Live Service
Ongoing coverage on Live Service.
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Thick as Thieves Review – The work of a cat burglar
Thick as Thieves is a stealth adventure game that fails to live up to the legacy of its genre pioneers. Despite an interesting setting in 1910s Scotland, the game suffers from a lack of content, repetitive mission design, poor AI, and clunky controls, making it an underwhelming experience.
Hotta Studio Hints at Major Expansions and Possible Nintendo Switch 2 Port for Neverness to Everness - GameHaunt
Hotta Studio has revealed major post-launch plans for its urban gacha RPG, Neverness to Everness, including the addition of entirely new cities and regions beyond the current Hethereau setting. The developer is also actively evaluating ports for the Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S, alongside optimizing for PlayStation 5 Pro with advanced ray tracing and higher frame rates. These expansions aim to evolve the game into a growing live-service experience.
For its 24th anniversary, Final Fantasy 11 is getting a free trial upgrade that lets you play it for as long as you like
Square Enix is significantly expanding the free trial for its 24-year-old MMORPG, Final Fantasy XI. The updated trial will remove the 14-day time limit, allowing players to experience the base game indefinitely, though with a level cap of 75 and other restrictions on trading and communication. This move aims to make the long-running title more accessible amidst the current live service landscape.
Forza Horizon 6 will unleash the Wankel-powered Furai to kick off its Festival Playlist car additions
Forza Horizon 6's Festival Playlist begins on May 21st with the "Welcome to Japan" series, featuring new car additions including the Mazda Furai and Nissan 370Z. Subsequent in-game seasons will introduce a variety of other vehicles from manufacturers like Toyota, Mitsubishi, Honda, Nissan, and Subaru, obtainable by earning points through various in-game activities.
Pearl Abyss is making me forget that Crimson Desert is a single-player game, with so many great updates — and it…
Pearl Abyss has released patch 1.07 for Crimson Desert, adding new bosses for rematches and additional skills for the character Damiane. The developer is also exploring DLC and other content expansions to further develop the open-world action-adventure game, which was originally conceived as an MMO. Pearl Abyss is also focusing on its upcoming game, DokeV.
What We Played – Forza Horizon 6, Outbound & Everything is Crab
Several gaming outlets shared their recent playtime, including Forza Horizon 6, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on Nintendo Switch, and Everything is Crab. Other titles discussed include Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Skull & Bones, and various indie games.
It took a while, but Overwatch's iconic heroes have finally been bitten by the collab slop curse
Overwatch has entered into a collaboration with Fortnite, allowing iconic heroes like Mercy, Genji, D.Va, and Tracer to be featured as in-game skins. This move marks a significant shift for Blizzard's live service title, which previously kept its characters exclusive. The article critiques the trend of character collaborations, suggesting it dilutes the original identity of game universes and turns beloved characters into generic cosmetic items.
Pearl Abyss Q1 2026: Black Desert and Crimson Desert push Pearl Abyss to huge revenues – without CCP Games
Pearl Abyss reported significant revenue growth in Q1 2026, driven by the launch of Crimson Desert and the steady performance of the Black Desert franchise. The company has shifted to an earnings letter format instead of a conference call. Pearl Abyss is also prioritizing development on DokeV and has sold CCP Games.
Marathon Season 2 Detailed
Bungie has detailed upcoming changes for Marathon's Season 2, promising "liberated chaos" with the release of update 1.0.9. The update is scheduled to launch next Tuesday, May 19, signaling a fresh start for players.
Rainbow Six Siege And Xbox Game Pass Partnership Renewed For New Esports Seasons
Ubisoft has renewed its partnership between Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, Xbox Game Pass, and BLAST R6 Esports for the 2026 and 2027 competitive seasons. This renewed agreement will bring more in-game rewards, live event activations, and esports-focused experiences to players across Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. New in-game benefits for Game Pass subscribers will begin rolling out in June.
BATTLEFIELD 6 SEASON 3 CELEBRATES THE FAVORITES WITH REIMAGINED ICONIC MAPS AND MODES
Electronic Arts and Battlefield Studios have launched Season 3 for Battlefield 6 and Battlefield REDSEC, featuring reimagined maps from Battlefield 4's Railway to Golmud and Battlefield 3's Grand Bazaar. This season also introduces Ranked Play for Battle Royale Quads in REDSEC and the return of the Obliteration game mode. New weapons, a Handheld Jammer gadget, and a Battle Pass are also included.
Skull and Bones’ first season of Year 3 launches today – here are the patch notes
The 'Sails of Power' season, marking the start of Year 3 for Skull and Bones, has launched with significant updates. The season introduces a new Galleon ship, a seasonal mastery progression tree, new world tiers, and various other gameplay adjustments and quality-of-life improvements.
Forza Horizon 6: Stop Building A Messy Garage
Modern mobile applications increasingly incorporate design principles from mobile games, such as constant feedback loops, progression systems, and reward timing, to maintain user engagement. This shift, often referred to as gamification, has blurred the lines between utility and entertainment apps, prioritizing emotional satisfaction and continuous interaction over pure functionality. The influence of live-service game design, with its focus on ongoing updates and player retention, is now a dominant force across various app categories.
Why Mobile Games and Everyday Apps Suddenly Speak the Same Language
Modern mobile apps increasingly adopt design principles from mobile games, blurring the lines between utility and entertainment. This convergence is driven by a focus on user engagement through pacing, constant feedback loops, and reward systems, making apps feel more interactive and less like static tools. This shift, originating from mobile gaming's need to maintain player attention, now influences nearly every category of app-based experience, prioritizing emotional satisfaction and continuous interaction over pure utility.
Red Barrels co-founder talks the future of horror, 15 years of Outlast, and what’s next for the franchise
Red Barrels co-founder Philippe Morin discusses the studio's 15-year journey, the evolution of the Outlast franchise from single-player horror to the co-op experience of The Outlast Trials, and the future of horror games. Morin touches on the challenges of game design, the impact of streamers, and the studio's plans for new projects alongside ongoing support for The Outlast Trials.
Marathon risks watering down its best feature if it keeps listening to FPS fans
This article discusses how Bungie's new extraction shooter, Marathon, risks losing its unique identity by catering too much to player demands for simpler menu navigation and clearer icons. The author argues that the game's commitment to diegetic storytelling and frictional design, inspired by Soulslike titles, is its strongest selling point and should not be watered down.
Pearl Abyss marketing director says Crimson Desert's rapid 'live service' patch cadence is business as usual for an MMO studio: 'That is not normal in the industry. That is normal here'
Pearl Abyss marketing director Will Powers stated that Crimson Desert's rapid patching based on player feedback is standard practice for their studio, unlike other companies. He highlighted that this iterative approach, honed by their experience with Black Desert, allows them to adapt to player desires without relying on fixed roadmaps. Powers also emphasized the studio's openness to external ideas, contrasting it with potentially ego-driven approaches in the industry.
"Our players are going to be pretty psyched": Hasbro CEO talks D&D, video games, and playing to win
Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks discusses the company's strategy for its intellectual properties, particularly Dungeons & Dragons, emphasizing a 'Playing to Win' approach that focuses on innovative experiences and engaging adult fans. Cocks highlights the success of Baldur's Gate 3 as an example of adapting D&D for digital platforms and expresses excitement for upcoming digital titles like Exodus, a 'D&D in space' inspired RPG.
Crimson Desert Dev Explains How It's Able to Update the Game So Fast, and Why There's No Content Roadmap
Pearl Abyss has impressed players with its rapid weekly updates for the single-player open-world action-adventure game Crimson Desert. The developer is able to maintain this pace due to its development strategy, though a content roadmap has not yet been provided.
EA closes FY26 with "record" performance thanks to Battlefield 6 and Apex Legends
Electronic Arts reported a record fiscal year performance, driven by the successful launch of Battlefield 6 and growth in its live services portfolio, including Apex Legends and EA Sports FC titles. Despite a year-on-year decrease in net income for the full year, the company saw significant growth in net income and revenue for the fourth quarter.
