Player Retention
Ongoing coverage on Player Retention.
Latest coverage
Battlefield 6 follows shock dev layoff round with a free trial week to claw back player interest
Following significant layoffs at Battlefield Studios, Electronic Arts is offering a free-to-play week for Battlefield 6 from March 17-24 to regain players. Despite its initial success in 2025, the game has seen a steep decline in player count, with fans citing issues like small maps and a lack of dedicated servers. EA's move is seen by many as a desperate attempt to fix the game's problems, which players believe require larger maps and better server infrastructure.
Highguard Will Officially End Service This Month
Wildlight Entertainment announced that its free-to-play shooter Highguard will cease operations on March 12, just 45 days after its January 26 launch. The developer cited an inability to build a sustainable player base, with reports indicating Tencent withdrew funding due to poor commercial performance and low player retention. The game remains available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC.
The Daily Grind: What would your MMORPG have to do to double its playerbase?
This article discusses what an MMORPG would need to do to double its player base, using Overwatch 2's recent comeback as a point of comparison. It highlights the impact of new heroes, story content, and even cute cosmetic additions like a cat with a jetpack on player numbers.
Dune Awakening acknowledges density and performance concerns about incoming server merges
Funcom has acknowledged player concerns regarding upcoming server merges for Dune Awakening, specifically addressing issues with server performance and player preference for lower population servers. The studio aims to improve performance before proceeding with merges, emphasizing that the goal is to ensure enough servers for organic player migration rather than forcing consolidation.
Highguard barely has several hundred people playing together each day - can an incoming all-out action mode reverse its fate?
Developer Wildlight is introducing a new 'Raid Rush' mode to Highguard in an attempt to reverse its declining player count, which has fallen from approximately 13,000 daily concurrent players in February to just 694. The fast-paced mode pits two teams of five against each other in base attack and defense scenarios, removing the looting phase. Despite previous efforts like adding larger team modes and facing layoffs, the game's future remains uncertain, especially with competing titles like Marathon and Overwatch gaining traction.
