Live Service Games
Ongoing coverage on Live Service Games.
Latest coverage
AAA Game Development Budgets In North America Reportedly Exceed $300 Million, Largely Dev Salaries
A report indicates that AAA game development budgets in North America are exceeding $300 million, with a significant portion allocated to developer salaries. Players express frustration with mediocre, unfinished games despite high costs, contrasting them with successful AA and indie titles. Concerns are raised about the focus on minor graphical details over overall game quality and the prevalence of live service models.
Marathon Review: A Brutal, But Enthralling Online FPS | Kotaku
Marathon is described as a brutal but enthralling online first-person shooter that leaves a lasting impression. Despite its quality, the article notes the common fate of many live-service games, suggesting Marathon might eventually fade away.
Marathon Review: A Brutal, But Enthralling Online FPS | Kotaku
GameSpot's review of Marathon highlights the game's incredible highs and painful lows, noting that its long-term success will depend on developer support. Despite its short match times, Marathon offers a rich and deep experience with strong fundamentals from Bungie.
Marathon’s Latest Update Feels Like a Cyberpunk Cleanup Crew Hit the Servers
Marathon's latest update, version 1.0.5.1, addresses numerous exploits and bugs, including a significant fix for the Thief's Pickpocket Drone cooldown. The patch also improves the Cryo Archive customization visibility, seals out-of-bounds spots on the Outpost map, and enhances duo queue matchmaking times. This update demonstrates the developers' commitment to maintaining the game's ecosystem and improving the player experience.
Embark devs playtested Arc Raiders too viciously, so they found a system that let them be Care Bears one day and aggressive the next
Embark Studios production director Caio Braga revealed that the development team for Arc Raiders played the game very aggressively during internal playtests. To better understand diverse player experiences, Braga implemented a randomizer to dictate his playstyle daily, switching between aggressive, friendly, or quest-focused approaches. This method aimed to ensure the team considered a wider range of player behaviors for the live service shooter.
Marathon Review - Bungie's Finest | TNS
GameSpot's review of Marathon highlights its strong fundamentals and deep gameplay, despite potential long-term support concerns for its live-service model. The game offers more than its short matches suggest, with Bungie's core mechanics proving robust.
Op Ed
This opinion piece discusses the notion that Fortnite may not be the 'forever game' it was once perceived to be. It explores the evolving landscape of live service games and the challenges of maintaining long-term player engagement.
ARC Raiders dev says creating new endgame content is a top priority: ‘I want them to have more to do’
Embark Studios production director Caio Braga stated that creating new endgame content for ARC Raiders is a top priority. The team is focused on challenging players who have reached the end of the current content and providing them with more activities. Braga also discussed the ongoing balancing efforts and the learning process of managing a live-service game with a team of around 120 people.
The New PUBG Game Is Closing After Less Than 2 Months
Krafton's free-to-play spin-off game, PUBG: Blindspot, developed by ARC Team, will shut down on March 30, less than two months after its early-access launch. The 5v5 tactical shooter failed to attract a sustainable player base. ARC Team plans to regroup and develop new experiences in the future.
Marathon Review - Incredible Highs, Painful Lows | GameSpot
GameSpot's review of Marathon highlights its strong fundamentals and deep gameplay, suggesting it has the potential to succeed as a live-service game. While the core gameplay loop is rich, the long-term success will depend on Bungie's ongoing support and how it sustains player interest beyond the initial 20-minute matches.
Diablo 3 Season 38 Starts March 27, So Here’s What to Finish Before Ethereal Memory Goes Live
Diablo 3 Season 38, titled Ethereal Memory, is set to begin on March 27. The article also touches on the nature of live service games, contrasting modern update capabilities with the era of the Sega/SNES to PlayStation consoles, where games released in a less complete state with no possibility of post-launch fixes.
Fortnite’s Having Its Villain Era and Players Are Not Here for It
Fortnite players are expressing significant frustration over recent decisions by Epic Games, including V-Bucks price increases and widespread layoffs, which they perceive as corporate greed. The community criticizes the focus on monetization through collaborations and cosmetics over core gameplay improvements. This backlash comes as the game faces increased competition, with the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6 potentially impacting player retention.
This GTA-Inspired Anime Open World Deserves a Place on Your PS5, But Maybe Not Your Pre-Order
The open-world anime-inspired game NTE, developed by Hotta Studio, is set to release on April 29th and has reached 30 million pre-registrations. While the game offers a GTA-like experience on PlayStation 5 with impressive production values, the article advises against pre-ordering due to the nature of free-to-play live service games, suggesting that launch day incentives will be more plentiful.
As Arc Raiders gets stale for some, lead dev says players "reaching the end of our content" are a top focus:…
Embark Studios production director Caio Braga acknowledges that some long-term players are reaching the current content limits of the live service game Arc Raiders. The development team is focusing on addressing player feedback regarding endgame repetition and content longevity ahead of the March 31 Flashpoint update.
'They Cancelled The Last of Us Factions, So We're Building Our Version': Indie Dev Vows to Revive Iconic Multiplayer Mode
An indie developer is creating a new game called Terminal War, inspired by the cancelled The Last of Us Factions multiplayer mode. The self-funded, 4v4 third-person shooter aims to capture the tension and brutal executions of the original. Terminal War is planned for an Early Access release on PC, with no console platforms announced yet.
Fortnite Players Claim Game ‘Destroyed Itself in One Week’ After Updates
Fortnite players are expressing significant frustration with recent game updates, with some claiming Epic Games has "destroyed" the game in a single week. Despite enjoying new content like an "ice vs The Rock" mode, players are quitting due to other changes they deem detrimental. This situation highlights ongoing community concerns about Epic Games' approach to live service game development and updates.
Nintendo Switch 2 Goes Digital Crazy, Physical Prices C... | TAG
Nintendo is implementing a new pricing strategy for the Nintendo Switch 2, where digital and physical versions of games will have different Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices, starting with 'Yoshi and the Mysterious Book' on May 21. Separately, a canceled PlayStation 5 project from Dark Outlaw Games was not intended to be a live-service title, and Intel has launched the Arc Pro B70 graphics card for AI applications rather than gaming.
Zenless Zone Zero Opens Hollow Vanguards Beta Test With Polychrome Rewards
miHoYo has launched a paid beta program for Zenless Zone Zero called "Hollow Vanguards," running until March 30th. This confidential test allows players to provide feedback on unreleased content, likely focusing on combat and new Hollow locations, in exchange for premium currency, Polychrome. The program aims to gather detailed player impressions to optimize game quality before content is released to the main player base, signaling a mature content pipeline for the live service game.
Cancelled PS5 project from Call of Duty vet and Dark Outlaw Games wasn't going to be a live-service release
Dark Outlaw Games, a studio founded by Call of Duty veteran Jason Blundell, has been shut down by Sony. Contrary to assumptions, the cancelled PlayStation 5 project was not a live-service game. Developers cited a tough business environment and shifting company focus for the cancellation.
Pokémon Champions Plans To Keep The Stadium Lights On For A Very Long Time
The Pokémon Company plans for Pokémon Champions to be a long-lasting live service game, with producer Masaaki Hoshino stating the goal is to keep it running "basically forever" as long as the Pokémon series continues. The free-to-start game will launch on Nintendo Switch on April 8, 2026, with a release on mobile devices later this year and a free update for the Switch 2 at launch.
