Live Service
Ongoing coverage on Live Service.
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Diablo 4 reportedly comes to Switch 2 next month, but will be a $69.99 code-in-box release
Diablo 4 is reportedly launching on the Nintendo Switch 2 in September as a code-in-box release for $69.99. While the exact contents of the Switch 2 version are unknown, it is priced similarly to a bundle that includes the base game and upcoming DLC. Blizzard previously expressed interest in bringing Diablo 4 to the platform, acknowledging challenges with live services on Switch.
‘This patch concludes the content we have for Book of Travels’: Might & Delight has sunsetted its tiny MMO
Swedish studio Might & Delight has announced the sunsetting of the online multiplayer component of their tiny MMO, Book of Travels. While servers are being turned off, the game will remain available in a single-player, offline mode for the community. The developers expressed regret that their full vision for the game was not realized but are thankful for the community's support and hope the offline version preserves the game's spirit.
Live service revenue dominates in EA's last fiscal report ahead of Saudi merger
Electronic Arts reported a 19 percent increase in net revenue to $1.98 billion for its last fiscal quarter as a public company, largely driven by its live service games like EA Sports FC and Apex Legends. This financial report precedes EA's $55 billion merger with an investor consortium including the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, expected to close on August 4, 2026. Despite strong financial performance, the company has continued to implement layoffs.
20 years ago, Dead Rising showed a different path for open worlds, and more games should pinch its ideas
Twenty years after its release, Dead Rising's unique approach to open-world design, featuring a strict time limit and dynamic events, is highlighted as a missed opportunity for innovation in modern games. Unlike contemporaries like Oblivion, Dead Rising's world progressed independently of player actions, creating a sense of urgency and replayability through its New Game+ system. While many open-world games have since adopted a more static, player-driven timeline, Dead Rising's time-sensitive structure and focus on emergent gameplay remain a fertile ground for fresh ideas.
Gears of War: E-Day devs are embracing 'old-school' multiplayer in 2026: 'No battle pass, no tour of…
The Coalition is taking an 'old-school' approach to Gears of War: E-Day's multiplayer, focusing on earning customization items through gameplay rather than battle passes or tours of duty. While most items will be unlockable via in-game currency or challenges, there will be some premium cosmetic items available for purchase.
Palia: Path of the Briar Guide – All Rewards
The Sunkissed Summer: Beauty & the Beach update for Palia introduces the new Path of the Briar, the eighth Lunar Path. This guide details the 28 tiers of free and premium rewards, including cosmetics, tool skins, and statues, unlocked by earning Lunar XP through daily quests and bundles. Players can earn Lunar XP by performing regular in-game activities, with a Rest XP system that multiplies earned XP by 10x.
FIFA Rivals Rolls Out All-Star Campaign in the Wake of World Cup 2026
Mythical Games has launched a three-week "All-Stars" program in FIFA Rivals, celebrating top performers from the FIFA World Cup. The event features high-power player cards like Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, with new progression mechanics and limited-time "Legendary Chase Flash Events" offering exclusive footballers through gameplay.
Palia’s Beauty and the ‘Beach’ update offers so much more than this provincial life
Palia's latest update, 'Beauty and the Beach,' introduces new cosmetic items, a two-person dance emote, and a 'Petite Province' landscape inspired by fairy tales. The update also includes a limited-time shimmerfly migration questline, the Path of the Briar lunar path, a community bug-catching event, and the flutterfox ranching critter.
Mistfall Hunter looks like legally distinct Elden Ring but with a faster paced, extraction spin
Mistfall Hunter, developed by Bellring Games, shares a visual resemblance to Elden Ring but incorporates a faster-paced extraction gameplay loop. Players hunt for items in a PvPvE environment, with options for solo or trio play and seasonal content updates. The game is slated for release on July 30th and is available to wishlist on Steam.
Monster Hunter Wilds' latest patch makes online-only missions playable offline, alongside some other useful updates
Capcom's upcoming patch 1.042 for Monster Hunter Wilds will allow players to access Event Quests and Challenge Quests offline, addressing a key criticism of the game's live service elements. The update, launching August 4th, also introduces save data transfer support from the upcoming Prologue Demo, available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
MMO Week in Review: FFXIV in Berlin, Black Desert in SoCal, and Jimothy saturation
This week's MMO news covers Final Fantasy XIV's Fan Festival in Berlin, Black Desert's Heidel Ball, and the early access launch of SEED. Updates were also provided for Dungeons & Dragons Online, Aion 2, and The Guild reunion movie. Several games saw controversy including World of Warcraft staff cheating, Elder Scrolls Online capacity issues, and Microsoft layoffs.
Helldivers 2 is giving players a free car in October, except for those who already earned it in June
Helldivers 2 is making the M-103 Supply FRV vehicle available to all players in October, a reward previously earned by participants of the June 'Census Thunder' campaign. This vehicle, equipped with a turret and supply rack, is the first stratagem reward from Arrowhead's new galactic campaign system, which aims to improve player engagement with the live-service shooter.
The new Warhammer Blood Bowl published by Slitherine will be out in fall, and I'm looking forward to it because I…
Slitherine will release Warhammer Blood Bowl in fall, an update to Blood Bowl 3 that brings it in line with the tabletop game's third season edition. The update will include two new teams, Tomb Kings and Bretonnians, and a new "Rumble Mode." Players who own Blood Bowl 3 will receive Warhammer Blood Bowl for free, with existing teams and cosmetics carrying over.
Palworld lead promises "you will always be able to play" Pocketpair's survival game: "Why would you…
Pocketpair's John Buckley has assured players that Palworld will remain playable indefinitely, emphasizing that it is not a live service game. Despite its significant multiplayer component, the game can be played entirely offline, meaning server shutdowns will not end its accessibility. This clarification comes as the game sees a resurgence in popularity after leaving early access.
EVE Online plans to scale back force projection to allow smaller groups a chance to be competitive
CCP Games is planning to scale back force projection in EVE Online to allow smaller groups to be more competitive against established mega-corps. These changes, aimed at addressing the current imbalance in the live service game, are expected to be implemented in the September update. EVE Frontier also received several updates including new weapons and gameplay features.
"The market is becoming much more diverse" – Will the proliferation of football video games last?
The football video game market is experiencing increased diversity following the split between FIFA and Electronic Arts, with new titles like UFL and Netflix's FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition emerging. While established players like EA Sports FC and eFootball remain dominant, industry figures believe the market can support a range of experiences catering to different player preferences, from full simulations to mobile and social games. Challenges include high development costs, complex licensing, and meeting player expectations for authenticity and continuous updates in a competitive landscape.
Blizzard finally caved on Diablo 4's disastrous new season with a patch that reverts almost everything players hated: 'Not every idea lands exactly as intended'
Blizzard Entertainment has released an emergency patch for Diablo 4's Season of Death Awakening, reverting controversial changes to Mythic Uniques that players widely criticized. The patch significantly increased Mythic drop rates and removed the limit on equipping crafted Mythic Uniques, addressing player frustrations with the season's design.
The First Descendant readies new events, modules, and ‘extreme’ battle content July 15
The First Descendant is launching a new 'Void Intercept Battle: Extreme' instance on July 15th, which condenses existing difficulties and unlocks new challenge levels for exclusive currency. The update also includes character and weapon balancing, quality-of-life improvements, and several co-op and login events.
Ubisoft promises new Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Ghost Recon games are coming, but says this year will be…
Ubisoft's financial report indicates a lighter release slate for the current fiscal year, with new premium titles and "other targeted premium games" to be announced later. However, the company anticipates a significantly larger content pipeline in fiscal years 2027-28 and 2028-29, featuring new installments in the Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Ghost Recon franchises, alongside an acceleration of its live services.
Warframe: Tau Gameplay Reveal Headlines Record-Breaking TennoCon 2026 | Invision Game Community
Digital Extremes showcased the future of Warframe at TennoCon 2026, including the first gameplay reveal for the upcoming expansion Warframe: Tau, which will introduce a new Star Chart and narrative chapter. The event also featured new gameplay demos for Soulframe, a new Warframe named Brysko, and the announcement of a Warframe x Fortnite collaboration. Warframe: Tau is set to launch later this year across all platforms.
