Live Service Games
Ongoing coverage on Live Service Games.
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Highguard will be shut down on March 12th
Wildlight Entertainment has announced that its game Highguard will be shut down on March 12th due to an inability to build a sustainable player base. Despite recent layoffs, the team plans to release one final update including a new Warden, weapon, account progression, and skill trees before servers go offline. The game, which launched to mixed reactions, had attracted over 2 million players.
Highguard Becomes Latest Multiplayer Game to Die
Wildlight Entertainment announced that its raid shooter Highguard will be shut down on March 12th, less than two months after its January 26th release. The studio cited an inability to build a sustainable player base, with Tencent reportedly pulling funding. Despite over 2 million players trying the game and a peak of 97,000 concurrent players at launch, Highguard failed to retain its audience. An update with new content will be released before the servers go offline.
Highguard to Permanently Shut Down on March 12, Wildlight to Release One Final Update With a New Warden, a New Weapon, Skill Trees, and More - IGN
Wildlight has announced that its game Highguard will permanently shut down on March 12, after a brief period of operation. Before the shutdown, a final update will be released, introducing a new Warden, weapon, account progression, and skill trees. The developer cited an inability to build a sustainable player base despite initial strong launch numbers and positive feedback on its gunplay and update pace.
GTA VI Online May Launch as Separate Game at Lower Price Point
Speculation suggests Rockstar Games may launch Grand Theft Auto VI Online as a separate, lower-priced product from its single-player component. This strategy aligns with the industry's shift towards live service models and could broaden the game's accessibility and revenue potential. The move would leverage the success of Grand Theft Auto Online and potentially extend the game's lifecycle.
Bungie unveils Marathon's first season, confirming that, yes, it'll wipe all your loot and progress every three months: 'Each season of Marathon brings a clean slate for the whole community'
Bungie has detailed the post-launch plans for Marathon, confirming that each season will feature mandatory server wipes, resetting all player gear and progression. The first season, 'Death is the First Step,' will run from March to June and introduce new content and a ranked mode. While Bungie states these wipes keep the game dangerous and loot meaningful, this approach contrasts with games like Arc Raiders, which offers optional resets.
Should Marathon change its divisively fast Server Slam time-to-kill?
Bungie is considering changes to Marathon's fast time-to-kill (TTK) following player feedback from the Server Slam event. The author argues that the current rapid TTK is beneficial for the game, allowing for comebacks when outnumbered and preventing drawn-out engagements due to the revive system. This fast pace encourages player awareness, similar to Hunt: Showdown, and the author believes it is currently well-balanced, though Bungie is monitoring player data.
Highguard Is Shutting Down Soon
Highguard will officially shut down on March 12, developer Wildlight announced, citing a failure to build a sustainable player base. The game will receive one final update adding new content before servers go offline. Highguard launched in January 2026 after being revealed at The Game Awards in December 2025, but failed to maintain its initial player momentum.
Highguard Joins The List Of Live-Service Games Axed Within Weeks Of Launch
Several live-service games, including Highguard, Concord, and RumbleVerse, have been shut down shortly after launch due to issues with player retention and funding. This article examines various titles that failed to sustain their player base or business models, leading to premature closures or development halts.
How Arc Raiders and Marathon are making extraction shooters the next big thing
The extraction shooter genre, exemplified by games like Arc Raiders and the upcoming Marathon, is poised to become the next major trend in gaming. Despite its roots in older titles like Escape From Tarkov, recent successes and publisher commitments suggest a growing mainstream appeal for this PvPvE loot-focused shooter subgenre.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Ending on November 28, 2024 - NintendoFuse
Nintendo has announced that the online services for Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp will officially end on November 28, 2024. In-game events and item distribution will continue until the service concludes. Sales of the in-game currency, Leaf Tickets, will cease on November 26, and the Pocket Camp Club subscription service will also be discontinued.
How Live Service Games Keep Players Engaged - Walkthrough, Tips, Review
Live service games employ various strategies to maintain player engagement, including constant content updates, limited-time events, robust social systems, and fair progression mechanics. Developers use these elements to create an ever-evolving virtual world that encourages players to return regularly and fosters a sense of community and urgency.
Ubisoft’s XDefiant Will Shut Down in June 2025
Ubisoft has announced that their free-to-play first-person shooter XDefiant will be shut down on June 3, 2025. The game, which launched in May 2024, struggled to compete with established titles like Call of Duty and will not receive further content updates beyond the upcoming Season 3. Players who made in-game purchases will receive refunds.
Sony stänger ner remake-mästarna Bluepoint
Sony has closed down Bluepoint Games, the studio known for acclaimed remakes of Shadow of the Colossus and Demon's Souls, five years after acquiring it. Approximately 70 employees will lose their jobs. The closure comes after Sony also canceled a live service game being developed by Bluepoint.
How Fortnite Hurt The Gaming Industry - The Game Fanatics
Fortnite's transition to a battle royale model and its subsequent massive success has significantly impacted the gaming industry, leading many companies to chase its formula. This pursuit, coupled with overestimations of profits post-COVID, has contributed to industry layoffs and studio closures, though the author anticipates a resurgence of AA games with unique experiences.
Despite studio closures and project cancellations, PlayStation Studios is still hiring for new roles
Despite recent studio closures and project cancellations, PlayStation Studios is actively hiring for new game projects across several of its development teams, including Team Asobi, Housemarque, and Polyphony Digital. This hiring push comes as Sony aims to solidify its position in the current console generation, with titles like Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Helldivers 2 showing strong performance.
Report: Bluepoint shuttered after pitching Bloodborne remake and other PlayStation spinoffs
Sony has reportedly shuttered Bluepoint Games, known for its remakes of Demon's Souls and Shadow of the Colossus, after a project cancellation and failed pitches. The studio's proposal for a Bloodborne remake was allegedly vetoed by FromSoftware, and subsequent ideas for other PlayStation titles were also rejected.
Bluepoint Games Proposed a Bloodborne Remake but Was Rejected - GameHaunt
Sony Interactive Entertainment rejected a pitch from Bluepoint Games for a full remake of Bloodborne. The studio, known for its work on Demon's Souls and Shadow of the Colossus, was subsequently closed by Sony in March 2026. Reports suggest Sony preferred Bluepoint focus on live-service games, a project that was later canceled.
God of War developer is working on "a new franchise within the God of War universe"
Sony Santa Monica Studio is reportedly working on a new franchise within the God of War universe, expanding the acclaimed IP with new characters, storylines, and lore. This news aligns with previous reports of Bluepoint Games developing a live service game within the God of War series.
Report: A Bloodborne remake is unlikely at present
A report indicates that Bluepoint Games pitched a Bloodborne remake for PlayStation 5, but FromSoftware declined the project. Despite Sony owning the IP, they opted to keep FromSoftware happy, potentially for future exclusives, as the original Bloodborne continues to sell well.
One former Highguard level designer thinks it's struggled because Wildlight "leaned too far into the competitive scene"
A former senior level designer for Highguard suggests the game struggled due to an overemphasis on its competitive 3v3 format, which created a high skill floor and limited casual appeal. Unlike Apex Legends, which launched during a nascent battle royale era, Highguard faced a more saturated market with a steep learning curve, potentially alienating players who lacked consistent team coordination.
