Live Service
Ongoing coverage on Live Service.
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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.
WEMADE Launches Major Campaign to Celebrate 200 Days of Global Service for Legend of YMIR - GameHaunt
WEMADE is celebrating 200 days of global service for its Unreal Engine 5 MMORPG, Legend of YMIR, with "The Grand Banquet of Glory" campaign. The event, running through June 2025, offers players free rewards including a 200-day Hero Companion, enhancement tickets, and inventory expansion discounts. Upcoming updates include a Mastery System, Character NFTs, and new PvP and PvE content, alongside expansion to Steam and Indonesian language support.
WEMADE Unveils Major Campaign Celebrating 200 Days of Global Service for Legend of YMIR
WEMADE is celebrating 200 days of global service for its MMORPG Legend of YMIR with a major in-game campaign called "The Grand Banquet of Glory." The event offers players extensive rewards, including special passes, missions, and login bonuses, to thank them for their support and aid new players. WEMADE is also expanding the game's reach with an upcoming Indonesian language pack and has plans for future content updates and competitive events.
Marathon’s creative director opines on its story direction and jump-in points for future players
Bungie's creative director Julia Nardin discussed the future narrative direction for the live-service game Marathon, stating that while the overarching plot for the next few years is planned, it remains flexible to incorporate player feedback. Nardin also indicated that each new season will serve as a potential entry point for new players to join the game.
Insane Space Marine 2 Support Will Extend into a Third Year of Updates
Developer Saber Interactive has confirmed a third year of post-launch support for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, which has reached 12 million players. The game's Siege Mode will be overhauled, and a practice arena will be added in an upcoming patch. All content planned for year three will remain free, with more details to be shared soon.
Valve's £85 Steam Controller sells out almost immediately, before popping up on resale sites like eBay for well over £100
Valve's new Steam Controller sold out within 30 minutes of its release, with prices on resale sites like eBay quickly exceeding £150 in the UK and $300 in the US. Separately, Focus Entertainment announced that Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 will receive a third year of post-launch support, including free updates and DLC content.
The Fifth Family – Modern Online Mafia RPG
The Fifth Family, a modern online mafia RPG, has launched on web, desktop, iOS, and Android, combining deep progression, competitive multiplayer, and a noir presentation. In its first five weeks, the game has garnered over 1,500 registrations and a growing community, featuring systems like ranked Street Intel missions, weekly Arena PvP, Street Racing, and the Iron Fist Gym for stat progression.
PS5's 007 First Light Will See You Embody the Charismatic James Bond for 20+ Hours
The upcoming PlayStation 5 title 007 First Light is estimated to have a first playthrough length of around 20 hours, with additional replay value offered through its TacSim mode and potential live service updates. Developer IO Interactive plans to support the game with new objectives and missions post-launch, similar to their work on the Hitman series.
Review: NTE: Neverness to Everness (PS5) - Ambitious Anime Open World Gets a Lot Right
Neverness to Everness, an ambitious anime-inspired open-world game from Hotta Studio, launches on PlayStation 5 with a blend of exploration, life simulation, and gacha mechanics. While combat and menu controls need refinement, the game offers a generous gacha system, engaging quests, and extensive life-sim elements like managing businesses and customizing apartments, showing significant promise as a live service title.
