The Grim Fate Awaiting Gaming's Live-Service Focus

With the success of games like Fortnite, it seems that every gaming studio wants a piece of the action. PlayStation is exploring multiple live-service experiences with its different IPs, GTA Online continues to generate millions, battle royale games are everywhere, and studios like Ubisoft have been attempting to create successful live-service games for years. While these types of games can be successful, the abundance of titles could have a negative impact on the genre's success. There is only so much time players can dedicate to Battle Passes, frequent seasonal models, and so on.

The success of live-service games depends on the number of players supporting them. Once the player base diminishes, online games are forced to shut down. Server closures have become increasingly common in recent years. Given the inability for all these online titles to coexist, the industry may want to reconsider its direction in order to avoid a costly mistake.

There Can Only Be So Many Live-Service Games

Live-service games bring players from all corners of the globe together for an immersive online experience. While certain popular titles like Fortnite have managed to endure, many others are often left behind. This can be attributed to the constant influx of new video game releases throughout the year, as every game competes for players' attention. However, in contrast to their live-service counterparts, single-player games tend to have a longer shelf life.

To maintain a solid player base, live-service games constantly update with fresh content to keep players engaged, often offering a plethora of purchasable items. These games serve as an excellent platform for connecting with fellow players, enjoying lighthearted experiences with friends, and engaging in global competition.

There is no inherent flaw in live-service games, with many of them having achieved incredible success. Numerous players relish the opportunity to play alongside others in games that are guaranteed ongoing support. As long as the financial gains continue, these studios will continue to keep their games thriving. Examples like League of Legends and GTA Online have already thrived for more than a decade, displaying no signs of slowing down.

There is a current issue with live-service games, as there are an overwhelming number of them, some are excessively expensive, and there is limited time available. Many live-service titles require frequent logins to access the latest content, but gamers often struggle to dedicate time to multiple games. Instead, they focus on a select few and may disregard new releases, especially if they have invested extensive time in other games. Releasing numerous live-service games provides players with options, but it also fragments the playerbase. Consequently, these games compete with each other, hindering the potential success of new releases.

If live-service games fail to attract an audience, they will inevitably shut down, and this has been happening frequently as of late. Games such as Apex Legends Mobile, Battlefield Mobile, Rumbleverse, CrossfireX, and Knockout City have already closed in 2023. Despite their relatively short existence, the live-service audience was not inclined to shift their focus to these games. This trend is likely to continue in the future, posing sustainability concerns in the long term.