Live Service Games
Ongoing coverage on Live Service Games.
Latest coverage
Arc Raiders’ Matchmaking Update Gives Players What They’ve Always Wanted
Arc Raiders has received a significant matchmaking update, introducing separate queues for solo, duo, and trio play to better cater to player preferences. This change addresses a long-standing player request for more control over their matchmaking experience. Additionally, a crossover event with Embark's other live-service game, The Finals, offers players free cosmetic items for completing challenges in either game.
Xbox has lost five studios – so who is left to make new video games?
Xbox has undergone significant layoffs, impacting approximately 3,200 staff members and leading to five studios divesting from the company. Xbox leadership aims to refocus on core franchises and expand its daily audience to over a billion people through its services. The article details the remaining studios, their current projects, and their future prospects under this new strategy.
Nobody Plays New Games Anymore: The 2026 Playtime Data | TAG
Recent data from Valve's Steam Replay and Newzoo reports indicate that new game releases consistently capture only 14-17% of player playtime on PC, with older titles dominating the remaining hours. This trend holds true across platforms, with Xbox showing the highest engagement for new releases at 18%. The analysis suggests this is due to factors like the prevalence of live service games, adult time constraints, and the value proposition of established back-catalog titles, rather than a decline in player interest.
While several Xbox studios regained independence or found new owners yesterday, Arkane's staff must negotiate their own future
Xbox has announced significant restructuring, spinning off five studios and implementing widespread layoffs. While some studios regain independence or find new owners, the fate of Arkane Studios, specifically Arkane Lyon in France, remains undecided as negotiations involving Microsoft, studio management, and employee representatives are ongoing. This situation highlights differing labor law protections between France and the US, with Arkane Lyon's future potentially involving sale, management buyout, or closure.
The Gaming Industry Is Eating Itself Alive
Xbox is undergoing a massive restructuring, including 3,200 layoffs, impacting numerous studios and divisions like Activision, Bethesda, and Blizzard. While some studios regain independence and first-party projects remain safe for now, the article criticizes Xbox's overall strategy, citing Game Pass's performance and declining hardware revenue. The piece also touches on PlayStation's similar issues with digital ownership and preservation, painting a bleak picture for the future of gaming costs and ownership.
Marvel Rivals After 6 Months for Adults | TAG
Six months after its launch in late 2024, Marvel Rivals remains a viable live service option for busy adults, offering short matches and a casual mode that respects player time. While the battle pass progression can be demanding, the game's design elements, including cross-platform play and hero variety, make it sustainable for those with limited weekly hours, though ranked play requires significant commitment.
"Smuggle chainsaws onto the pitch": What Blood Bowl's new publisher thinks the World Cup can learn from Warhammer
Strategy game publisher Slitherine has signed a deal with Cyanide Studios to continue the development of Blood Bowl 3, which will be renamed Warhammer Blood Bowl. Slitherine's director of publishing, Marco Minoli, expressed a desire for the World Cup to learn from Blood Bowl's tournament management and embrace more 'casual violence.' The new publishing arrangement aims to simplify the game experience, honor previous player promises, and adapt to the live service model, which is new for Slitherine.
Live Service Games for Busy Adults: The 2026 Ranking | TAG
This article ranks live service games based on their suitability for players with limited time, evaluating factors like return friendliness, session flexibility, FOMO pressure, and catch-up cost. Deep Rock Galactic and Helldivers 2 are highlighted as the most casual-friendly options, while games like Destiny 2 and ranked Apex Legends are deemed unsuitable for adult schedules due to their punishing nature for irregular play and aggressive battle pass systems.
Live Service Games Worth Your Time 2026 | TAG
This guide offers strategies for busy adults to navigate the demanding landscape of live service games in 2026. It advises prioritizing titles like Fortnite, Marvel Rivals, and Helldivers 2 that respect limited playtime, while cautioning against games with excessive daily logins, battle pass pressure, or overwhelming grind. The article also provides a framework for quitting games that become obligations and discusses ethical monetization practices.
Why do Xbox and PlayStation hate video games and their customers? - Reader’s Feature
A reader expresses concern over the current state of the video games industry, citing recent negative news from Sony and anticipated issues from Microsoft. The author criticizes both companies for perceived anti-consumer practices, such as going all-digital and shutting down older online stores, while questioning the passion of executives compared to Nintendo. The piece laments the shift from competition to a perceived lack of incentive to please fans, suggesting games have become solely a means to extract money.
What on earth is happening to the video games industry? - Reader's Feature
A reader expresses frustration with the current state of the video game industry, citing issues like mass layoffs, Sony's focus on live service games, and Microsoft's acquisition strategy. Concerns are raised about the move towards digital-only sales and the potential high cost of future consoles like the PlayStation 6. Despite these criticisms, the reader acknowledges the strength of the indie scene and the resurgence of companies like Capcom.
Does anyone actually want new consoles?
The article questions the demand for new console generations, citing current high prices, component shortages exacerbated by AI, and a general apathy towards incremental hardware upgrades. It suggests that the high cost of living and the availability of existing consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, which still feel largely untapped, make a new generation financially unappealing for consumers. Furthermore, the lack of compelling exclusive software and the industry's focus on live service games and layoffs further diminish the perceived value of new hardware.
Square Enix doesn't promise to keep games playable forever, but it will "continue to create pathways" for fans to enjoy them "even after service has ended"
Square Enix has stated it will continue to find ways to make games enjoyable after their service has ended, though these methods may not always be what fans desire. While the company shares cutscenes on platforms like YouTube for titles such as Nier, and preserves some remasters, the article argues this is insufficient for true game preservation, citing examples like Kingdom Hearts where entire games are only available as cutscene compilations.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's development got so bad that it almost turned its devs away from the industry for good: 'I could feel myself coming apart at the seams'
Former Rocksteady Studios developers Axel Rydby and Johnny Armstrong shared details about the troubled development of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. They described immense pressure, unrealistic deadlines, and a culture shift that led to burnout, with one developer stating they felt like they were 'coming apart at the seams' and questioning their future in the industry. The game's development reportedly cost Warner Bros. Games $200 million.
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney suggests AI could've saved Destiny 2 and will "enable games like Destiny to thrive!"
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney suggested that a lack of generative AI adoption may have contributed to Destiny 2's struggles, stating that the technology could enable games like it to thrive. He also criticized Valve's policies regarding AI disclosures in games, arguing they hinder developers. The article explores the potential role of AI in accelerating game development and content creation.
"I can't do this again": Suicide Squad designer says Rocksteady's live service flop made him want to quit games, and warns "as an industry we are severely losing our way"
Former Rocksteady developers Johnny Armstrong and Axel Rydby have spoken out about the traumatic development of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, with one stating the experience made him want to quit the industry. They describe how shifting priorities and a focus on recouping investment led to a loss of creative passion, warning that the industry is losing its way by prioritizing sales over developer passion.
"I could feel myself coming apart at the seams": Suicide Squad leads on almost leaving the games industry after its failure
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League co-director Axel Rydby and associate design director Johnny Armstrong considered leaving the games industry due to the game's troubled development and public failure. They discussed the shift from Rocksteady's traditional single-player games to a live-service model, the pressure from Warner Bros. executives, and the eventual decision to move on. Both developers have since started a new studio and are crowdfunding their upcoming game, Secret of Circadia.
Former Call of Duty frontman launches new studio with a 'Stop Killing Games'-style mission statement: If the…
Former Call of Duty strategist Robert Bowlling has co-founded a new studio called //18.bravo, aiming to "stop killing games" with a focus on "forever play" and community-driven longevity. The studio's debut project will not be a live service game and will feature dedicated servers and optimized P2P architecture. Bowlling also plans to open-source code and assets if the studio ceases operations, promoting a replicable model for game preservation.
Snapping Your Career into Place with Ben Brode
Ben Brode, chief development officer at Second Dinner, discusses the challenges of designing Marvel Snap to be both accessible and expandable for long-term live service. He highlights the iterative process of defining core game mechanics and the studio's use of the Godot engine for efficient over-the-air updates.
Game preservation expert says stop killing games if you don't want piracy, because companies like PlayStation and Rockstar "refuse to offer a meaningful alternative"
Game preservation expert Frank Cifaldi argues that companies like Sony and Rockstar Games are contributing to piracy by refusing to offer alternatives to digital-only or soon-to-be-discontinued physical game formats. Cifaldi, director of the Video Game History Foundation, stated that piracy is currently the only effective form of game preservation due to industry practices.
