting 268 jobs and significantly restructuring its studios. Key developers like Bethesda and Activision will expand their remits, while Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios will merge. A dedicated team within Activision will now develop the next Halo game, and the futures of Ninja Theory and Arkane Studios remain uncertain.
Activision was playing the long game – the Call of Duty dev lost a bidding war to acquire Rare over 20 years ago,…
Activision is now the home of Rare, 24 years after Xbox outbid the publisher for the studio in 2002. This move comes as part of Microsoft's recent reshuffling and job cuts. Rare, known for titles like Sea of Thieves and the Banjo-Kazooie series, now falls under the Activision banner alongside other classic platforming icons.
Xbox's consolidation plans might mean you get a new Halo sooner, but history shows production line development makes for boring games
Xbox's strategy of consolidating studios and pushing for more frequent releases, exemplified by the Activision Blizzard acquisition and changes to the Halo team, risks creating a future of formulaic and uninspired games. The author argues that while such consolidation might seem efficient, history shows that annual releases and a focus on existing franchises often stifle creativity and lead to a homogenization of game design, potentially resulting in a less exciting gaming landscape.
New PS5 cashback scheme will make digital games cheaper as first trials begin
Sony Interactive Entertainment is trialing a new 'wallet credit' cashback scheme on the PlayStation Store, potentially making digital games cheaper. The scheme, which offers credit for future purchases, has been spotted by some users in the US for specific titles like The Blood Of Dawnwalker. This initiative comes as Sony faces criticism for phasing out physical discs and pushing live service games.
Bungie reaches for a Destiny 2 lifeline as Marathon struggles
Bungie announced plans to return vaulted content to Destiny 2 following disappointing performance and player counts for its new game, Marathon. This decision comes after significant layoffs at the studio, which impacted both Destiny and Marathon teams. Despite Marathon's struggles, Bungie is still planning updates for it, while emphasizing Destiny 2's foundational role in its future.
Bungie lovar att återställa borttaget innehåll till Destiny 2
Bungie has apologized to players for losing focus on Destiny 2 and announced plans to restore previously removed content, including campaigns, locations, and raids. Studio heads Poria Torkan and Josh Deane stated this effort will lay the groundwork for new stories and games. Bungie also addressed the performance of their new game, Marathon, indicating they will continue to support and expand it.
Bungie unvaulting Destiny 2 content was a studio-saving emergency decision, because Marathon updates were never going to…
Bungie's decision to unvault older Destiny 2 content was an emergency measure to save the studio, as updates for their new game Marathon were not sufficient to sustain operations. The controversial content vaulting, which removed campaigns and raids, eroded player trust and broke the game's narrative continuity. While unvaulting content is a positive step towards rebuilding that trust and offering a rich FPS experience, the studio's future remains uncertain given recent layoffs and the ongoing challenges with Marathon's development.
Bungie declares it's 'not done with Destiny' as it lays out studio's future
Bungie has announced a renewed focus on the Destiny franchise, aiming to restore vaulted content and recapture the series' original promise. This comes after a period of significant layoffs and underperformance for both Destiny 2 and Marathon, with studio leadership acknowledging a loss of player trust. The company also stated that Marathon will undergo further evolution to better engage players.
Destiny 2 & Marathon Players Get Major Update on Their PlayStation 5 Future
Bungie has announced plans to bring back vaulted content for Destiny 2 and expand Marathon into a deeper survival experience. Studio head Poria Torkan and Marathon GM Josh Deane acknowledged past communication failures and promised changes to their content pipeline. The announcements follow recent layoffs at Bungie and financial underperformance of Marathon, with Sony also being mentioned in relation to these events.
Bungie admits Marathon "did not reach as many players as we had hoped," shares plans to evolve the game for "a sustainable future" while committing to Destiny
Bungie has acknowledged that its new game Marathon did not reach its player count goals and plans to evolve the title into a survival experience for a more sustainable future. The developer also reaffirmed its commitment to Destiny 2 following recent layoffs.
Bungie Says More Destiny Is Coming, Months After Ending Support for Destiny 2
Bungie has stated that it is not finished with the Destiny franchise, despite recently ending ongoing support for Destiny 2. This announcement comes only months after the controversial decision to cease further development on the game.
Uncharted 4, The Last of Us Director Apologizes for Saying God of War Laufey Looks “Boring”
Bruce Straley, director of Uncharted 4 and The Last of Us, has apologized to the Santa Monica Studio team after calling the upcoming God of War Laufey "boring." Straley clarified his comments were meant to illustrate a broader industry concern about a lack of innovation in AAA games, particularly with the push towards live-service models, and not a direct criticism of the God of War team's work.
Video games should be more like Blood Of Dawnwalker and less like Wolverine - Reader’s Feature
A reader argues that the video game industry should prioritize lower-budget, innovative titles like The Blood Of Dawnwalker over excessively expensive, critically panned games such as Marvel's Wolverine. The author suggests that high budgets often lead to shallow experiences, while smaller teams can deliver more compelling narratives and gameplay.
Japanese devs aren't facing the same layoff crisis because their executives are paid an order of magnitude less, 'they didn’t get swept up in the live-service trend,' and their teams are smaller, says industry expert
Industry expert Amir Satvat suggests Japanese game developers are less affected by the ongoing layoff crisis due to lower executive salaries, smaller team sizes, and a general avoidance of the live-service trend. While companies like Nintendo, Konami, and Capcom maintain high staff retention, Satvat notes that Japanese executives earn significantly less than their Western counterparts, contributing to greater stability.
After months of quiet, Last Epoch is back with a bang, and an exciting new face in charge
Eleventh Hour Games is revitalizing Last Epoch with Season 5, "Rage of the Frostborn," and a leadership change. Founder Judd Cobler has appointed founding member Mike Weicker as the new Game Director, focusing on improved communication and player engagement. The season introduces new boss Morditas, revamped item factions, and new skills for Paladin, Bladedancer, and Shaman.
As Final Fantasy Resonance drops its gacha baggage, another JRPG dev doing the same thinks it's "wonderful" these live-service games will be preserved
Shinnosuke Hirasawa, producer for Another Eden, praises the trend of live-service JRPGs like Final Fantasy Resonance and Octopath Traveler being adapted into premium, preserved versions. He believes this practice is wonderful for creators and the medium, allowing games to escape the limitations of service termination and continue receiving recognition.
Diablo 4 game director confirms 'the end is not nigh' despite Diablo 5's announcement and says players shouldn't worry, as 'we're going to be making content for a long time' — 'The train is not stopping'
Diablo 4 game director Brent Gibson has assured players that the game will continue to receive content support for a long time, despite the announcement of Diablo 5. He emphasized that the Diablo franchise is a universe, not just a series of games, and that the 'train is not stopping.'
Why do Japanese studios suffer fewer layoffs? Because they have smaller teams and don't pay their execs $30m, says one expert
An expert suggests that Japanese game studios experience fewer layoffs due to smaller team sizes, a focus on protecting core staff, and significantly lower executive salaries compared to Western companies. While not a utopia, the Japanese industry's resilience is attributed to avoiding mega-blockbuster trends and excessive executive compensation, contrasting sharply with the widespread job losses seen in North America and Europe.
