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Live-service

Published on
December 8, 2024
Marvel Rivals, a free-to-play third-person shooter, enjoys a successful Steam launch, addressing initial concerns of an excessive number of DPS characters by adding new Vanguard and Strategist heroes like The Thing and Ultron. Available on PC and consoles, but not Switch.
Marvel-Rivals Third-Person-Shooter Free-to-Play PC Consoles Team-Based Live-Service Overwatch-Competitor
Published on
December 6, 2024
Marvel Rivals, a new superhero shooter, achieved one of the biggest free-to-play Steam launches ever, bucking the trend of failing live-service games in 2024, despite mixed reviews.
Marvel-Rivals Steam Third-Person-Shooter Free-to-Play Live-Service Superhero PC Console
Published on
December 4, 2024
Helldivers 2 initially faced review bombing due to mandatory PSN account linking for PC players and weapon nerfs, but after a massive patch and Sony reversing the PSN requirement, Steam reviews are overwhelmingly positive again, focusing on a balanced co-op experience.
Helldivers-2 PC PlayStation Third-Person-Shooter Co-op-Shooter Live-Service
Published on
November 21, 2024
The Finals, a free-to-play, Unreal Engine 5 FPS from former Battlefield developers, hits PS4 on December 12, 2024. Known for its massive destruction and mayhem, it's a welcoming live-service shooter now enhanced on PS5 Pro.
The-Finals PS4 PS5 Xbox-Series-X FPS Free-to-Play Live-Service Shooter Unreal-Engine-5
Published on
November 17, 2024
World of Warcraft, nearing its 20th anniversary, will continue its expansion and update model rather than traditional sequels, prioritizing its large player base and ongoing evolution, unlike other games opting for numbered sequels.
World-of-Warcraft MMO Blizzard Game-Updates Expansions Live-Service
Published on
November 14, 2024
A new job listing suggests a new Horizon game, potentially an MMO, is coming in late 2025. Guerrilla Games may be developing it internally or collaborating with NCSoft, aligning with Sony's live-service strategy.
Horizon MMO RPG Multiplayer PS5 PC Guerrilla-Games Sony NCSoft Live-Service
Published on
November 8, 2024
Sony's push for PlayStation Network account linking on PC games, intended to ensure a safe gaming environment, is facing pushback from PC gamers who see it as unnecessary friction and an attempt to expand Sony's platform dominance.
Sony PlayStation-Network PC Live-Service Multiplayer Single-Player Helldivers-2 Horizon-Zero-Dawn Account-Linking Gaming-Industry
Published on
November 8, 2024
Sony reaffirms its commitment to single-player games, announcing plans to release at least one major single-player title annually starting next fiscal year, including Ghost of Yotei and Death Stranding 2, while also balancing their portfolio with live-service titles.
Sony PlayStation PlayStation-5 Single-Player Live-Service Ghost-of-Yotei Death-Stranding-2 Financial-Report
Published on
November 8, 2024
Sony's new FPS game Concord, despite years in development, failed shortly after release, prompting Sony to reflect on its Live Service game strategy and vow to improve development processes, learn from both successes and failures, and strike a balance between single-player and live-service titles in its future game portfolio.
Concord FPS PlayStation Live-Service Sony Game-Development Failure-Analysis Helldivers-2 Single-Player Mid-Range-Plan
Published on
October 29, 2024
Sony's new hero shooter, Concord, has been shut down after failing to gain traction, with the company reportedly investing over $200 million in its development and ultimately losing a massive amount due to its underwhelming performance.
Concord Sony Firewalk-Studios Hero-Shooter FPS Live-Service Game-Development Game-Failure
Published on
October 29, 2024
Sony's Firewalk studio, developer of the canceled hero shooter Concord, has closed its doors, leaving behind a farewell message reflecting on its ambition and the challenges faced during development, including the pandemic, engine switch, and acquisition by Sony. The studio's ambitious vision for the game, despite its ultimate failure, serves as a testament to the risks taken in pushing the boundaries of the genre.
Concord Firewalk Hero-Shooter FPS Live-Service Sony Unreal-Engine Multiplayer
Published on
October 29, 2024
Sony has shut down Firewalk Studios and permanently sunsetted its hero shooter Concord after the game failed to attract a large enough player base, marking another failed live-service attempt for PlayStation.
Concord Firewalk-Studios Sony PlayStation Hero-Shooter Live-Service FPS
Published on
October 27, 2024
Former lead producer of Anthem Ben Irving expressed his desire to reboot the failed live service game, highlighting its remaining potential despite its troubled launch and subsequent cancellation of its revamp, 'Anthem Next.'
Anthem BioWare Live-Service Looter-Shooter Destiny Mass-Effect Dragon-Age RPG Exosuit Co-op
Published on
October 25, 2024
Diablo 4's new Spiritborn class is overpowered due to bugs, and Blizzard is polling players on whether to fix it or leave it as is, with 63.1% voting to leave it alone.
Diablo-4 Action-RPG Blizzard PC Console Live-Service DLC Spiritborn
Published on
October 15, 2024
Abubakar Salim, known for his roles in Assassin's Creed Origins and House of the Dragon, criticizes the gaming industry's focus on live-service games, arguing that publishers prioritize money over artistic expression, leading to expensive flops like PlayStation's Concord and Redfall.
Assassin's-Creed Metroidvania Live-Service Game-Development Indie-Games Fortnite PlayStation Concord Suicide-Squad:-Kill-the-Justice-League Redfall
Published on
October 11, 2024
Former Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime argues that the gaming industry's downturn is overstated, attributing it to a post-pandemic correction and market oversaturation, with increasing development costs and acquisitions further contributing to the volatility.
Gaming-Industry Live-Service RPG Sunderfolk Dreamhaven Blizzard Microsoft Sony Riot EA Take-Two Bungie Twitch Humble-Games Redfall Concord
Published on
October 11, 2024
Despite its recent shutdown, updates to Concord's backend files on SteamDB suggest a possible revival for the hero shooter, raising speculation about a potential free-to-play relaunch with battle passes, though the game's lackluster initial reception remains a challenge.
Concord PlayStation Hero-Shooter Firewalk-Studios Live-Service FPS SteamDB
Published on
October 7, 2024
Halo Studios, formerly 343 Industries, is shifting to Unreal Engine 5 to accelerate development and content updates for multiple in-development Halo games, acknowledging the changing consumption habits of gamers.
Halo Halo-Studios 343-Industries Bungie First-Person-Shooter FPS Unreal-Engine-5 Live-Service Halo-Infinite Xbox
Published on
September 30, 2024
Horizon Online, a co-op multiplayer game from Guerrilla Games, is reportedly the next installment in the Horizon series, pushing back the release of the anticipated third single-player game.
Horizon-Online Horizon Guerrilla-Games PlayStation Sony Open-World Multiplayer Co-op Live-Service
Published on
September 27, 2024
PlayStation, the IP holder of Helldivers 2, has conducted a detailed survey focusing on the recent balance patch, gauging player satisfaction and feedback on gameplay, weapon usage, and difficulty adjustments.
Helldivers-2 PlayStation Arrowhead Third-Person-Shooter Live-Service Balance-Patch Survey
Published on
September 27, 2024
PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS celebrates its 7th anniversary with a focus on player feedback, map updates, and new features like weekly missions and Training Mode improvements, demonstrating its commitment to long-term growth and community engagement.
PUBG:-BATTLEGROUNDS Battle-Royale Shooter PC Steam Live-Service Multiplayer Taego
Published on
September 25, 2024
Former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra criticizes the industry's reliance on remasters, calling for more original games and sequels, highlighting Sony's recent push for live-service titles and remastering popular titles.
PlayStation Remaster Sony Naughty-Dog Insomniac Industry IP Live-Service
Published on
September 19, 2024
Concord, a hero shooter developed by Firewalk Studios, has been shut down after a disastrous launch, leading to the resignation of its game director, Ryan Ellis, and an uncertain future for the studio as PlayStation ponders its next steps.
Concord Firewalk-Studios Hero-Shooter PlayStation Sony Game-Development Live-Service Game-Industry
Published on
September 17, 2024
EA is developing the next Battlefield game with four studios: DICE leads multiplayer, Criterion focuses on content, Motive is working on the single-player campaign, and Ripple Effect is creating a new Battlefield experience.
Battlefield FPS Multiplayer Singleplayer Live-Service EA DICE Criterion Motive Ripple-Effect
Published on
September 16, 2024
EA has revealed the first concept art for the next Battlefield game, confirming a modern-day setting and a return to the core gameplay elements that made Battlefield 3 and 4 successful, including traditional classes and 64-player matches.
Battlefield FPS Modern-Warfare EA Respawn Concept-Art Multiplayer Classes Live-Service
Published on
September 14, 2024
Pocketpair has confirmed that Palworld, its popular monster-taming survival game, will not be transitioning to a free-to-play or live service model, despite previous statements suggesting otherwise. The studio clarifies that an earlier interview regarding the game's future direction was conducted several months ago and that the team is now focusing on paid DLC and cosmetic skins to support development while continuing to make Palworld the best game possible.
Palworld Survival Monster-Taming Free-to-Play Live-Service Game-as-a-Service Buy-to-Play Paid-DLC Cosmetic-Skins PC Xbox Game-Pass
Published on
September 13, 2024
Palworld's developer Pocketpair is considering a potential shift to a free-to-play live service model, acknowledging the business benefits but emphasizing the challenges and ultimately, the importance of player preference.
Palworld Survival Live-Service Free-to-Play PC PlayStation-5 Pocketpair Tokyo-Game-Show
Published on
September 11, 2024
Destiny 2's recent update 8.0.5.4 bafflingly revealed a hidden -40% damage scalar for Eriana's Vow against Barrier Champions, despite the gun's already poor performance, leading to questions about Bungie's balance decisions.
Destiny-2 Bungie FPS Live-Service Exotic-Weapon Hand-Cannon Champions Barrier-Champions Update Patch
Published on
September 9, 2024
Sony, the publisher of Helldivers 2, is conducting a survey to gauge player satisfaction after the game received mixed reviews following its launch, potentially influenced by the recent failure of Concord, another Sony-published FPS game that was pulled from the PlayStation Store after just two weeks.
Helldivers-2 Sony PlayStation Third-Person-Shooter Live-Service Destiny-2 Bungie MMO Survey
Published on
September 7, 2024
Concord, PlayStation's struggling hero shooter, has shut down its servers just two weeks after launch, leaving players with refunds and developers reflecting on their experience with the game that failed to capture the hearts of players.
Concord PlayStation Hero-Shooter FPS Live-Service Game-Development
Published on
September 4, 2024
A Borderlands 4 lead urges Concord developers to archive their work before the game goes offline, echoing his own experience with Battleborn, a hero shooter that also failed to compete with Overwatch.
Borderlands Gearbox Battleborn Concord Hero-Shooter Live-Service Overwatch
Published on
September 4, 2024
Following the failure of its new hero shooter Concord, PlayStation is reportedly placing its hopes on Fairgames, an upcoming heist shooter led by Assassin's Creed veteran Jade Raymond, which aims to avoid the mistakes of Concord by focusing on community building and learning from the struggles of Payday 3.
Fairgames Payday-3 Hero-Shooter Heist Extraction-Shooter Live-Service PlayStation Sony Haven-Studios Concord
Published on
September 3, 2024
PlayStation's new hero shooter, Concord, is being taken offline after less than two weeks due to poor performance and reception, with full refunds being offered to all players.
Concord PlayStation PS5 PC Hero-Shooter FPS Live-Service Firewalk-Studios
Published on
August 25, 2024
This weekend's new shooters, Valve's Deadlock and Sony's Concord, illustrate the potential for success and failure in the live service market, with Deadlock's innovative hero shooter gaining massive traction while Concord struggles to attract players.
Deadlock Valve Concord Sony Hero-Shooter MOBA FPS Live-Service PlayStation PC
Published on
August 25, 2024
A report claims Activision canceled a single-player Crash Bandicoot 5 featuring Spyro despite over 5 million sales of Crash Bandicoot 4, focusing instead on live-service games, leading Toys For Bob to become an independent studio after layoffs and signing a deal with Xbox to develop a new game.
Crash-Bandicoot Platformer Activision Toys-For-Bob Microsoft Xbox Spyro-The-Dragon Live-Service Single-Player
Published on
August 22, 2024
Helldivers 2's creative director, Johan Pilestedt, held a Q&A on Discord addressing player concerns about weapon balance, game design decisions, and future updates, highlighting the game's ongoing struggle to balance player feedback and development morale.
Helldivers-2 Arrowhead Third-Person-Shooter Live-Service Game-Design Weapon-Balance Community-Feedback Game-Development Discord Gamescom
Published on
July 7, 2024
Manor Lords publisher argues that not every game needs to be a live-service, emphasizing the importance of letting developers take their time and prioritize quality over endless growth expectations.
Manor-Lords Hooded-Horse Eurogamer Live-Service Premium-Game High-Impact-Title Strategy RTS City-Builder Early-Access
Published on
June 14, 2024
Diablo 4's excessive grind has been criticized by players. Blizzard has since addressed the issue and implemented changes to reduce the grind, including the introduction of an Uber currency. Rod Fergusson, the general manager of Diablo, admitted that the team may have gone too far when repackaging Diablo 2's grind for the modern era.
Diablo Diablo-4 Diablo-2 Diablo-3 Uber Hack-and-Slash Live-Service Consumptive-Nature
Published on
May 29, 2024
Helldivers studio once prototyped a successor to space combat sim Star Wars: TIE Fighter that 'could have been amazing.'
Helldivers Helldivers-2 TIE-Fighter Star-Wars Subnautica Kerbal-Space-Program Dota-2 Super-Smash-Bros.Live-Service
Published on
May 11, 2024
David Gaider, former Bioware developer, criticized EA's push for AI development tools, comparing it to the company's failed live service mandate that led to Anthem's demise.
Bioware Dragon-Age AI Mass-Effect Live-Service Dragon-Age:-Dreadwolf Mass-Effect-5 Anthem