Live Service Games
Ongoing coverage on Live Service Games.
Latest coverage
EA's Battlefield Studios Group Hit by Layoffs as Part of "Realignment"
Electronic Arts has conducted layoffs across its Battlefield studio group, including DICE, Motive, Criterion, and Ripple Effect, as part of a company "realignment." The company cited a need to better align teams with community priorities. This news follows a period of declining player counts and mixed reviews for Battlefield 6, despite its strong launch.
Oh no: You can attach claymores to Thief's drones in Marathon, and it's just as hellish as it sounds
In the extraction shooter Marathon, players can attach claymores to the Thief class's remote-controlled drone, creating a powerful and hellish weapon. This combination allows players to launch landmines at opponents, potentially leading to instant kills. The article suggests this tactic could make the Thief class one of the most effective if utilized skillfully, while hoping Bungie doesn't remove this emergent gameplay.
The Division 2 Breaks Its Steam Record | TAG
The Division 2 has broken its own Steam concurrent player record with over 27,000 players, seven years after its release, likely fueled by Ubisoft's upcoming roadmap. Separately, Resident Evil Requiem is experiencing extremely high demand, selling out physical copies online, and Harlem Globetrotters are getting their first basketball game in two decades. Additionally, Slay the Spire 2 released an update to fix multiplayer bugs, and NetEase is cracking down on match-fixing in Marvel Rivals.
Marathon PS5 vs PS5 Pro Comparison
This opinion piece criticizes the constant negativity surrounding video games, particularly live service titles, arguing that many popular games were not initially requested but were created by developers. The author laments the shift from entertaining reactions to "pathetic" hate campaigns against both single-player and live service games, citing examples like God of War and Wolverine.
Just like Concord, Highguard is checking out; will Marathon go the same way?
Bungie's upcoming game Marathon faces challenges in the live service market, as simply being competent is not enough to succeed. The article argues that with Bungie's pedigree, established by Halo and Destiny 2, Marathon needs to offer more than just another extraction shooter experience to stand out.
Modder Ports Linux To The PS5, Turning The Console Into An Unofficial Steam Machine
A modder has successfully ported Linux to the PlayStation 5, effectively turning the console into an unofficial PC capable of running Steam. This development allows for greater flexibility and potential use beyond its intended gaming functions.
Sunday Interviews
Bungie discussed the 'graphic retro futurism' aesthetic for their upcoming game Marathon. The studio also shared that they learned lessons about 'live narrative' from their experience with Destiny.
'We're Discussing Ways to Improve': Marathon Dev Tweaking Monetisation and Difficulty as FPS Fails to Blow Up
Bungie is making adjustments to Marathon's monetization and difficulty following a decline in player numbers on PC and an unspecified performance on consoles. The studio is increasing the amount of in-game currency purchased with real money and will refund players who bought previous bundles. Upcoming updates will also address game difficulty by increasing objective marker visibility and the spawn rates of essential items.
Highguard is shutting down less than two months after launch
Wildlight Entertainment has announced that its free-to-play raid shooter Highguard will be shutting down its servers on March 12th, 2026, less than two months after its launch. Despite a passionate team and a final update planned, the game failed to build a sustainable player base, with funding from Tencent reportedly being pulled. Performance issues and controversial early gameplay decisions contributed to a poor first impression for the live service title.
Overwatch Players Spot Major Character Design Inconsistency With Domina
Overwatch players have identified a significant inconsistency between the character Domina's in-game model and her voice line icon, which appears to be from an earlier design. This discovery highlights potential oversights in UI design and quality assurance within live service games like Overwatch. Blizzard Entertainment is expected to address the issue in a future patch.
Marathon PS5 User Reviews Remarkably Positive After String of Live Service Disasters
Marathon has received a largely positive user reception on the PlayStation Store and Steam, with a 4.77 rating from 3k reviews on PS Store and 'Very Positive' on Steam. This contrasts with the mixed reviews for other recent live service shooters like Highguard and Concord. While player retention remains to be seen, Marathon had a strong launch day player count on Steam.
Marathon players rip ‘worst value for your money’ battle pass, and they definitely have a point
Players of Bungie's new live-service shooter Marathon are criticizing its first battle pass, calling it the "worst value for your money." Concerns include the lack of premium currency rewards and the overall low quality of cosmetic items offered, especially compared to other live-service titles. Players are urging others to not purchase the pass to send a message to the developer.
Marathon's aura-farming NPCs show just how bland and lifeless Arc Raiders' AI-voiced characters really are
This article compares the character presentation in Bungie's upcoming game Marathon with Embark Studios' Arc Raiders. While Arc Raiders features bland, AI-voiced characters, Marathon distinguishes itself with stylized intro cinematics and strong voice acting for its faction representatives, creating a more engaging and memorable experience.
'The whole map was friendly, and we all extracted together': Peaceful lobbies exist in Marathon after all, though I don't feel safe putting it to the test
Despite Marathon's PvP focus, instances of peaceful player interaction and cooperative extraction have been observed, challenging initial expectations. While the game is more violent than Arc Raiders, avoiding conflict can sometimes be a winning strategy for completing objectives and securing gear.
Highguard: Why Wildlight’s Hero Shooter Collapsed in Under 50 Days | Invision Game Community
Wildlight Entertainment's hero shooter Highguard collapsed less than two months after its launch, despite initial hype and strong player numbers on PC via Steam. The game suffered from gameplay flaws, balancing issues, repetitive maps, and poor matchmaking, compounded by fierce competition in the crowded hero shooter market. Internal struggles, including layoffs, further hampered the developer's ability to support the live-service title, leading to community backlash and a swift shutdown.
The logic of platform exclusivity remains undefeated | Opinion
The article argues that despite consumer frustration, platform exclusivity remains a commercially sound strategy for console manufacturers like Sony and Nintendo. While Microsoft has moved towards multiplatform releases, Sony appears to be returning to a traditional exclusivity model, believing it drives hardware sales and overall platform appeal, even if PC ports of their games have not yielded significant conversion rates.
Was Highguard Always Doomed To Fail?
The developers of Highguard have announced the permanent shutdown of the game on March 12. Over 2 million players have engaged with Highguard's world since its launch. The team expressed gratitude for player feedback and belief in their project.
Bungie ask Marathon critics to delay "full reviews" till the release of an endgame zone, and I am wistfully reminded of Vault of Glass
Bungie has requested that critics delay full reviews of its new game Marathon until a later endgame zone unlocks in March, a move the author likens to similar tactics used during the launch of Destiny. This request, while not a mandate, is seen as potentially influencing reviewers to soften their critiques, especially given that microtransaction details were also revealed late. The author expresses frustration with what they perceive as marketing manipulation, despite having enjoyed the parts of Marathon they have played.
A Big Shift For PlayStation Could Be Bad News For One Of Its Best Studios
Sony is reportedly scaling back its PC porting strategy, potentially impacting its acquisition Nixxes, a studio known for its high-quality PC ports of PlayStation titles. This shift mirrors past issues with other acquired studios like Bluepoint Games, raising concerns about Nixxes' future role within Sony's first-party development structure.
Site News: Where's Our Marathon PS5 Review?
Push Square will delay its PlayStation 5 review for the live service game Marathon until its end-game content, the Cryo Archive, is released later this month. The publication wants to test the full scope of Bungie's creation, including its raid-like puzzle solving and close-quarters combat, before submitting a scored review.
